SHARP Environmental Review: Phase II

Project Description: The Mammoth Ranger District of the Inyo National Forest, in partnership with the Town of Mammoth Lakes, proposes to implement trail improvements in the Sherwins area to provide diverse trail-based recreational opportunities near the Town of Mammoth Lakes while protecting natural and cultural resources. The proposed improvements include repair or closure of a number of user-created trails as well as construction of new non-motorized trails. Click here for more information on the complete Sherwins Area Recreation Plan (SHARP), and for more information on the Sherwins Working Group, the collaborative effort that produced SHARP.

In June 2017, various trail alignments first described in SHARP underwent field verification and further development as SHARP Phase II. These alignments are cataloged in the archive at the bottom of this page.

Project Update: In December 2021, the majority of the SHARP Phase II & III trail alignments progressed to environmental analysis through grants awarded to Mammoth Lakes Recreation. The associated trail alignments are illustrated in the map linked below. Some include slight realignments from those proposed in SHARP Phase II in 2017 and Phase III in 2018. Mammoth Lakes Recreation secured two grants from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy totaling $1,460,000 to support this multi-faceted project. A planning grant of $510,000 for the Sherwins Area Trails and Trailhead Expansion will fund the environmental analysis on approximately 20 miles of new trails and an expanded trailhead area. The second award, a $950,00 implementation grant for the Sherwins Trailhead, will create a paved parking area and several new amenities, including a double vault toilet. An Environmental Assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and a Mitigated Negative Declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) are being prepared for this project.

SHERWINS AREA TRAILS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS - 2023

This map shows the trail alignments currently under environmental analysis through NEPA and CEQA.

INYO NF SHERWINS AREA TRAILS PROPOSED ACTION - 2021

This document is the current proposed action to the Inyo National Forest for trail implementation, reconstruction, and decommissioning in the Sherwins Area.

SHARP PHASE II TRAIL ALIGNMENT ARCHIVE

The following trail alignments were developed in 2017 under SHARP Phase II. Most of them have advanced to ongoing review under NEPA and CEQA, as shown in the map and proposed action linked above.

USFS PRESS RELEASE: SCOPING COMMENTS SOUGHT FOR TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SHERWINS

The Mammoth Ranger District of the Inyo National Forest is seeking comments for a proposed action to implement trail improvements in the Sherwins area to provide diverse trail-based recreational opportunities near the Town of Mammoth Lakes while protecting natural and cultural resources.

USFS SCOPING LETTER FOR NEPA ANALYSIS

Review the official USFS scoping letter for the SHARP Phase II projects.

TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES NOTICE OF EXEMPTION

Coming Soon!

TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY FOR SHARP ID #6 - 2017

Develop a hard-surface ADA-compliant multi-use path (MUP) from the Borrow Pit Staging Area to the bridge at Mammoth Creek Park East. Specific routing will take users from the Borrow Pit, east of the USFS stables, and deliver them to a connection with the existing MUP at Mammoth Creek Park East.

TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY FOR SHARP ID #7

Articulate two separate non-motorized routes that connect the Borrow Pit Staging Area to the Tamarack Street Trailhead and also connect into the summertime stacked-loop trail system. The hard-surface or paved trail will be ADA-accessible.

TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY FOR SHARP ID #8

Articulate a stacked-loop trail system from the Borrow Pit Staging Area, along the base of the Sherwins to the Tamarack Street Trailhead, and back to the Borrow Pit Staging Area. Facilities will include signage.

TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY FOR SHARP ID #5A

Articulate a soft-surface non-mechanized connector between the Mill City staging area and the stacked-loop system present within the Hidden Lake Meadow on the west end of the Sherwins area. The connector will be signed to indicate the level of difficulty and will also connect to La Verne Street.

TRAIL ALIGNMENT STUDY FOR SHARP ID #5B SOUTH & #5B NORTH

Develop a set of parallel soft-surface non motorized trail connections between the Old Mammoth Road safe crossing and the road’s intersection with Lake Mary Road. One connection will be open to all non-motorized use, and its complement will be open to non-mechanized use only.

Trail Alignment Study for SHARP ID #15

Develop a soft-surface non-motorized safe crossing of Old Mammoth Road. A trail would be built roughly from the western entrance of Mammoth Rock Trail and stay on the uphill side of Old Mammoth Road, then turn parallel to the road and continue to the uppermost hairpin turn of Old Mammoth Road.

Last updated January 18, 2024