Obsidian Dome (Mono County, California)

Spring has come late to the Sierra Nevada. Reno has gotten at least some precipitation every day for the past three weeks and it's really been putting a damper on my weekend plans. No more! Rain or shine, I decided I was going to finally check out Obsidian Dome, south of Mono Lake and one of the Mono-Inyo Craters.

This entire region is a hotbed of volcanic activity and I have visited many other sites nearby over the years, but this one has eluded me due to weather or time constraints in the past. Luckily, today was a pretty good day to finally hit the site. Making may way down the rough gravel road for about three miles and dodging other site-seers along the way, I finally arrive a small parking lot alongside an obvious trail into the crater.

Reaching the top with minimal effort, I'm immediately struck by the amount of volcanic glass (obsidian) strewn about the landscape. Obsidian boulders the size of cars and washing machines are scattered all about the area. No wonder this crater was named so. I'm also struck by the area of the crater. I've visited many volcanic craters in the past, but this one covers a huge area. Walking around the barren landscape on a makeshift trail, I would estimate the top of the crater occupies an area approximately the size of a football field. At one point, I encounter an nearly-solid obsidian cone jutting 30 feet out of the ground - Amazing. 

I wander a bit more realizing that I've lost track of my entrance point to the crater, but no worries, there are several trails I had seen from the entrance road. I find the nearest one and descend into the forest below. Following the road, I arrive back at the parking lot after only about half of a mile. It was a relatively quick visit, but well worth it.