Panum Crater Plug Trail

Panum Crater's Plug Trail is the short version of one of the strangest short hikes in the Eastern Sierra: a roughly 1-mile round-trip walk straight into the center of a volcanic dome that erupted only about 700 years ago. The trailhead sits off Highway 120 a few miles south of Lee Vining, in the Mono Basin National Scenic Area managed by the Inyo National Forest — not inside Yosemite itself, but an easy detour for anyone staying near the Tioga Pass entrance.

What's on the Trail

The Plug Trail climbs through pale volcanic pumice and ash before dropping into the crater's core, where jagged black obsidian covers the ground in heaps. It looks more like a moonscape than the Sierra Nevada, and that glassy volcanic rock is the whole reason to come — people hike in specifically to see it up close.

Plug Trail vs. Rim Trail

Panum Crater actually has two trails that are often combined. The Plug Trail cuts into the dome itself; the separate Rim Trail loops the crater's outer edge and adds views down to Mono Lake and its tufa towers. Hiked together, the full loop runs about 1.6 miles with roughly 300 feet of elevation gain — but the Plug Trail alone takes well under an hour.

Before You Go

• There's no shade anywhere on the trail, and the pale pumice reflects heat — plan for full sun exposure.
• Obsidian is sharp underfoot. Sturdy closed-toe shoes beat sandals here.
• The turnoff from Highway 120 leads down a short dirt access road to the parking area.