ATVs, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles are a big no-no at most national parks. Not so at Mammoth [1]! Here you’ll find miles of trails set aside for motorized fun. Eighty miles of groomed trails and 75,000 acres of snow-covered meadows and mountainsides await snowmobilers each winter. Much of the same territory is open to ATV and dirt bike traffic in the summer. Get a copy of the Mammoth Lakes [1] Winter Recreation Guide for a complete trail and area map to find the best (and legal) places to play.
If you want to rent a vehicle, you can get single- and double-seat snowmobiles and ATVs at Arctic Cat/Yamaha of Mammoth (58 Commerce Dr., Mammoth Lakes, 760/934-0347). Reservations are recommended! Your rental includes instructions on how to operate your vehicle, local trail maps, and helmets for everyone who’s going to ride.
At Bishop Motorsports (156 E. Pine St., Bishop, 888/872-4717, www.bishopmotosports.com [2]), in addition to snowmobiles and side-by-side ATVs, you can rent Harleys and dirt bikes to take out on the Eastern Sierra roads and trails. If you’re on an extended vacation, check out the weekly rental rates.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/yosemite-and-the-eastern-sierra/mammoth-lakes
[2] http://www.bishopmotosports.com