obsidian dome

Do you enjoy rock hopping, seeing unusual rock formations and quiet? This is a magical and odd place. Not many trees to divert the intensity of the rocks. Rocks everywhere and little caves; such a contrast to the magnificent blue sky and verdant green trees across most vistas. Be careful, sharp rocks…and please respect nature!

This is an unusual volcanic feature consisting of huge chunks of obsidian sometimes mixed with a pinkish colored volcanic rock. A must see for the naturally curious, those curious about nature or anyone interested in geological process. Fine smaller specimens can easily be found. You drive in on a dirt road through the forest. We had no trouble navigating it in our Prius.I recommend the USGS Volcano Hazards Program (Long Valley Caldera) website as a source of fascinating information on this feature, as well as other interesting volcanic features in the area. Nearby Inyo Craters is also worth a visit.

A great place to check out and read some history on it. This young Obsidian Dome is on the the best places to see a hill of solid obsidian. The lavas were extruded as highly viscous flows much like toothpaste might be squeezed from a tube. Climb to the top for trails and interesting pieces.

Obsidian Dome is a mile-long 300 foot high lava dome that is part of the Mono–Inyo Craters volcanic chain located in the Inyo National Forest. To see it, one needs to drive on a non paved road. Some of the rocks look just like rocks - average - nice but nothing special; but when you see the glistening black obsidian that is amazing. It looks like shiny black glass. For us, it is a geologic wonder that was created from this once active volcanic area.Be sure to get out of the car for at least a bit and go exploring and find those marvels.

Certainly an impressive sight to see the volcanic rocks all piled up in a dome-like feature sitting in the middle of the pine forest. However, the quality of the obsidian was not what we thought, as we were hoping to find the very glassy black obsidian used to make arrow points. The bulk of the obsidian was not very glassy and could not be broken to make sharp blades. However, there were huge blocks of this material which was impressive. It was not very obvious to find this dome and you have to go about 2 miles on dusty gravel roads to get there. An interesting side stop but not as amazing as expected from other reviews.

Right off Highway 395. Rough road, dusty. potentially dangerous - stay off of that broken debris.A challenging adventure, best seen from the Hiway.

While on a fishing trip in the east Sierra, I stopped by the site. This is a stop for geologists or students of the formation of this geographic area. Quite a spectacular mound of black glass. Little to no markings around the area. No amenities of any kind. Drive in on unpaved roads to the foot of the dome. The size of the dome is amazing in itself. A short drive to Mammoth and the hot springs on the east side of 395.

Reaching the top of the Obsidian dome, a person should have a good tire patch kit or good spare tires. The road is littered with very sharp obsidian rocks, capable of slashing car and bike tires. The view at the top highlights the Mammoth and June Lake areas.

You either are impressed or not. It looks like a big hunk of rock, but if you learn a bit about what it really is, it's impressive. It's a quick drive off the 395 to check it out. The kids were impressed and took some obsidian back to their teachers.

That's it. Don't expect anything else. But it is very impressive. This has to be the world's largest pile of riprap. So if you have an hour to kill and are fascinated by such naturally occurring phenomena, go for it. And do not consider driving the entire loop unless you have 4-wheel drive with high ground clearance (we did, and still backed out and turned around). The road only gets worse as you go along, so don't expect is to get better down the way. All that said, we were glad that we saw it.

The drive in from H395 is easy although on a dirt road.This is a mountain of black obsidian otherwise known as volcanic glass. There are huge boulders weighing several tons as well as smaller pieces reflecting the sun. The early native Americans collected this obsidian for making arrowheads and projectile points and for trading throughout the southwest. Remember not to take any but take along a picnic for a great little stop.

Fans of geology will enjoy this quick side trip to see a large dome comprised of obsidian, sometimes referred to as "black glass" for its shiny appearance. Native Americans used this resource for arrowheads. Someone taking this trip should also check out the nearby Inyo Craters, and if time allows, the Bald Mountain Lookout. Devil's Punchbowl, the Wilson Butte, Mono Lake, and the June Lake Loop are within reasonable driving distance from this site just off Highway 395.

we almost missed it, no sign, we did not see a trail, keep the dome on your left and take a right,,,,,go up, up, up. AWESOMENESS awaits you.

Heard some good reviews however we didn't really enjoy obsidian dome, to be honest it looked like a mountain of tarseal. Perhaps it's just not our thing. The driving track there isn't the best not signposted well and we ended up off road accidentally on some dodgy terrain

Lots of trails around Obsidian Dome. Wonderful for day hikes. In the winter, there is a little parking lot by Hwy. 395, and from there you can cross country ski or snow shoe along the groomed road. There is no charge for this. The glistening obsidian and snow are so pretty in the winter.