These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
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Every time we visited the Mammoth Lakes area, we always saw the turn-off of the Inyo Craters trail. However, we were always busy with other things such as hiking the amazing Duck Lake trail, Sky Meadows, or kayaking on the many lakes there. This time, we made a point of hiking it. Inyo Craters Trail is a short, easy hike that features two craters that contain small turquoise-colored lakes. The color of these lakes is due to the minerals from the surrounding rocks. For a short hike, the trail is much more fun and scenic than we thought. It is perfect for beginners and seasoned hikers alike.
Parking in the Summer (no snow)
Dry Creek Rd Spur, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
37.689223, -119.005520
Parking in the Winter (with snow)
37.681568, -118.994753
Trailhead
37.689997, -119.005780
Big dirt area in front of the trailhead.
Free
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas.
1.6 mi Loop | 0.4 miles to the main crater
314 ft
Easy to Easy/Moderate. The back of the craters can be a bit challenging.
30 minutes – 1 hour
The best times to visit this trail are May through October.
The Inyo Craters are quite young. They were formed in the mid-14th century, shortly after the eruption of Obsidian, Glass Creek, and Deadman Creek domes in 1350 CE. There were 3 craters total. One is located on the summit of Deer Mountain, while the other two were formed on the trail that we will be visiting. The two craters here are average about 660 ft in diameter and about 200 ft deep. They both hold small turquoise-colored lakes. The one on Deer Mountain is smaller and dry.
The trailhead for the Inyo Craters trail is located off the dirt road Dry Creek Road Spur. In the summer, you can drive on this dirt road up to the trailhead. From here, it is a 1.6-mile loop trail to the craters. In the winter, the Dry Creek Road Spur is closed. This means you will have to park on the Mammoth Scenic Loop and hike or snowshoe along the Dry Creek Road Spur for about 1.4 miles each way to the Inyo Craters trailhead. The road is easy and mostly flat, so it is not super hard, even with the added distance.
There are a few ways to hike the Inyo Craters trail. For quick and easy, you can just hike straight to the craters, which is a 0.4-mile trail with little elevation gain. You can also turn this into a loop like with did for a more exciting adventure. The loop goes through the forest, around both of the craters. This section is not very well-marked. There are blue markers on the trees indicating the general directions, however, we recommended using a tracking app such as Alltrails. This part of the trail is also rugged with uneven surfaces, and fallen trees, and can be slippery, especially in some downhill areas. Make sure to wear hiking shoes with good traction and watch your steps.
Since we will be doing the whole loop, we started our hike at the obvious trail, about 300 ft up the road from the parking lot. The dirt trail is well established. We followed it through the pine forest and directly to the slightly smaller crater. This one is surrounded by trees and has a darker color than its bigger sister. The bigger crater is more popular due to its vibrant turquoise color.
There are a few social trails at this point. For the loop, you’ll need to go right to circle the back of the 2 craters. We took a detour and went left along the front edge of the craters to check them out. There is an informational sign at the bigger crater. There are also fences and picnic tables near the bigger crater as well. It was interesting looking down at the colorful lake below. I don’t think we’ve ever seen a crater with that color of water before!
After finishing checking out the front side of these two craters, we headed back toward the smaller crater and followed the trail to circle the backside. The trail was well-established most of the time. There were a few times when we lost it, but it wasn’t that difficult to find it again. Along the way, there were also some downhill sessions. These sections are rocky and can be slippery. Make sure to watch your steps.
The back side of the Inyo Craters trail weaved through the dense forest and ran along the edges of the two craters. It was a bit more challenging than the easy walk to the front of the craters, however, we enjoyed this back section. It made this trail more exciting. And we also get to see the craters from different angles. If you are capable, we highly recommend doing the whole loop!
After the trail loop back to the front side of the bigger crater, it once again snaked through the dense pine forest and led back to the main Dry Creek Road Spur. From here, it’s a short walk back to the parking lot.
If you’re looking for more easy hike near the Mammoth Lakes area, check out Horseshoe Lake and Convict Lake trail. For more challenging hikes, we love Sky Meadows, Valentine Lake and Duck Lake 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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