State: Northern California
Address 1: At the base of Deer Mountain.
Open: Seasonal
Elevation: 8264
County: Mono
Free: No
About: The Inyo Craters are three north-south-aligned phreatic (steam) explosion craters on the summit and south flank of Deer Mountain. Deer Mountain is an approximately 115,000-year-old rhyolite dome in the west moat of the Long Valley Caldera that was erupted from the residual Long Valley Caldera magma. The two southernmost craters average about 660 ft in diameter and are about 200 ft deep. They both contain small lakes. The crater on the summit of Deer Mountain is smaller, irregular in outline, breached on its south side, and dry. The craters were formed in the mid-14th century shortly after the eruption of Deadman Creek, Obsidian, and Glass Creek domes in 1350 CE.
Usage: Light
Closest Towns: Mammoth Lakes (CA)
Water: None
Restrooms: Vault Toilet
Directions: From the town of Mammoth Lakes take hwy 203/Minaret road west towards Mammoth Ski Mountain. Make a right onto the Mammoth scenic loop. Inyo craters are a few miles up on the left. If you continue on the scenit loop road for 6 miles you will conect with Hwy 395.