Mono Pass
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The trailhead sits above 8,000 feet and the pass tops 10,600 — if you drove up from the valley floor that morning, altitude sickness is a real risk. Spend at least a few hours acclimatizing at Tuolumne Meadows before hitting the trail.
Afternoon thunderstorms are common from July through September. The pass is fully exposed with nowhere to shelter — plan to summit before noon and watch for building clouds to the west.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Start from the Mono Pass trailhead near the eastern end of Tioga Road (just past the Tioga Pass entrance station). The trailhead parking lot is small and fills by 9 AM on summer weekends — arrive by 7:30 or you'll be roadside parking.
The trail crosses several small streams in early summer that can soak your boots. Bring gaiters or accept wet feet — trail runners with good drainage actually work better here than heavy waterproof boots.
Don't turn around at the pass sign. Walk another quarter mile east to the cluster of historic mining cabins — the light hitting those weathered structures against the Sierra backdrop is the best photo opportunity on the entire trail.
