What to Know
- Reds Meadow Road, which leads to Rainbow Falls and Devils Postpile in the Sierra Nevada, is closed for much of the year
- Look for the road, which is near Mammoth Mountain, to officially reopen at 8 p.m. on July 2, 2025; visitors will need to ride the Eastern Sierra Transit shuttle bus to access the area through July 6, so get the important information before you go
- The road, which is currently unpaved and may not be suitable for all vehicles, will reopen briefly June 7 and 8 (the hours are listed on the site) before closing again for a few more weeks; there's a $10 fee at Minaret Vista guard station and only credit cards will be accepted
- Details about the brief reopening are available here
CALIFORNIA IS COLORFULLY CLUTTERED, in the very best sense, with incredible natural wonders that are tantalizingly remote, those not-so-easy-to-reach cliffsides and waterfalls and meadows that look much like they did hundreds of years ago. At the top of this pleasing pile, at least for lovers of colossal basalt columns that look as though they may have been carefully placed by the hand of a giant possessing an especially artistic eye? It's Devils Postpile, which sits near, or near-ish, anyway, Mammoth Mountain.
Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HEREA SUMMER AMONG THE GIANTS: Like its ethereal neighbor Rainbow Falls, which is known for producing the occasional mistbow, Devils Postpile can be a challenge to reach, due to Reds Meadow Road being closed for much of the calendar. The road is set for its official reopening, once reconstruction is completed, at 8 p.m. on July 2, giving summertime adventurers the chance to experience a majestic realm that remains almost wholly untouched in the wintertime. The Independence Day Weekend will be busy, as is often the way, and taking the Eastern Sierra Transit shuttle bus will be mandatory through July 6. Dates and details can be found at this page.
A WINDOW TEMPORARILY OPENS: The U.S. Forest Service at Inyo National Forest recently announced that the road will temporarily reopen June 7 and 8, giving visitors a pre-summer-rush look at these incredible natural attractions. It's $10 to enter at Minaret Vista guard station, and you'll need to use a credit card to pay, and given its mountainous location, you'll want to study up on the need-to-knows before going.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning with NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP UNPAVED ACCESS: Do note that Reds Meadow Road is not yet paved — reconstruction work will resume June 9 — and driving it during its brief pop-up weekend comes with a few cautions ("campers are not recommended," shares the ranger staff, but there are other considerations you'll need to consider). "We wanted to open as much public access as possible before construction begins on June 9," said Mammoth District Ranger Fred Wong. "However, for the rest of the three weekends in June, it is unlikely the road will be safe enough to open unless contractors finish the downhill soil stabilization work ahead of schedule." If you'd like to wait for the July 2 opening, and it isn't a long wait at this point, read up on the shuttle system and visiting tips here. Arriving earlier in the day, even during the peak summer months, can mean less bustle at these beautiful spots.
