Considering the The Village at Mammoth Lodging in Mammoth Lakes?
A VT member wrote the following comment about visiting Mammoth Lakes:
Smokey Bear Flat by chewy3326
Some of the best Mammoth-area views from US-395 are at Smokey Bear Flat, a small desert flat surrounded by forest with the towering Sierra crest to the south and west. The scenery at the flat is amazing. In winter, this area is occasionally used for snowboarding. The flat is named for Smokey Bear- a USDA US Forest Service mascot caught in Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico who for many years championed suppressing forest fires. That program is still around today, but there is much stronger opposition. While forest fires were originally thought of as destructive, its now known that natural forest fires help keep a forest healthy and clear underbrush.