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.

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!

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!

A cool little park, located in the city of Lee Vining. It does have bathrooms, and let's be honest…read morea totally killer view of the lake It's an awesome spot after you've driven the twisty Tioga Pass, or come over the Sonora Pass and need a place to just kick back and relax

I'm not sure why this little park doesn't get five stars from everyone. Yes, it's small, but the…read moretown (county?) has made great use of the space... * quiet location * convenient to highway 395 and with easy parking * extremely clean, bright bathrooms, open after dark * I felt safe * filtered water dispenser * free L2 car charging * view of Mono Lake * convenient to food and drink - just a two-block walk to Mono Cone (which I also recommend) or a gas station convenience store It's a great little place for a brief bite, a rest, or just to stretch your legs. I stopped here on both directions of my drive up and down Hwy 395. What's not to like?!

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!!

I cannot say enough about David and the two days he spent with us in the park. It was our first…read moretrip to Yosemite and David planned two great days that really gave us a feel for the incredible natural beauty that surrounds you in the Valley. While you can only see so much in two days, his skillful guiding made the most of that time covering the multiple waterfalls in the valley, the Sequoia Grove, Hatch Hatchy and many others. He is a self taught naturalist and gave us just the right mix of park history and insights into the floral and fauna. He also balanced our hiking so it was challenging enough to keep me interested but not to difficult that Thelma could not enjoy it as well. He was also terrific about assisting her through some of the more difficult and rocky sections so she was never uncomfortable. His planning was simply impeccable and more than worth every penny as we could never have enjoyed as much as we did on our own. There is just no substitute for having a professional guide a Dave was as professional as it gets. Simply cannot thank him enough and more highly recommend him to anyone who wants an extraordinary experience.

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.

Visited Mono Lake - South Tufa Trail and did the 1-mile walk around the formations. The place is…read moresurreal, especially during sunset when the sky lights up in amazing colors. The tufa towers rising from the lake make the whole scene look otherworldly. There is paid parking per person as noted at the site. What's fascinating is how these tufas form--freshwater springs bring in calcium, which reacts with the carbonate-rich lake water to create calcium carbonate (limestone). Over time, this reaction builds up into the giant rock towers you see today. One quirky detail is the swarms of tiny flies along the shore, which move in waves like something out of the Mummy movies--strange but cool to watch. Overall, an unforgettable spot and a must-visit in Mammoth Lakes.

Beautiful lake with unique tufas that makes it one of a kind. It was so peaceful there and our…read moregroup even did a return night trek there to see the stars. There are a lot of flies at the water's edge so I don't recommend swimming here. The dirt road off 395 is accessible with most vehicles. Definitely recommend a visit here if you are in the area.

If you want to go on a scenic drive, and you have a few hours to kill--check out Tioga road--drive…read morethrough the pass at just shy of 10k feet, and head down to Mono Lake (which is amazing in its own right). If you want to explore some of Yosemite's best beauty that is far less crowded than Yosemite Valley (but far superior in my opinion), plan to spend some time up in the majestic nature that can only be found along Tioga Road. In my opinion, this is the best road in all of Yosemite National Park, and is the best way for us in the valley to get from Fresno to Highway 395 when opened. Be warned: This road (aka Hwy 120) is usually closed from mid Autumn (late October through some time in November) until late spring/early summer (May or June most years), as the road traverses some extremely dangerous avalanch zones and is unsafe to plow until the spring thaw hits the snow in the high country. Also-be warned: There is a lot of wildlife in the high country. Tioga Pass (and Tioga Road) is not a road to speed across. Take your time and savor the beauty of the landscape--high alpine forests, lakes, meadows, granite domes, wetlands--all home to bears, pine martins, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, yellow bellied marmots, deer, red foxes, and so many other amazing creatures. Driving fast means you are more likely to have a tragic encounter between your car and an animal that may be trying to cross the road. That and the road meanders some steep curves along some sheer drop-offs. If you aren't careful along the curves, you may find out the hard way that your car doesn't fly. This is definitely a sipping tea type of road, and not one to be mindlessly chugged. As for provisions, make sure to bring provisions, and also top off your gas tank on either end of the road (either Crane Flat on the western side before you hit Tuolumne Grove, or the Mobile Gas Station/Whoa Nelly Deli on the east side outside of the park boundary--but after you leave hwy 395). There are very limited services between the two ends (usually only in Tuolumne Meadows, but not all services open every year). Restrooms are also limited. There are some opened seasonally at Crane Flat (indoor plumbing, but closed if the gas station store is closed), Tuolumne grove nearby, Tenaya Lake (pit toilets--pretty gross at the end of the season), Tuolumne Meadows, and a few other spots along the road. If you plan to do some hiking--especially when the weather is nice, expect to encounter some soggy or wet areas, as some parts of the high country never fully dry out even in the summer months. And mosquitos can be quite wretched. Make sure you bring protection, whether it is bug spray, face nets, long legged and sleeved clothing, or all of the above. Be bear aware as well, and don't store food in your car overnight or in sight during the day. Also, you should always prepare for weather to change rapidly at these elevations. I've had 70 degree sunny days turn to 40 degrees with hail in as little as an hour. As a resident of California's central valley and a lover of the high country, I don't consider my year complete until I've gone over Tioga Pass a few times. This truly is a beautiful road. It requires respect, and a little planning....and what it gives in return is usually more than you'd expect.

This is a gorgeous road. It stretches from Lee Vining to the west on a pass which goes all the way…read moreto Yosemite. There are lakes and creeks and the best time to take photos is during fall or first snow. The road is very windy and steep so take it slow. During this time of year (not sure if this is all times) you will be required to stop and pay I believe $35 per car at the 12 mile mark. The drive however for those 12 miles is worth it. You can turn around and not pay. I highly recommend taking this pass if you are up at the Mammoth Lakes area or Mono Lake. We didn't have much time, so we only took a few photos, but there are so many cool places to check out. Totally cool drive!