Near Mammoth Lakes in Madera County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Minaret Vista

Looking Back/Looking Beyond

Photographed by Craig Baker

1. Minaret Vista Marker

Inscription.
Looking Back
This valley was protected as part of Yosemite National Park for 15 years. It was a regular post for Cavalry units patrolling the park's rugged eastern boundary. In 1905, the Reds Meadow Valley was removed from Yosemite due to mining interests, exposing outstanding features to the threats of exploitation. Protection of the valley's resources was recast with the creation of Devils Postpile National Monument in 1911 and Wilderness areas in 1964 and 1984. Devils Postpile and the Reds Meadow Valley are deeply rooted in the early years of conservation. Your visit here is part of this enduring legacy.

Speed and agility over rough terrain made cavalry troopers ideal for guarding the parks against poachers and tresspassing sheepherders. One such Cavalry unit was the 24th Negro Infantry, Co.H, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers.

Looking Beyond
The Reds Meadow Valley has been the stage for important conservation victories. This is a place where thoughtful people looked beyond their time to see the value of preservation as a legacy for the future. Devils Postpile

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National Monument was created in 1911, saving the Devils Postpile from being blasted with dynamite to build a dam. The wilderness character of the valley was protected from a trans-Sierra highway by presidential executive order in 1972 and added to the Ansel Adams Wilderness in 1984. Since 1979, the Reds Meadow Shuttle Bus has been minimizing resource impacts associated with accessing the valley's many features. Conservation efforts — past and present — ensure that future visitors will experience the same wildness and beauty for years to come.

A civil engineer for the US Forest Service, Walter Huber was a key figure in preventing the destruction of the Devils Postpile. Along with John Muir, the Sierra Club, and the University of California, he helped convince President Taft to create Devils Postpile National Monument.

In 1972, California Governor Ronald Reagan (center) travelled by horse to Summit Meadow to announce President Nixon's decision to cease all plans for a trans-Sierra highway through the Reds Meadow Valley.

Erected by National Forest Service - US Department of Agriculture, National

Photographed by Craig Baker, October 26, 2026

2. Minaret Vista Marker

Park Service - US Department of the Interior, and Devils Postpile National Monument - Inyo National Forest.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.

Location. 37° 39.404′ N, 119° 3.682′ W. Marker is near Mammoth Lakes, California, in Madera County. It is on California 203. Located next to the Minaret Vista parking lot, at the end of the road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11999 CA-203, Mammoth Lakes CA 93546, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the San Joaquin Valley,

specifically in the Central Valley,

and in the Sierra Nevada.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Dave McCoy (approx. 1.4 miles away); Devils Postpile National Monument Ranger Station

Minaret Vista Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, October 26, 2026

3. Minaret Vista Markers

Other panels describe the natural features.

(approx. 2.3 miles away); Preserving Special Places (approx. 2.6 miles away); Mammoth City (approx. 4.4 miles away); The White Fence at Old Mammoth (approx. 4.6 miles away); Historic Knight Wheel (approx. 5.1 miles away); The Tavern (approx. 5.3 miles away); Old French Trail (approx. 5.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mammoth Lakes.

The Minarets image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, October 26, 2026

4. The Minarets

Six miles west of Minaret Vista.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 27, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.