Panum Crater
Overview
Panum Crater is one of the youngest volcanoes in North America and a textbook example of how volcanic domes form. About 600 years ago, silica rich magma rising toward the surface encountered groundwater, triggering steam driven phreatic explosions that blasted out a broad crater half a mile wide. A second eruptive phase followed, pushing thick rhyolite lava slowly upward to form a rugged central dome of pumice and obsidian. The result is a rare two-part structure: a wide outer crater rim encircling a steep, well-preserved inner dom with sweeping views of Mono Lake and the Mono-Inyo volcanic chain extending southward.
Amenities
- Family Friendly
- Parking Available
- Pet Friendly
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