These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
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On our last visit to Mammoth Lakes, California, both of us were pretty beat from the few days of strenuous hiking. However, we still wanted to do something rather than just sit around. That’s how we found the Panorama Dome trail. Panorama Dome trail is an easy and quite short hike near Twin Lakes in the Mammoth Lakes area. This trail earns its namesake due to the 360° views of the entire Mammoth Lakes Basin once you reach the summit, sitting at almost 9,000 feet. So, Panorama Dome trail is the perfect trail for beginners, families with children, or even experienced hikers who just want to squeeze in a short hike for the day.
Panorama Dome Trailhead
37.620917, -119.004778
Small pull-out in front of the trailhead.
Free
There are no restrooms here
Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
0.7 miles R.T.
288 ft
Easy/Moderate due to the steep incline in a short distance.
30 – 45 minutes
Panorama Dome is best accessed from May through November
The trailhead for Panorama Dome Trail is located along Lake Mary Road, about 0.3 miles past the Twin Lakes Vista. There is a pull-off right in front of the trailhead where you can park your car. If this is full, you can also find other pull-offs along Lake Mary Road. If you’re visiting in the winter, Lake Mary Road might be closed. You will have to hike in to access the trailhead.
The Panorama Dome trail is well-established but you’ll be gaining a bit of an elevation in a short distance, hence the moderate rating. Despite being moderate, it’s not bad, as long as you take your time up the steeper inclined. Also, the snow tends to stick around this trail for quite a long time, even in July or August. If you’re not sure, bring crampons for traction just in case. Check out our recommended gear below for more recommendations.
After parking, we followed the obvious trail heading up the hill. From the beginning, the Panorama Dome Trail weaves through a forest of pine trees and steadily ascends. As we got higher, we came across piles of snow. Most of the time, we could go around it. However, we were surprised because it was pretty warm out so we didn’t think there would still be snow. From what other hikers commented, the snow sticks around for a long time here. So, if you’re hiking this in the spring, or early summer, you might need to bring crampons or microspikes for traction on the way down. With the dense pine forest, we could imagine how beautiful this trail would be in the winter though. We would love to come back here and do some snowshoeing during the snow season.
Since the trail is so short, after a few breaks and a couple of wheezing climbing up the hill, we reached to summit. The trail gets a bit confusing toward the summit since there are many social trails branching all over. But you won’t get lost up here since it is flat and you can see the whole 360 degrees. We do recommend paying attention to where you came from so you can find the trail on the way back.
The Panorama Dome summit is pretty wide. We had to walk around quite a bit to be able to check out the whole area. The views up here are breathtaking. We could see the whole Mammoth Lakes Basin, including the prominent Crystal Dome, near the popular Crystal Lake hike. Although, we were surprised at how windy it was up here. After taking a ton of photos, we went back the same way. This trail is super short and quite easy. If you’re looking for a short or easy hike in Mammoth Lakes, we recommend doing this hike. Inyo Craters trail is also another good option. For something a bit more moderate, Crystal Lake Trail is beautiful. That, or Sherwin Lakes, Sky Meadows, or Convict Lake Loop. If you really want a challenge, check out the Duck Lake Pass Trail
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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