Obsidian Dome

Overview

Obsidian Dome is one of the youngest lava domes in California and one of the most striking features of the Mono-Inyo volcanic chain. Around 600 years ago, silica-rich magma rose through the Earth's crust north of Mammoth Lakes. Too thick and viscous to flow far, the lava cooled rapidly into volcanic glass (a.k.a. obsidian) and piled up near the vent into a steep-sided dome roughly 300 feet high. The eruption also blanketed the surrounding forest in pumice and rhyolite. Its jagged surface of shiny black obsidian mixed with pale gray pumice makes it unique to the surrounding landscape.

Amenities

  • Family Friendly
  • Parking Available
Mapped location of Obsidian Dome
Obsidian Dome
Highway 395 Corridor June Lake, 93529

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