Beaver Ponds Trail

Beaver Ponds Trail is a moderate, roughly 5.8-mile loop through forest, sagebrush meadows and ponds in Mammoth Hot Springs. From the shared Sepulcher Mountain Trailhead (1K1), follow the lower Sepulcher connection toward Liberty Cap, then climb toward the ponds. Return to the hotel-side Beaver Ponds Trailhead (1N4) and walk through developed Mammoth back to 1K1. That last town link is part of the mapped loop. The park lists the hike as 5 miles; the full connected route measures about 5.8. Allow around three to four hours, though the park's range is two to five. Choose this for a longer wildlife walk with varied ground, not a quick stop.

The main climb comes early through the forested Clematis Gulch, with more rolling ground after. If you take the pond section clockwise from Liberty Cap, stay right at the first two forks. The path is narrow, bare earth and rock; switchbacks ease most elevation changes, though a few pitches are steep. Several wooden bridges cross waterways, including one that's particularly narrow.

The ponds arrive about halfway around. Small pools sit among meadow and aspen; look for gnawed trunks, dams or lodges, but muskrats and water birds are likelier than beavers. At the larger pond, Sepulcher Mountain rises to the southwest. That's the photo stop: keep the water in the foreground and some of the ridge above it so the picture shows the setting, not just a pond.

After the ponds, the route rolls through a brief climb before dropping off a ridge into sagebrush flats and open grassland. Look back toward Mammoth and scan the flats for pronghorn. The last link crosses streets and paths in the developed area, connecting the hotel-side trailhead (1N4) back to 1K1; 1N4 has no parking.

Black and grizzly bears frequent the area, so carry bear spray where you can reach it. The trail is moderately strenuous, and its repeated rises make the total climb vary by how it's measured. Pets aren't allowed. The park lists the hike as year-round, with no reservation or activity fee, though the park entrance fee may apply. The 1K1 lot can fill in summer; use other Mammoth parking if needed. There's an information kiosk at that lot. I couldn't verify a drinking-water source or toilet along the route.