Mono County, California

Waterfalls Near Mammoth Lakes, CA

8 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Mammoth Lakes, 4 of them inside 10 miles. The nearest is Twin Falls, 3.3 miles southwest of town. Rainbow Falls earns the best visitor rating nearby (4.7 stars from 239 Google reviews). Most of the falls are southwest of Mammoth Lakes.

Distances are straight-line from the town center. Driving routes are longer.

Photo of Rainbow Falls in Madera County, California
Pictured: Rainbow Falls, CA

Best Waterfalls Near Mammoth Lakes at a Glance

Photo of Rainbow Falls, a waterfall 4.1 miles from Twin Falls
Pictured: nearby Rainbow Falls (4.1 mi)
Closest

Twin Falls

3.3 miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes.

Photo of Nevada Fall, a waterfall 3.7 miles from Bunnell Cascade
Pictured: nearby Nevada Fall (3.7 mi)
With recorded history

Bunnell Cascade

Has a USGS description or naming history.

8 Waterfalls Near Mammoth Lakes, Ranked by Distance

  1. Twin Falls

    Mammoth Lakes, CA · Mono County · 3.3 mi southwest of Mammoth Lakes

    Twin Falls is the closest named waterfall to Mammoth Lakes, 3.3 miles to the southwest in Mono County.

    Address
    Mono County, CA (GPS 37.6116, -119.0101)
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  2. Minaret Falls

    Mammoth Lakes, CA · Madera County · 6.7 mi west of Mammoth Lakes
    5.0 (5 reviews)

    Minaret Falls lies 6.7 miles west of Mammoth Lakes in Madera County, number 2 of 8 by distance. It ranks 2nd for review count among waterfalls near Mammoth Lakes.

    Rating
    5.0 (5 Google reviews)
    Address
    Madera County, CA (GPS 37.6408, -119.0949)
    View details Directions

  3. Rainbow Falls

    Mammoth Lakes, CA · Madera County · 6.9 mi southwest of Mammoth Lakes
    4.7 (239 reviews)

    Rainbow Falls lies 6.9 miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes in Madera County, number 3 of 8 by distance. It draws more Google reviews than any other waterfall near Mammoth Lakes. Numerous trails lead to these scenic falls within the lush forests of the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

    Rating
    4.7 (239 Google reviews)
    Address
    Madera County, CA (GPS 37.6016, -119.0835)
    View details Directions

  4. Lower Rainbow Falls

    Mammoth Lakes, CA · Madera County · 7.4 mi southwest of Mammoth Lakes

    Lower Rainbow Falls lies 7.4 miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes in Madera County, number 4 of 8 by distance.

    Address
    Madera County, CA (GPS 37.5944, -119.0890)
    View details Directions

  5. Horsetail Falls

    Mammoth Lakes, CA · Mono County · 11 mi southeast of Mammoth Lakes

    Horsetail Falls lies 11 miles southeast of Mammoth Lakes in Mono County, number 5 of 8 by distance.

    Address
    Mono County, CA (GPS 37.5394, -118.8296)
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  6. Bunnell Cascade

    Yosemite Valley, CA · Mariposa County · 28 mi west of Mammoth Lakes

    Bunnell Cascade lies 28 miles west of Mammoth Lakes in Mariposa County, number 6 of 8 by distance. USGS notes: In Yosemite National Park, on the northwest slope of Bunnell Point at the head of Lost Valley. (US-T121)

    Address
    Mariposa County, CA (GPS 37.7452, -119.4718)
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  7. Camino Falls

    Oakhurst, CA · Madera County · 29 mi southwest of Mammoth Lakes
    5.0 (2 reviews)

    Camino Falls lies 29 miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes in Madera County, number 7 of 8 by distance. It ranks 3rd for review count among waterfalls near Mammoth Lakes. Its own nearest town is Oakhurst.

    Rating
    5.0 (2 Google reviews)
    Address
    Madera County, CA 93604 (GPS 37.4205, -119.4187)
    View details Directions

  8. Pywiack Cascade

    Yosemite Valley, CA · Mariposa County · 30 mi west of Mammoth Lakes

    Pywiack Cascade lies 30 miles west of Mammoth Lakes in Mariposa County, number 8 of 8 by distance. USGS notes: In Yosemite National Park, on the Tenaya Creek in Tenaya Canyon, 2.1 km (1.3 mi) north of Clouds Rest, 2.6 km (1.6 mi) west-southwest of Mount Watkins, and 2.7 km (1.7 mi) south of Olmstead Peak. (US-T121)

    Address
    Mariposa County, CA (GPS 37.7871, -119.4888)
    View details Directions

Where the Waterfalls Are

Mammoth Lakes sits in or near the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley area of California. The Sierra's eastern escarpment rises abruptly from the Great Basin, and its creeks fall steeply toward Bridgeport, Mammoth Lakes and Big Pine. Snowmelt feeds most of these falls, so they run hardest in early summer and shrink in autumn. Bridgeport and the June Lake and Mammoth areas are the main bases for exploring them. In Inyo County, Fossil Falls is an unusual dry fall: a polished basalt chute carved by an ancient river that no longer flows there, set in desert volcanic terrain south of the Owens Valley. Read the California waterfall guide.

By direction from Mammoth Lakes: 4 to the southwest, 3 to the west, and 1 to the southeast. They are spread across Madera County (4), Mono County (2), and Mariposa County (2). The average distance is 15.3 miles.

By Distance

Within 10 miles of Mammoth Lakes

Twin Falls (3.3 mi), Minaret Falls (6.7 mi), Rainbow Falls (6.9 mi), Lower Rainbow Falls (7.4 mi)

10 to 20 miles of Mammoth Lakes

Horsetail Falls (11 mi)

20 to 30 miles of Mammoth Lakes

Bunnell Cascade (28 mi), Camino Falls (29 mi), Pywiack Cascade (30 mi)

Nearby Towns With Waterfalls

Waterfalls Near Mammoth Lakes: FAQs

How many waterfalls are near Mammoth Lakes, CA?

8 named waterfalls lie within 30 miles of Mammoth Lakes: 4 within 10 miles, 1 10 to 20 miles, 3 20 to 30 miles. Distances are straight-line from the town center.

What is the closest waterfall to Mammoth Lakes?

Twin Falls in Mono County is the closest, about 3.3 miles southwest of Mammoth Lakes.

What is the best-rated waterfall near Mammoth Lakes?

Rainbow Falls has the highest Google rating among nearby falls with at least 10 reviews: 4.7 stars from 239 Google reviews.

Which counties are the waterfalls near Mammoth Lakes in?

Madera County (4), Mono County (2), and Mariposa County (2).

How does Mammoth Lakes compare with other California towns?

Mammoth Lakes ranks 17th of the 86 California towns in our directory for the number of waterfalls within 30 miles.