National Park Service · California
A wall of 60-foot columnar basalt and the 101-foot Rainbow Falls in the high Sierra near Mammoth, where a mandatory Reds Meadow shuttle is the single most important thing to plan around in peak season.
Field briefing
Devils Postpile National Monument changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The monument sits at the end of a narrow mountain road, and in peak summer the road is closed to most private cars: you ride the mandatory Reds Meadow shuttle from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center, roughly $15 round trip per adult, between about 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There is no separate entrance fee. The season is short, usually July to September once snow clears, so confirm the road and shuttle are running before you go and build your day around the bus schedule.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
600F
Snowbound at 7,600 feet, with the access road usually still closed into June.
Pack Check road and shuttle status before driving up; the season may not have started.
Warm, dry days with cool nights and afternoon thunderstorms possible at altitude.
Pack Sun protection, water, a warm layer, and a plan to ride the mandatory shuttle.
Crisp days, cold nights, and golden aspen, with the shuttle winding down in September.
Pack Warm layers, headlamp for shorter days, and confirmation the shuttle is still running.
Deep snow with the access road closed; the monument is effectively inaccessible by car.
Pack Full winter and backcountry skills if visiting at all; most people do not.
The Devils Postpile formation
A wall of near-perfect hexagonal basalt columns up to 60 feet tall, with a short trail to the top where glaciers polished the column tops into a tiled floor.
Rainbow Falls
A 101-foot waterfall on the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River that throws rainbows in midday sun. The signature longer walk from the postpile.
John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails
Both long-distance trails run through the monument, so the area doubles as a resupply and access point for High Sierra backpackers.
Put the timed or highest-demand stop first, then keep the rest of the day close and low-friction. For one day in Devils Postpile National Monument, time The Devils Postpile formation first, then keep Rainbow Falls and John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails close enough that the visit still feels relaxed.
Turn Devils Postpile's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Devils Postpile National Monument. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Devils Postpile National Monument packing list
0 of 21 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
21 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Devils Postpile asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
There is no lodging inside the monument, and the monument campground has been closed since 2016. The practical base is the town of Mammoth Lakes, which has the broadest lodging, food, and fuel and is where the shuttle departs. For camping, the US Forest Service runs several campgrounds in Reds Meadow Valley, including Upper Soda Springs, Pumice Flat, Minaret Falls, and Reds Meadow, most first come, first served with Pumice Flat Group reservable on Recreation.gov. Reds Meadow Resort just outside the monument offers cabins and is one of the few ways to drive in rather than ride the shuttle.
Camping reservations
Devils Postpile has no operating in-unit campground; its campground has been closed since 2016. The real logistics piece is the mandatory Reds Meadow shuttle, since a Forest Service campground reservation or a Reds Meadow Resort booking is one of the few ways to drive in instead.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
The Reds Meadow shuttle runs roughly July through mid-September. Most Forest Service campgrounds in the valley are first come, first served; Pumice Flat Group is reservable on Recreation.gov.
Where to book or verify
Official NPS page on the mandatory shuttle, schedule, and the exceptions that let you drive in.
Official NPS page noting the closed monument campground and the nearby Forest Service options.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the handoff from arrival to shuttle.
Parking, pedestrian entrances, and shuttle timing decide how calmly the first morning starts.
Getting there
Car strategy
Devils Postpile sits at the end of the Reds Meadow Road, west of Mammoth Lakes off US 395 in the eastern Sierra.
Shuttle access
The road is narrow, winding, and closed by snow much of the year, which is why the mandatory shuttle exists in summer.
Shuttle access
Drive to the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center, park, and ride the Reds Meadow shuttle in, or arrive before 7 a.m.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
In peak summer, yes, for most visitors. Private vehicles are barred from the Reds Meadow Road between about 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., so you ride the mandatory Reds Meadow shuttle from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center, roughly $15 round trip per adult. Exceptions include campground and Reds Meadow Resort guests and vehicles with a disability placard.
No. There is no separate entrance fee for the monument. Your main cost in peak season is the Reds Meadow shuttle ticket, about $15 round trip for an adult, which is how most people reach the monument.
Not inside the monument. The monument campground has been closed since 2016. The nearest camping is at US Forest Service campgrounds in Reds Meadow Valley, such as Pumice Flat and Reds Meadow, most of which are first come, first served.
Rainbow Falls is about a 5-mile round trip from the ranger station near the postpile, or shorter from the Rainbow Falls shuttle stop. The basalt columns themselves are a short, easy walk of under a mile round trip.