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
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
