Panum Crater Rim Trail

Panum Crater is a young volcanic dome rising just off Highway 120 a few miles south of Lee Vining, and its short rim loop delivers one of the best return-on-effort views in the Mono Basin. From the trailhead you climb rock-and-pumice switchbacks to a junction, then choose between circling the crater's rim or dropping into the center to reach the obsidian plug itself.

What to expect on the trail

The Rim Trail is a loop of roughly 1.5 miles with about 200 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate mostly because of loose, pea-sized pumice underfoot rather than steepness. Plan on up to an hour to circle it. A shorter spur, the Plug Trail, branches off partway up and leads a few hundred yards into the crater to the lava dome at its center. Both routes are fully exposed to sun and wind, with no shade anywhere on the mountain.

Getting there and what to know

• Trailhead sits at about 6,800 feet, roughly 5 miles south of Lee Vining off Highway 395, then east on Highway 120 to a short dirt spur road.
• Managed by the Inyo National Forest within the Mono Basin National Scenic Area — day use only, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., no entrance fee.
• No potable water at the trailhead, and dogs must stay leashed.
• Collecting obsidian, pumice, or any rock is prohibited — photograph it and leave it in place.

Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes; the volcanic gravel is sharp and shifts underfoot. Panum sits in view of Mono Lake's tufa towers, making it easy to pair with a South Tufa stop on the same trip.