Beautiful Weddings Start Here

Celebrate your love with a romantic Mammoth wedding at the Historic Hayden Cabin. The tranquility of our beautiful location serves as a wonderful venue for your wedding event. This quaint 1920’s log cabin and its backyard on the banks of Mammoth Creek make it an ideal location for large or small gatherings. There is room for a tent and dance floor under the strung market lights. The old well, stone chimney, city welcome sign, native vegetation, and the adorable log cabin itself provide great photo backdrops.

The local airport makes Mammoth Lakes easier than ever to reach, and odds are you and your guests will want to turn your event into a mini-vacation.

Event Planning

Guidelines

All events not managed by our onsite coordinator must be managed by a professional event coordinator that you have retained. You will need to provide us with marketing materials (website address or brochure) so that we are able to confirm their professional status.

• You will have access to the venue the full day of your event (beginning at sunrise and ending at 10:00 p.m. – due to Town of Mammoth Lakes noise curfew laws). The site must be vacated and all clean-up completed by 10:00 a.m. the following morning. Your event coordinator must submit an event timeline, guest count, and vendor list no later than one week prior to your event. Please contact us if you require extra time on the museum grounds. We may be able to accommodate you (based on our scheduling) for an additional donation.

• If your event offers alcoholic beverages, they must be served by a bartender who has a California Liquor Service Permit.

• Tents shall be limited to 30′ x 60′. Anything larger will need special authorization from the Hayden Cabin Facility Coordinator. Mountain weather is unpredictable and a tent is recommended for the comfort of your guests. As the Hayden Cabin itself is a public museum, there are no private areas inside the museum for your event preparations. Your guests are always welcome to enjoy the historic exhibits and tour the museum with one of our knowledgeable docents during our open hours. We suggest your rental of an additional cabana style tent as a dressing and preparation room.

• No material such as sawdust, hay bales, or wood chips may be placed on grounds. No loose rice, confetti, glitter, synthetic flower petals, or birdseed are allowed on the property. Check with the Hayden Cabin Facility Coordinator for approval of any celebratory items to be thrown.

• If your event requires electricity or other infrastructure, you will need to work with the Hayden Cabin Facility Coordinator.

• The museum does not lend out tools, equipment or miscellaneous items. Please bring everything you need!

• Since there is only limited parking on site, any group larger than 40 people will need to designate a person for parking control. A parking plan needs to be approved in advance of the event by the Hayden Cabin Facility Coordinator. Bus/shuttle transportation to the venue is required for groups larger than 100. No parking is allowed at Sierra Meadows Ranch without their permission (contact 760-934-6161).

• Do not move or remove any artifacts or exhibits on the museum grounds.

• No food or drink in the Hayden Cabin.

• Due to high fire danger, this is a no-smoking facility. Please advise your guests.

• One Porta-Potty and hand washing station will be provided and can accommodate up to 40 guests. One additional Porta-Potty must be provided by the host for each additional 40 guests

• No equipment or material may be affixed to the buildings.

• No person may climb the building or roof.

• This is bear country! All trash, litter, food, food waste, dishes, and containers must be removed at the end of each day. If the grounds are vacated during the course of the day (for instance between set-up and the event) the area must be left clean while vacated. The use of recycling receptacles is encouraged.

Costs

The donation requested to use the facilities to host an event in 2023 is $2600 with an $800 security deposit. In order to confirm your event date, please mail your signed contract and check for $3,300 payable to Southern Mono Historical Society to P.O. Box 65, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546. The $800 security deposit will be returned after your event if the venue is left in clean condition and the event guidelines have been followed. Once your contract and check have been received, you will receive an email confirming your event reservation. You may also pay online here.

The contract contains all the information you will need for your big day! Please feel free to call (760) 934-6918 or email us at info@mammothmuseum.org with any questions.

Helpful Tips

Altitude Tips

Consider having a water station, sunscreen, blankets, and even sunglasses available to help prevent issues with altitude.

Altitude Adjustment

When you first arrive, acclimatize yourself for a period of time prior to beginning strenuous activities. At high elevations, the atmosphere is thinner. There is less oxygen and less humidity available to you than at sea level. This can result in a number of symptoms such as muscle fatigue, insomnia, mild headaches or slight shortness of breath. Our thin atmosphere filters out only a minimum of the sun’s ultraviolet (“UV”) rays and can result in severe sunburn, so be sure to take adequate precautions to protect your eyes and skin.

What to do:

Eat lightly and drink plenty of liquids

You may tend to become dehydrated more quickly at high altitude than at sea level, so drink plenty of water and other fluids (8 to 10 glasses daily). You should also avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for the first 24 hours of your stay.

Keep Warm

There’s an old saying here in Mammoth: “if you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes…it’s sure to change.” At this elevation, the weather can change quickly. Winter or summer prolonged exposure to the elements can cause serious problems. Children are not always aware when they are becoming too cold. Parents should watch for red noses and red ears. If this occurs, bring the child in from the cold, remove wet clothes and warm the child and affected areas immediately. Moderation is a must! Take frequent breaks from the cold or heat.

It is wise to layer your clothes, no matter what the season. A t-shirt, wool sweater, nylon windbreaker with a hood, and a bottle of water are basics for just about any summer activity. Winter sports enthusiasts should wear warm, water-resistant clothing and goggles or sunglasses with adequate UV protection. Local sporting goods stores carry outdoor wear which is both wind and water resistant, an ideal choice for unpredictable mountain weather.

Avoid sunburn

Adequate UV (ultraviolet) protection is a must. At this elevation, the atmosphere is thinner and provides less protection from the sun’s UV rays.  UV exposure has been linked to an increased incidence of skin cancer, so use a sunblock lotion with an SPF of 30 or greater.  During high exposure activities, such as spring skiing, those with fair skin may experience a sunburn after only two hours of sun exposure even after applying maximum sunscreen protection.

Parents should be especially careful with young children and apply a generous amount of sunscreen to both you and your children prior to any outdoor activities.  Be sure to reapply it at least every four hours.  If you’re perspiring or getting wet from the snow or water, apply it more frequently.

Protect your eyes from snow-blindness

It is also important to use proper UV protection for your eyes. The surface of the snow or water can act as a reflector of UV rays and can generate a great deal of UV exposure to the eyes.Equip yourself and your children with UV sunglasses or goggles. Failure to wear proper eye protection can result in an actual burn of the eye’s surface, a painful condition requiring medical treatment.

Listen to your body

If you experience symptoms such as a headache, insomnia and/or fatigue, you may have a mild form of altitude sickness. These symptoms are a warning to decrease your activity level. If symptoms persist or begin to worry you, don’t hesitate to go to the Emergency Department of the Hospital. You can also make an appointment in the Sierra Park Family Medicine Clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday: 760-934-2551.