Ready to explore Panum Crater? Here's everything you need to know before you go!
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Trail description
What Is Panum Crater?
Panum Crater is a volcanic plug dome that formed approximately 600 to 700 years ago, making it one of the youngest volcanoes in the contiguous United States. It's part of the Mono-Inyo Craters volcanic chain, a string of volcanic features that stretches south from Mono Lake toward Long Valley. The crater itself is a textbook example of a rhyolite dome — a thick, viscous lava that piled up rather than flowing outward, creating the jagged, obsidian-studded landscape you see today.
What makes Panum stand out is how well-preserved it is. The rim, the plug, the crater floor — everything is remarkably intact for a feature this old. Geologists love it. Hikers love it. And once you're up there, it's easy to understand why.
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- Hiking shoes Essential
- → Salomon Elixir Tour Mid WP · 203.38 $
- Layered clothing Essential
- Rain jacket Essential
- Trekking poles
- → Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork · 69.99 $
- Headlamp
- → Petzl Actik Core 625 · 103.95 $
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