Hike Mono Pass

Mono Trail

A historic trail leading to a historic pass, as well as stirring views from the eastern Sierra crest, are some of the highlight of a hike to Mono Pass.

Mono Pass is located on Yosemite’s eastern boundary where the national park meets Inyo National Forest and the Ansel Adams Wilderness. From the often wind-whipped pass, the view encompass Mono Lake and surrounding arid lands, as well as the White Mountains on the California-Nevada border.

This hike—a modest effort by Sierra standards-—yields big rewards: alpine lakes, mountains, meadows and panoramic views; for these reasons, Mono is fairly popular trail.

Long before Yosemite became a national park, Native Americans traveled Mono Trail, which extended from the slopes above the west end of Yosemite Valley up to Porcupine Flat and then along a route much like that of today’s Tioga Road. Mono Trail then surmounted Mono Pass and descended infamous Bloody Canyon, so-named by early prospectors and explorers for the sharp rocks that bloodied—and often killed—their horses and mules.

En route, you’ll pass several prospectors’ cabins, habitation for miners working the Golden Crown Mine in the 1880s. Some of the dwellings, constructed of material at hand—local whitebark pine—are in better shape than you might imagine considering the long and severe winters that occur here at two miles high in elevation.

The hike: You’ll begin in the company of lodgepole pines but soon leave them behind as the trail crosses Dana Meadows. At 0.5 mile, boulder-hop across the Tuolomne River and start a moderate ascent over a glacial moraine.

A bit more than a mile out, you’ll pass a collapsing log cabin, and soon enter a sweet-smelling land of pine and sage, populated by legions of ground squirrels.

About 2.2 miles out, Mono Trail junctions Spillway Lake Trail (a 2-mile pathway that leads to a little lake.)

Now Mono Trail begins climbing in earnest, passing the remains of another miners’ cabin at the 3-mile mark and climbing to a junction with the spur trail leading (0.25 miles) to several more silver miners’ cabins.

Continue to the top of 10,604-foot Mono Pass, which marks the boundary of Yosemite National Park. For the best views, press on a short 0.5 mile into Inyo National Forest to a point overlooking the head of Bloody Canyon. Savor views of Mono Lake and dry terrain, both flat and mountainous, to
the east.

Yosemite Hiking Trails >>  
Hetch Hetchy | Mariposa Grove | Wawona Meadow | Glacier Point 4 Mile Trail
Glacier Point to Yosemite Valley | Half Dome Trail | Yosemite Falls | Vernal & Nevada Falls
May Lake | Cathedral Lakes | Clouds Rest | Gaylor Lakes | Lembert Dome | Lukens Lake
Merced Grove | Mirror Lake | Mono Pass | Mount Dana | North Dome | Taft Point
Ten Lakes | Tenaya Lake | Tuolumne Falls | Tuolumne Grove | Tuolumne Meadow