Mammoth Lakes Recreation

What Mammoth Lakes Recreation does

Mammoth Lakes Recreation (MLR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 in Mammoth Lakes, California, that functions as the community's backbone organization for recreation, arts, culture, and mobility in the Eastern Sierra. MLR serves as the official recommending body to the Town of Mammoth Lakes for two voter-approved special tax measures — Measure R (a 1% Transient Occupancy Tax dedicated to trails) and Measure U (a special tax for recreation, arts, culture, and mobility) — effectively operating as a community-funded grantmaking and program-delivery intermediary. Its core programs include Adopt-A-Trail (volunteer trail stewardship), Tangle Free Waters (litter and waterway protection, launched August 2020), Camp Like a Pro (outdoor education, launched July 2021), the Mammoth Art Walk (public art), and Travel Mono and Refuel Your Fun (mobility and visitor experience). Programmatic reach is documented at 90% community participation in the most-adopted program, with 2,061.5 volunteer hours logged in 2025.

MLR's business model blends five revenue streams: (1) Measure R and U special tax revenues, channeled via the Town of Mammoth Lakes; (2) federal and state grants, including a cumulative ~$1.69M in documented awards from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy ($79,275 in 2020, $1.46M in December 2021), the National Endowment for the Arts ($150,000 American Rescue Plan grant in 2022), and CalRecycle (2025, amount undisclosed); (3) corporate partnerships, most notably with the LA Kings and AEG for a community ice rink at the Mammoth Lakes Community Recreation Center; (4) individual donations and branded merchandise; and (5) in-kind volunteer labor. The organization is staffed by 1-10 employees and partners with a wide ecosystem that includes Inyo National Forest, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Mono County, the Mammoth Film Festival, Sierra Classic Theatre, Mono Arts Council, Friends of the Inyo, and Whitebark Institute (via the Eastern Sierra Climate & Community Resilience Project).

There is no proprietary technology platform. MLR's "product" is community programming and physical infrastructure stewardship, not software. Strategic value is concentrated in its quasi-governmental recommending role, its multi-stakeholder ecosystem, and its ability to deploy small amounts of public funding into high-visibility community amenities (trails, ice rinks, public art, education). Leadership is provided by an interim Executive Director (Mallory Jenkins). The organization is a low-overhead, community-anchored nonprofit whose strategic optionality is bounded by its geographic focus on Mammoth Lakes and the political durability of Measures R and U.

Name

Mammoth Lakes Recreation

Legal name

Mammoth Lakes Recreation

Website

https://mammothlakesrecreation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mammoth Lakes Recreation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and delivers recreation, arts, culture, and mobility programs in the Eastern Sierra, serving as the recommending body for the Town of Mammoth Lakes' Measures R and U special taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Recreation and Arts Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAK

Water Resources & Watershed Protection

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

Keywords

• Recreation stewardship programs
• Trail maintenance services
• Community grant administration
• Arts and culture funding
• Watershed conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Mammoth Lakes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Special Tax Administration (Measure R & U): MLR serves as the recommending body to the Town of Mammoth Lakes for expenditure of Special Tax Measures R & U. These funds are used as grants for projects and programs supporting recreation, arts, culture, and mobility in Mammoth Lakes.
2. Grant Funding: MLR secures grants from state and federal sources including Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) grants totaling $1.46M for Sherwins Area projects, and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) American Rescue Plan grant of $150,000 for arts sector recovery.
3. Donations and Store Revenue: MLR accepts donations and sells merchandise (t-shirts, hats) through the MLR Store to support operations and programs.
4. Adopt-A-Trail Sponsorships: Adopters donate $1,500 per year to cover costs of providing maintenance for their chosen trail segment through the Eastern Sierra Adopt-A-Trail program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mammoth Lakes Recreation (MLR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers sustainable recreation, mobility, and arts & culture programs in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra. It operates stewardship initiatives such as Eastern Sierra Adopt-A-Trail, Tangle Free Waters, and Camp Like a Pro, administers Special Tax Measure R and U grants for the Town of Mammoth Lakes, and hosts community events including the Arts on the 4th Festival.

Product overview

Mammoth Lakes Recreation is a non-profit organization (formed in 2014) offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified software product. Core programs include the Eastern Sierra Adopt-A-Trail (trail maintenance through sponsorship/volunteerism), Tangle Free Waters (fishing line recycling from waterways), Camp Like a Pro (dispersed camping infrastructure), and Measure U Grants (grantmaking for recreation/arts/mobility). Event programs include the Arts on the 4th Festival and Mammoth Art Walk. Capital projects include the Sherwins Area Trails + Trailheads development. The MLR Store provides merchandise supporting operations. These programs collectively deliver sustainable recreation, mobility, and arts & culture opportunities for the Mammoth Lakes community and Eastern Sierra region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arts on the 4th Festival: Annual 4th of July tradition festival bringing together artists, food vendors, and family-friendly entertainment supporting MLR's work in arts, culture, and outdoor programs since 1977.
• Eastern Sierra Adopt-A-Trail
• Tangle Free Waters
• Camp Like a Pro

Products and services

• Eastern Sierra Adopt-A-Trail

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 90% of eligible recreation sites adopted through stewardship programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• LA Kings / AEG Global PartnershipsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2022Historic partnership to launch 'LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes' indoor Olympic-sized ice rink within Community Recreation Center.
• Town of Mammoth LakescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTOML partners with MLR on trail maintenance, Sherwins Area projects, Community Recreation Center, and serves as MLR's contracting entity for trail coordination programs.
• Inyo National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINF partners with MLR on Adopt-A-Trail program, Sherwins Area projects, and various trail and recreation facility improvements on federal lands.
• Humboldt-Toiyabe National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHTNF partners with MLR on Buckeye Hot Springs project and other recreation enhancement initiatives.
• Mono CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMono County partners with MLR on Measure U grants administration, dispersed camping programs, and various recreation and cultural initiatives.
• Friends of the InyomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOI receives Measure U funding for Trail Ambassador program. MLR supports FOI's mission to protect and care for Eastern Sierra lands and waters.
• Sierra Classic TheatremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSierra Classic Theatre receives Measure U grants supporting Shakespeare productions, spring plays, and community theater events.
• Mono Arts CouncilmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMAC receives Measure U funding for arts education, gallery programs, and community arts center serving Eastern Sierra.
• Mammoth Lakes Film FestivalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMLFF receives Measure U support and is managed by Eastern Sierra Arts Alliance, showcasing international and local filmmakers.
• Sierra ForeverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for SnowSchool program teaching fifth graders about snow science and winter ecology.
• Winter Wildlands AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces Backcountry Film Festival brought to Mammoth to support SnowSchool programming.
• Mammoth Lakes Trail SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLTS is managed in partnership with MLR providing program and fiscal oversight for the Mammoth Lakes Trail System.
• Mammoth Lakes TourismmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMLT partners on events, promotion, and recreation programming including LA Kings Ice partnership.
• Whitebark InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading the Eastern Sierra Climate & Communities Resilience Project (ESCCRP) in partnership with MLR and land management agencies.
• American Sports Entertainment Company (ASEC)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted by Town to provide technical and operational consulting services for ice rink facility.
• Sierra Trash EliminatorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots volunteer group removing litter throughout Eastern Sierra. MLR provides tools, materials, and logistical support.
• Mammoth Lakes Trail SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLTS is managed in partnership with MLR providing program and fiscal oversight for trail system and recommendations to Town Council.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Protect Our Winters: Climate-focused advocacy nonprofit mobilizing the outdoor recreation community around climate action. Thematically aligned with MLR's stewardship mission and increasingly overlapping constituency.

Direct peers

• Eastern Sierra Land Trust: Regional conservation nonprofit focused on land conservation, stewardship, and community engagement in the Eastern Sierra. Directly comparable to MLR in mission and target constituency, with deeper focus on private-land conservation.
• Friends of the Inyo: Eastern Sierra-focused conservation nonprofit that stewards public lands, trails, and waters in the same region MLR serves. Closely comparable mission, volunteer-driven model, and geographic footprint; in fact, a current Measure U-funded partner of MLR.
• Sierra Forever: Regional nonprofit focused on snow science and winter ecology education in the Eastern Sierra, including the SnowSchool program co-delivered with MLR. Directly comparable education and stewardship niche.
• Mono Arts Council: Regional arts nonprofit serving Eastern Sierra communities through exhibitions, education, and programming. Closely comparable to MLR's arts-and-culture grantmaking function and historically linked via Arts on the 4th Festival handoff.
• Leave No Trace: National nonprofit focused on outdoor ethics education and responsible recreation stewardship. Directly comparable to MLR's Tangle Free Waters, Camp Like a Pro, and Adopt-A-Trail stewardship programs at a national scale.

Broad incumbents

• National Recreation and Park Association: National nonprofit that advances park and recreation development through advocacy, education, and grants. Comparable as a higher-order umbrella organization for the recreation-stewardship category MLR operates in.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that creates parks and protects land for public use, including conservation finance and trail/recreation infrastructure. Comparable as a community-conservation intermediary with far larger capital capacity than MLR.
• Sierra Nevada Conservancy: California state agency that funds Sierra-region conservation, recreation, and watershed projects — including MLR's own Sherwins Area and Buckeye Hot Springs grants. Operates at a larger scale as a funder while sharing MLR's recreation-stewardship objectives.

Regional players

• Mammoth Lakes Tourism: Regional destination marketing organization promoting Mammoth Lakes recreation and tourism. Comparable in that it drives the same visitor economy and partners with MLR on events, but operates a marketing mandate rather than stewardship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MammothLakesRecreation
• Instagraminstagram.com/mammothlakesrecreation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mammoth-lakes-recreation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mammoth Lakes Recreation