Devil’s Post Pile is a unique geological formation well worth taking the time to visit. Access from the 395 is via Highway 203 which runs through Mammoth Lakes and past Mammoth Ski Resort – eventually turning into Postpile Road and then Minaret Summit Road which leads to the Devil’s Postpile Trailhead. The drive will take about 45 minutes from Mammoth Lakes.
On your way to Devil’s Post pile be sure to stop at the little visited Earthquake Fault Walking Trail. There is a small sign on the right hand side of the road as you drive towards Devil’s Postpile. A small road winds several hundred feet back to a parking lot and bathrooms. A small walkway towards the back of the parking lot that leads down to a rupture in the earths upper crust (about 1/2 mile round trip). This rupture is a fascinating example of the power of earthquakes. It lies along a fault zone. Pay attention to both sides of the gorge. Close inspection will show you that they once were together.
Due to over visitation, limited parking and the narrowness of the access roads, visitors must take a mandatory shuttle into Devil’s Postpile – accessible from the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. This shuttle runs seasonally. The forest service will turn you around at the station, several miles past the mandatory shuttle stop if you tell them you want to just visit the Postpile. Exceptions to this include if you have camping reservations at one of the campgrounds in the area AND or if you arrive before the shuttle starts running or after the shuttle stops running. If you take the shuttle, allow at least 4-5 hours (counting the time each way, hiking time and or wait time for the shuttle).
Once you reach the trail head and parking lot – notice the tiny little wooden visitor center. It was built in 1941 with wood salvaged from the demolition of at the time famous Sentinel Hotel in Yosemite Valley. The was the first administration building at Devil’s Postpile – replacing a tent that was used here for several years in the 1930’s.
Interestingly enough, Devil’s Postpile used to be a part of Yosemite National Park. Mining interests in the early 1900’s were part of the reason for it’s loss of protected status. Plans were to dynamite the postpile to make a rock dam on the river. Fortunately this never happened and the region was protected through it’s national monument status beginning in 1911.
The hike to Devil’s Postpile is 0.4 of a mile along an easy to hike dirt trail which leads directly to the base of the basaltic columnar pillars (the trail splits just before reaching the bottom of the postpile – one side is a dirt ‘ramp’ while the other side features rock stops leading to the bottom of the postpile. This is an excellent area to get a picture of the post piles especially at sunset when they are directly in the sun’s setting rays.
We also recommend climbing the short but steep trail to the top of the post piles. This gives you a chance to see what the top of the columns look like. They are grayish black and they look like the outside of a soccer ball or a tile walkway. Be extremely careful about walking the edge of the post piles. The rock on top is very slippery and there are no fences to stop your fall in case you did fall.
Continuing on the trail two miles past Devil’s Postpile you will arrive at the middle fork of the San Joaquin River. Near where the trail reaches the river you will find the 102 foot spectacular Rainbow Falls.
For more information about Devil’s Postpile National Monument visit: www.nps.gov/depo
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