If you go to Inyo National Forest

If you go

Backpacking permits for the Inyo National Forest are free and can be picked up starting at 11 a.m. at the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, 2510 Highway 203, Mammoth Lakes; (760) 924-5500, https://www.visitmammoth.com. The center has a large selection of books and maps, and backpackers can rent bear-proof cans to store food in. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Walk-in permits are free and can be picked up at the Welcome Center starting at 11 a.m. the day before departure. Space is limited. Backpackers can also reserve up to six months in advance at $5 a person but must still pick up their permit. Call Inyo National Forest’s Wilderness Permit Office, (760) 873-2483, for information.

The shuttle bus runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from about mid-June until mid-September. Day passes can now be purchased at the Minaret Vista Entrance Station for $10 a vehicle, or $20 for a three-day pass.

To learn more

Inyo National Forest, https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo