This review is for Panum Crater Trail which was a ~2.5 miles round trip that took ~1.5 hour to…read morecomplete. This was an unique hike that takes you to the rim of the crater overlooking Mono Lake as well as to the center of the crater filled with obsidian rocks! The trail was mostly sandy and a little rocky closer to the summit. The best views of Mono Lake are on the rim trail! AllTrails GPX route doesn't take you to the summit. Follow the trail for another ~0.2 miles to reach the summit for a brief view of Mono Lake. Required to drive ~0.5 miles on dirt road. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/VurvIs-_Cnw

STEPH JUDGEMENT: One of my favorite hikes in Mono County…read more I've been back several times now, and my appreciation for this place grows each time. And I've finally managed to remember "Bitch Hill" (a term I coined) on my last visit. For some reason I totally blocked it out from my first visit--maybe because I was trying hard not to be blown off the trail by a freak spring storm--but it's a section on the Rim Trail that's quite steep that'll definitely elevate your heart rate. I always start out with the Plug Trail to see all the rocks, and then go back down and do the Rim Trail for the views of the lake. It's not a long hike, but there is that "hill", lol.

Mono Lake is beautiful in its own way. Tufas are very interesting and the reflection in the water…read moreis beautiful. There are nice paths down to the lake and along the shoreline. There's signage explaining why the water levels are where they're at. It's worth a visit if you're in the area.

The lake and tufas and sky were amazing, except I was put off at the point of vomiting from all the…read morepiles of horse poop everywhere! Everywhere and I really mean EVERYWHERE you walk are giant piles of horse poop! Why? This will change this sensitive environment , let alone being disgusting! I don't know why so much poo everywhere in 2026. Put a diaper on your horse if you aren't cleaning this up! FFS! otherwise the clouds and lighting on the tufas & snow on the mountains were amazing from a photographer standpoint

The best mountain I have ever climbed was Mt.Whitney. However, I remember Mt.Dana more often. I…read moreclimbed Mt.Dana to acclimatize two days before I climbed Mt.Whitney. Because the purpose of our trip was Mt.Whitney, I was not very excited about climbing Mt.Dana. I know that responsible hikers should always prepare for the trails they plan to hike, but I had been too lazy to print out the trail map of Mt.Dana. Another reason I thought I didn't need to do such preparation was that our leader had done the same trip six years in a row with exactly the same itinerary. So I was planning to follow him and actually I did follow him. It was quite an interesting trail. During the first half, we were able to see a lot of plants and flowers that were specific for high altitudes. On the last half of the trail were only rocks because plants couldn't survive in the higher altitude. There were no obvious trails through the rocks although there were some cairns and flags to show hikers a good path to the summit. I really like this primitive kind of trail. It was stereotypic Eastern Sierra summer scenery; bone dry, brown, and quiet, with strong sunlight. The higher we climbed, the thinner the air became. That made it harder for us to breathe and we stopped talking. I knew that it was only six miles to the crest, but I couldn't see the top. I felt like it would take forever to reach the top. That made me psychologically exhausted. At the same time, I got more time to think by myself. It was hard but I really like this solitude for some reason. When I finally reached the summit, I forgot all the pain. Surprisingly, I was able to see the whole Mono Lake from the top. I had been to Mono Lake but never saw all the lake at one time. It was the most beautiful lake I had ever seen. Because I had not looked up any photos from the summit of Mt.Dana, I was able to be surprised by the scenery. Nature rewards me with great scenery and several kinds of emotion that I never have in daily life. This is the reason I can't stop climbing mountains. Some people believe that mountains have some spiritual power and some places such as Mt.Shasta are known as power spots. I still don't really understand or feel that kind of power, but I got a sense of mountain's strength a little.

You won't find the Mt. Dana Summit Trail on your National Park Service map and you're unlikely to…read morefind it in your hiking guidebook either. What you will find on this trail however, is a challenging trip up the second highest peak in Yosemite National Park which rewards with some of the best panoramic views you'll experience anywhere.

This lovely little community trail is 1.5 miles one way and goes along the Lee Vining Creek. It…read morestarts just south of the Lakeview Lodge, which is on US 395. You walk down a fairly steep hill, but then are strolling through delicate creek side trees and vegetation for most of the rest of the trail, which goes north, towards Mono Lake. The trees were in their fall colors, which was amazing in the afternoon light. The creek is clean and beautiful. We saw some birds (even a water ouzel!) and small critters. There are signs along the trail that tell you a little bit about what's around you. It's a wonderful and fairly easy walk. The end of the trail goes up fairly quickly, and you end up at the visitor's center, just north of town. If you have some time, definitely check out this lovely walk!

The southern tufa area has some of the most spectacular formations on the lake. You can't see them…read morefrom the parking area however a short 1 mile walk down a path gives you an awesome view. Yes, it is 5 miles off of the 395 but worth the drive and walk if you have your America, the beautiful pass you'll be able to use it when you park otherwise cost is three dollars a person

This is one of a kind lake . It was formed by underground fresh water . The lime stone formations…read moreare unique. When I first visited this lake many years ago, the lake was a lot bigger than now . We came around 5:30'pm amd the sun was setting . We saw the orange cloud in different shade and golden sun beam was reflected on the lake and he cloud at the same time . It was magical ! I am sad today to find out most of the lake water was re directed to Los Angeles area for other uses . The lake has shrink and the water becomes super salty . That affects the tiny shrimps that live inside the lake , the algae and the seabirds that eats the creatures that live in the water . I hope the situation would improve soon . We create a new problem to solve the existing problem.

Quite the stunning park located right on the shores of Mono lake. The park itself is beautiful, and…read morethe views are incredible. Lots of lush grass, a stream, and tress dot the park. I was there early so the visitors center was closed. Plenty of picnic benches and gentle trails dot the park. The parking lot is small and it is off the beaten path so It is quite peaceful as well.

This is an absolutely GORGEOUS park located at one end of Mono Lake. My daughter and I spent some…read moretime here on a trip to June Lake and surrounding areas in October. There was no one else there except for an older couple having a picnic under a shady tree. They were so cute and happy enjoying their feast in such a pretty setting. The grass was green and lush and the trees are shady and mature. I highly recommend stopping here for a picnic lunch, reading a book, napping under a tree, or whatever your heart desires!

We had an excellent day with David. We booked a private tour for my wife and me. We are not so…read moreyoung so David tailored it to our pace and abilities (still made it to the top of Sentinel Dome- well worth the effort!). Literally went from the valley floor to the peak of sentinel dome. His knowledge of the park is outstanding. He picked us up at our lodge and dropped us there at the end of the day- even gave us the picnic we couldn't eat during the trip because clouds blocked the astrophotography portion. He even apologized for the clouds! An all day adventure; we were happily exhausted when we got back to Evergreen Lodge. Highly recommend.

Dave is AMAZING! We had the best day with him on our private tour of Yosemite. He is so fun,…read moreknowledgeable, a great conversationalist and made the day fabulous. I had the best time and felt like we got to really see Yosemite and get to know the park. I would 100% recommend booking with him and his company. Hands down the BEST!!

Had a great experience with David, caught some fish, learned a lot and had interesting talks.read more

David took my husband and I on a wonderful fishing and hiking excursion! He is knowledgeable, kind…read moreand professional. We learned a lot about fishing techniques, and saw some amazing views!

Our tour guides were absolutely amazing (John and Mia) and they were very knowledgeable and helped…read moreanswer all of our questions (about Yosemite in general, specific famous features on our hike, and even random questions about birds and plant life). The hike is as advertised (in terms of ratings and what features you will see). They always put safety first and even offered to help carry our back packs when we got tired or were crossing a small stream! They treated us like close family/friends, were encouraging us along the way, and adapted to our pace and schedule. Our group ranged from age 6 to adult and we couldn't have made it to the end of the hike without them! Book them for your tours and have fun on your Yosemite Vacation!

Will definitely be booking again with John and Y Explore!!! Honestly when we booked the guided half…read moredome hike I went into it thinking we were just utilizing the purchased permits as hadn't won the lottery ourselves but as the day progressed I became more and more grateful for the wisdom and knowledge of our guide. From breathing techniques and tips for ascending and descending the cables to the order of of our group and perfectly timed rest breaks this was worth every penny as we had not only a successful summit but an overwhelming positive experience! Hubby and I are excited to travel again to more destination with Y Explore in the near future!

This visitor center, located north of Lee Vining to the east of Hwy 395, is a must stop no matter…read morewhat time of year you pass by. While the visitor center is opened seasonally, they have restrooms in front that remain open year-round and have been clean and well stocked every time I've visited. I believe they close overnight--so please check first. The visitor center has a beautiful gift shop, a ranger desk where you can get all your local exploring and curiosity questions answered, a kids coloring table, places to sit, a film, and natural history exhibits. There is also a vast and beautiful back patio space which provides ample viewing options of Mono Lake, the tufa, and the surrounding mountains and hills. There is a nature trail you can follow with better views of the lake. Cell service is spotty in this area, but there are a few spots in the parking lot where the service comes through. I have really enjoyed visiting here during different times of year. Every time I do, I learn something new from the volunteers and staff... They have always been able to help me identify a new animal I've spotted or give me "insider" information about a new adventure worthy of embarking on.

Mono Basin is such a beautiful and unique area to explore. There's an easy walking path that takes…read moreyou right to the lake, making it accessible and enjoyable. Along the way, you'll see fascinating volcanic rock formations and helpful signs that describe the surrounding vegetation, which really adds to the experience. Peaceful, scenic, and educational--a great stop for anyone visiting the area!