Tamarack Lodge and Resort

The honest review

Tamarack Lodge is a different kind of Mammoth experience. Built in 1924 on the shores of Twin Lakes, it sits away from the Mountain and The Village bustle, and it wears its age gracefully. The 35 private cabins and small collection of lodge rooms are surrounded by forest and lake views, and the property runs on a quieter rhythm than the slopeside condo operations down the mountain. For families who want an actual cabin-in-the-woods feeling rather than a ski resort hotel experience, Tamarack is the right choice.

The Tamarack Cross-Country Ski Center is one of the best-run Nordic operations in California, with more than 19 miles of groomed trails leaving directly from the property. Families with older children — say, 6 and up — can ski right from the cabin to the trail network, which offers terrain for beginners through advanced skiers. Guests staying on property receive 20 percent off daily trail passes and equipment rentals, which adds up meaningfully over a multi-day trip. In summer, the Twin Lakes setting shifts to paddleboarding, guided hikes, fly fishing, and mountain biking, with the Tamarack Bike and Paddle operation handling rentals.

The Deluxe Cabins are the sweet spot for families: one to three bedrooms, full kitchens, fireplaces, and private decks facing the lake or forest. The historic cabin inventory is more rustic and varies more in quality — worth checking photos carefully before booking. Lodge rooms are explicitly positioned for adult guests, so families with children should book cabins. Dogs are welcome in cabins with a fee, not in lodge rooms.

The Lakefront Restaurant on-site is Mammoth's most acclaimed intimate dining room, but it's more suited for a parents' dinner than a family night out — the tone is upscale and the kids' menu is limited. Continental breakfast is included and is practical enough to get the family moving in the morning. The main limitation here relative to Juniper Springs or Mammoth Mountain Inn is the distance from the downhill mountain: Tamarack is designed around Nordic skiing, hiking, and paddling, not lift-served terrain. Families who want both lifts and the cabin experience should plan to use the town shuttle, which adds a logistics step. But for the family that wants quiet, space, a real fireplace, and the specific magic of stepping out of a lakeside cabin into groomed Nordic trails on a winter morning, there's nothing else like it in the Mammoth area.