History & Culture

People have been present in the Devils Postpile area for thousands of years, using and shaping the landscape in ways that reflect their physical needs and cultural values. Although the area has been relatively insulated from the transformations that have taken place in more populated areas to the east and west, Devils Postpile National Monument has been influenced by the varied activities of many people, including American Indians, miners, sheepherders, conservationists, geologists, and other scientists, tourists, and park managers.

While often not immediately visible, the area's rich history remains evident in archaeological sites, trails, roads, historic places, cultural landscapes, and a variety of introduced plants and animals. Attention to the human stories of Devils Postpile and the Middle Fork San Joaquin River Valley can deepen our appreciation for the area by revealing how different groups of people have valued, altered, and protected the high sierra over time.

For more information, see the Devils Postpile National Monument historic resource study and administrative history, Nature and History on the Sierra Crest: Devils Postpile and the Mammoth Lakes Sierra.

Last updated: September 22, 2015

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 3999
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

Phone:

760 934-2289

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