Devil’s Postpile National Monument

I guess I don’t get it.
It was a very long drive to get to the monument and although it was a relatively short walk to see the postpile, I couldn’t figure out what all of the hulabaloo was about. It’s somewhat interesting formed rock in a mountain. Big deal.
Next.

Located within Inyo National Forest, near the town of Mammoth Lakes (home of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area), is Devils Postpile National Monument. It is an 800-​acre park and two of its most impressive features are Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls.
Devils Postpile is an unbelievable, seemingly manmade, columnar formation made from cooled basaltic lava. The pictures speak for themselves. It brings to mind the Wizard of Oz’s Emerald City and Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. From there you can make your way along the hiking trail to Rainbow Falls where water flows from a 100 foot cliff of volcanic rock. A rainbow can sometimes be seen in the mist rising from the rocks below when the sun is overhead on a clear day.
The first thing that you will need to know if you plan on visiting is that Devils Postpile Monument is open only 5 months out of the year, from mid-​June to mid-​Oct. The other thing you will need to know, depending on when you plan to visit, is that you may be required to take a shuttle bus to reach the various trailheads. The shuttle bus runs from mid-​June into September. Tickets can be purchased at the Adventure Center located at the main gondola building at Mammoth Mountain 10 001 Minaret Rd, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93 546 (800) 626‑6684. If you are visiting after September then you will be allowed to drive your own car into the valley without needing to use the shuttle. The day I visited they had reached their capacity so I was told to return in two hours.
The shuttle passes cost $ 7 for adults, $ 4 per children 3 – 15, and children under $ 2 are free. If you are driving your own car into the valley then the One Day Pass is $ 10 per vehicle. During shuttle season you are able to bypass the shuttle if you have a handicap placard, an inflatable float tube, if you are staying in the campground, or if you are a hunter who is transporting weapons or game. I suppose if you really feel motivated to drive your car during shuttle season then you can always just bring an inner tube or mount a big game carcass to the roof of your car, although I don’t recommend it.
The 30 minute shuttle makes 9 stops. The most popular stops are number 6 and 9, Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. I recommend starting at the Devils Postpile trailhead and hiking to Rainbow Falls. It’s about a 5 mile roundtrip hike. If you want to shorten the hike you can hike to the falls and then take the shuttle back from bus stop number 9. I saw a number of people on the trails with dogs and I even a few parents pushing strollers. Dogs must be leashed and muzzled.
Be sure to visit the southern section of the National Forest. There are a number of scenic lakes and trails that are well worth the visit.

Devil’s Postpile is an incredible destination! It’s well worth adding to your Mammoth trip and after your visit, you may also feel that it deserves to be ranked #1 on any Mammoth tourist website.
It costs $ 10 for the day to enter the park. The park accepts both credit card and cash to pay for entry.
The rock postpile area is about .5 miles from the parking area (1-​mile round trip hike). It’s beautiful and uniquely interesting as thousands of rocks transcend up a hill.
If you are feeling add adventurous, try hiking to Rainbow Falls. The water walls are about an additional 2.5 miles from the postpile (5 miles round trip), but worth the visit. The falls are about 60 feet high and you are able to take several scenic pictures from various overlooks.
Tips:
–bring a water bottle, swim shorts (if you’re feeling adventurous) and a towel.
–if you’re planning to visit during a non summer month, call ahead or check online to see if the park is open
–if you visit during the summer, visit during non peak heat hours as it can get very hike past the rocks.

The NM is a must visit when in the area! I highly recommend going off-​season as you can drive rather than have to use the shuttle.
The road to the parking area is fun but a little scary to drive. It is basically a one lane winding, high-​grade road, so you really have to drive carefully and use the turnouts when there are other cars.
It is a gorgeous drive and a short hike to the foot of DPP once you park. The monument itself is pretty epic to behold and when there are not a lot of people, if you can have it to yourself, it is such a humbling experience.
You can hike to the top of it via a loop trail, but beware that it can be strenuous due to the ascent and the altitude. Totally worth it though! The view is amazing and the hexagonal patterns of the top is pretty awesome!
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and John Muir Trail connect through here as well!

We were coming from Reno, NV down the 395 South and decided to do the Mammoth Lakes Loop which is basically a scenic loop of the forest. We ended up at the Mammoth Adventure Center from this direction rather than coming from L.A. where we’re from. I hadn’t been to Mammoth since 2003 but I saw the shuttle buses and knew we’d have to get tickets! We went up to the window and bought the tickets. In hindsight, I’d of rather bought the $ 10 pass to drive my car and go to the Red Meadows Resort (where the shuttle bus stops at anyway!)
Okay, we took the shuttle bus and got off at Stop #6 for Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. It was 0.5 miles to Devils Postpile and 2.7 miles further to Rainbow Falls. Devils Postpile was surreal –looking but very interesting to learn about. I hadn’t been there since 1975 and back then you could drive right up to the parking lot where the bus drops people off. My own teenagers were impressed and we took many photos. Most of the people on the shuttle continued on to Rainbow Falls. We, however, had already asked the girl at the ticket window if there was a shorter route. Indeed there is. We hiked back 0.5 miles back to the shuttle bus and took it to Stop #9. Then hiked 1.3 miles one-​way to Rainbow Falls. I found this to be worth it with the motley crew I was with!
I highly recommend visiting this awesome, natural volcanic creation from long ago! The trail itself is not strenuous and very pleasant to its location. The weather was warm and nice in July. Good idea to apply sunscreen, bring water and wear good shoes to Devils Postpile. Very do-​able with young children since it is just 0.5 miles one-​way. I’d recommend being more prepared with snacks, water, hiking shoes, hat, sunscreen if you plan to go on to Rainbow Falls — a long hike through Ansel Adams Wilderness (which caught fire in 1992 and is not longer a lush forest) and totally worth it!

Go to adventure center — buy shuttle tickets — wait in line — go to stop #6 — walk 10 – 15 min to postpiles — keep hiking for 2 miles — go to Rainbow Falls — swim — hike back, but towards the resort (stop #10) b/​c it is a shorter hike — take shuttle back down.
Bring: lots of water, snacks, hat, camera, sunscreen, swimsuit.
YOU’RE WELCOME!!!

While I previously read the reviews here, I was still confused where to catch this shuttle everyone mentions. Unfortunately, they do not allow personal vehicles on the roads to the Postpile anymore. So you are stuck taking a shuttle at $ 7/​pp, which is a complete rip off. My hubby just couldn’t understand why we are paying $ 22 just to see some rocks!
Go to the Mammoth ski area where you can park for free. Then inside the lodge is where the shuttle tickets are purchased. Not much more to say that hasn’t been said already. Even my hubby found it fascinating, just not $ 22 worth. So while Mother Nature will almost always get a 5 star from me, I’m taking one star away for the shuttle.

If you’re in the Mammoth area, do this hike. It’s a pretty easy hike, so don’t let the name intimidate you. First thing’s first: Getting there. Go to the adventure center, buy a shuttle ticket for $ 7, hop on said shuttle, exit stop #6, and get to stepping. The Postpile is rather small, yet still impressive. Once you’ve taken the requisite pics, keep going and hike to Rainbow Falls. The burn areas have a special kind of tragic beauty to them, so stop and ponder. We went on a really hot day, so we were glad we took our camelbacks and snacks. The stairs to the falls were rather steep, so make sure you save plenty of energy for the walk down the stairs and back up. Once you’ve finished taking in the water, treat yourself to a couple of cold ones at the little café/​market on the hike out.

What a trip!!! Just a short hike (~10 min) from the 6^th shuttle stop, you get to see really interesting rock formations! It’s the largest collections of basaltic columns made from lava and glaciers!
So neat! The rest of the park is a really nice hike that you can take to rainbow falls. You see what a Forrest looks like units early stages since it’s just recovering from a huge fire that went through in the eighties. Definitely recommended if you’re in the mammoth area!

If you are in Mammoth spend a few hours exploring the Devil’s Postpille — catch the shuttle up to the park and walk the trail to the rock formations that give the area it’s name. The trails are easy and well maintained

With a name like Devil’s Postpile, I had my doubts. It sounded ominous and eerie. And really, what was a postpile anyways? Well, it’s quite literally a pile of posts. In this case beautifully smooth basalt «posts» carved from glaciers. Once you visit the monument it all makes sense. Or you could just look through the photos.
Devil’s Postpile NM wasn’t our intended destination. In fact, our October 3 day weekend trip to Mammoth was entirely spur of the moment and done on the fly. We had zero expectations, and that’s just how I like it. We decided to drive around the ski lodge and check out the autumn scenery. As we were driving down from a Vista, we saw several car loads of people turning onto a ranger guarded road. Being adventuresome, and a tad nosey, we decided to pay our entrance fee ($ 10) and take a look around.
The road was a little windy, but well paved and with plenty of turnouts. The main road heads down into the valley, so be careful not to ride the brakes. There’s plenty to see, and several roads to explore. There’s an endless amount of things to check out that a day really isn’t enough.
After about 15 minutes of driving (and some exploring) we made it to the main parking lot of Devil’s Postpile. It was completely full, surprisingly so for being mid-​afternoon. There was an empty ranger station and a few bathrooms. There was absolutely no potable water to be found, which was a bit strange considering the amount of visitors and campgrounds nearby.
The trail-​head was clearly marked, and nicely maintained, although a tad dirty. You can tell this easy little trail sees plenty of folks, both of the two and four legged variety. If you’re looking for a nice quiet nature trail, this isn’t it. But it is your only option for viewing the beautiful Postpiles. So put on your patient panties, expect to walk slowly behind crowds of non-​hiking tourists, and be careful to avoid stepping in dog poo.
Even so, it’s entirely worth it. This is a magnificent geological feature that must be seen. This is a living, breathing National Monument and everything around is simply glorious.
Quick Note: If you have the time, hike a bit further to Rainbow Falls. The views are splendid. On your return hike, take a quick detour to the left. Cross over the bridge to Soda Springs Meadow and walk down to the creek. There you’ll find Soda Springs, as evident by the red colored iron deposits along the bank. This color is especially bright in the summer to late Fall.

Devils Postpile is a great spot… within easy driving distance of better spots. The formation itself is very cool, but in an area filled with spectacular natural wonders and extraordinary places to visit, this one does pale in comparison. Add to that it’s lackluster visitor center and unpleasantly crowded campground, and it is not at the top of our list of NPS sites, particularly with the cost and difficulty of getting to the site itself.
That said, we did enjoy our visit. It is one of the only NPS sites that allows total access to dogs (even on the trails), which is fantastic. The trailheads here lead to some incredible backcountry experiences. Hiking to the top of the formation to see the tops of the columns is a must, as well as the hike out to Rainbow Falls, which is a bit longer, but worth the trip.
Overall, if you are already staying in Mammoth, it is worth the shuttle ride to see the Postpile. However, if I were choosing places to stop along 395, I would much rather take a tour of the Mono Lake tufas, see the Bristlecone Pines, or even take the hike through Fossil Falls. And camping… there are far, far better places to camp in this area. Devil’s Postpile just has a lot of competition.

Woohoo, the hike to the top of Devil’s Postpile was spectacular. Not only did I see the bottom like last year, but we hiked to the top. At the top, you see a bunch of hectogram shape rocks. You also see a nice view as well.
It is worth it to hike up even if you are huffing and puffing due to the altitude. Just like it is worth the one mile hike to Rainbow Falls. The hike back down is easy too.
A lot of people come to Mammoth for the slopes, but there are a lot of people sight seeing the national parks and mouments like Devil’s Postpile.
Word of warning, when you hike to the top, becareful and don’t listen to the photographer when he tells you to back up or you have a nice ride down to the ground and you might break.

LOVED IT, the hike, the monument, the shuttle drivers, the air, every last thing!
Buy a ticket to board the shuttle at the Mammoth Mountain adventure center, cost $ 7 for adults. Dogs are welcome but they MUST be muzzled. (You can buy one inside if you did not bring one.) The shuttle has 10 stops so you can hope off wherever you like and hike to your destination.
We got off at # 6, the Devil’s Postpile stop. From here it is about a half mile, very easy hike to the monument. Stop… take it in, take a selfie, take a moment to read the who what where and why of it all.
Quite a sight, then take the beautiful hike to Rainbow Falls and back to the café for lunch.
Be sure to drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen as there’s not a tremendous amount of cover on this hike.

First and foremost, I wanna give a shout out to the U.S. government for the shutdown. No, really… thanks for nothing.
Prior to the government shutdown, we had made plans to go to Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes for a long weekend getaway trip. The hotel was already booked so we were planning on going one way or the other.
The irony of the government shutdown is that it made our trip to Mammoth Lakes faster than usual. What would normally take a 6+ hour drive instead took us 4 hours. With Yosemite being closed (but open to thru traffic) we just leisurely breezed on through the park, and even felt like it was our own private park. There were minimal cars on the road, and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery nonetheless.
When we arrived at Mammoth Lakes, we asked the locals about Devil’s Postpile and they all encouraged us to go ahead and «sneak in» the park. We’re here, might as well do it. We went on ahead and proceeded that winding road both on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, we went to Rainbow Falls first (that’s another review) and on Sunday, we planned on hiking towards Devil’s Postpile.
We trekked down towards the parking lot and a couple of Park Rangers met us. They stopped us from continuing, but they were absolutely nice about it. They were not rude or anything, but in fact they were very helpful and accommodating. They, too, were frustrated with the government shutdown and «advised» on where to proceed in order to get to our destination. Yes the park was closed, but the hiking areas were still open to the public.
After heeding the advice of the Park Rangers, we located the area and hiked from there. It’s a short hike from where we parked and the trail is easily marked by signs and ribbons to guide us. A reminder that we were in the wild, so they told us to be on the lookout for Black Bears. The locals said to stay in a pack and make lots of noise; the bears will see/​smell/​notice us first before we see them.
You’re in high altitude country, so the short trek might be a challenge if you have asthma (which Da Wifey has) and if you’re not used to it. You might be panting and breathing heavily, but it is so worth it once you’ll get there. There’s a sign before the area and a few steps up and over a hill before you descend and finally get to your destination.
Once you have arrived, go ahead and marvel at these magnificent and natural rock formations. Since it was a Sunday, I couldn’t resist «Kaepernicking» in front of the monument. It was showing homage to my team as well as giving a big F U to the U.S. government.
About the history taken from Wiki:
«The name „Devil’s Postpile“ refers to a dark cliff of columnar basalt. The formation was created by a lava flow at some time less than 100,000 years ago.
Because of its great thickness, much of the mass of pooled lava cooled slowly and evenly, which is why the columns are so long and so symmetrical. A glacier later removed much of this mass of rock and left a polished surface on top of the columns with very noticeable glacial striations and glacial polish.
Together they look like tall posts stacked in a pile, hence the feature’s name. If the lava had cooled perfectly evenly, all of the columns would be expected to be hexagonal, but some of the columns have different polygonal cross-​sections due to variations in cooling. A survey of 400 of the Postpile’s columns found that 44.5% were 6-​sided, 37.5% 5-​sided, 9.5% 4-​sided, 8.0% 7-​sided, and 0.5% 3-​sided. Compared with other examples of columnar jointing, the Postpile has more hexagonal columns.»
The Monument was once part of Yosemite National Park, but discovery of gold in 1905 near Mammoth Lakes prompted a boundary change that left the Postpile on adjacent public land. Later, a proposal to build a hydroelectric dam called for blasting the Postpile into the river. Influential Californians, including John Muir, persuaded the federal government to stop the demolition and in 1911, President William Howard Taft protected the area as a National Monument.“
Just think, we almost lost this wonderful treasure had the plan to build a stupid dam gone thru. Thank goodness for John Muir preserving a lot of California’s natural wilderness for future generations to enjoy.
I can cross off another one from my bucket list.

The best time to come here is in the off season or before/​after hours when you don’t have to take the shuttle down. You can have leashed dogs (if you take the shuttle the dogs will have to be muzzled). Make sure to drink tons of water (even though it’s an easy hike), you are at higher altitude.