Mono Lake

Even though we visited in winter, Mono Lake looked absolutely stunning. The landscape is unique and breathtaking, and it was a wonderful experience to see it in this season.

Just East of Lee vining, Mono Lake is a very surreal place with strange looking tuftas protruding from the brackish water, make the place a wonderful photographers playground. Look closely and you might see the Osprey nest on top of one of the tufas. Plenty of bird life includiing gulls for the bird watchers and photographers.

Visited Mono Lake – South Tufa Trail and did the 1-mile walk around the formations. The place is surreal, especially during sunset when the sky lights up in amazing colors. The tufa towers rising from the lake make the whole scene look otherworldly. There is paid parking per person as noted at the site. What’s fascinating is how these tufas form—freshwater springs bring in calcium, which reacts with the carbonate-rich lake water to create calcium carbonate (limestone). Over time, this reaction builds up into the giant rock towers you see today. One quirky detail is the swarms of tiny flies along the shore, which move in waves like something out of the Mummy movies—strange but cool to watch. Overall, an unforgettable spot and a must-visit in Mammoth Lakes.

This is a hidden gem on the way to Mammoth lakes. Has trials, great for summer night sky viewing. Do not be surprised if you encounter wild life (coyotes) 🐺. Restrooms are available, carry cash to drop off at visitor center for park entrance fee.

This Mono Lake was once part of an ancient ocean, and the countless rock formations you see today were once on the seafloor. Now, they rise dramatically above the water and even stretch onto the land, like nature’s sculptures carved over millennia. Standing here and seeing it with our own eyes, we could truly feel the power and mystery of Earth’s changes. The vastness of the landscape and the surreal beauty of these formations make it a living classroom of natural science—a stunning reminder of how profoundly our planet and climate have evolved!

An exceptionally beautiful lake at wintertime. If you visit on the southern shore you can see an extremely interesting rock formations directly in front of the beach with a stunning snowy mountain background. The lake was perfectly accessible in late November.

Mono Lake is an absolutely unique and breathtaking natural wonder. The landscape looks almost otherworldly - with its strange tufa towers, shimmering blue water, and peaceful silence all around. It’s hard to believe a place like this exists on Earth! Whether you come for photography, a quiet walk, or simply to admire the views, Mono Lake is a must-see at least once in your lifetime

Wow! Awesome place, nice walking, views, wild horses and lots of tufa's.

Visited Mono Lake - South Tufa Trail and did the 1-mile walk around the formations. The place is surreal, especially during sunset when the sky lights up in amazing colors. The tufa towers rising from the lake make the whole scene look otherworldly. There is paid parking per person as noted at the site. What's fascinating is how these tufas form--freshwater springs bring in calcium, which reacts with the carbonate-rich lake water to create calcium carbonate (limestone). Over time, this reaction builds up into the giant rock towers you see today. One quirky detail is the swarms of tiny flies along the shore, which move in waves like something out of the Mummy movies--strange but cool to watch. Overall, an unforgettable spot and a must-visit in Mammoth Lakes.

the rocks were nice. I stepped in horse poop. There are a bunch of flies everywhere. I couldn't find a trail from my area and stepped in a bunch of mush. Lady volunteer was nice taught us a lot of stuff

Beautiful lake with unique tufas that makes it one of a kind. It was so peaceful there and our group even did a return night trek there to see the stars. There are a lot of flies at the water's edge so I don't recommend swimming here. The dirt road off 395 is accessible with most vehicles. Definitely recommend a visit here if you are in the area.

Beautiful reserve. Do note that you need a parking pass for this place, either buy online or I think you can check out a california parks pass from the library and have the parking waived. Didn't get to walk to the tufas cause my dog threw up but it was nice from afar

Mono Lake is a nice stop at the end or beginning, depending on which way you go, of the Tioga Pass. The Mono Lake area was new to me. My husband had heard of it because he is a huge Pink Floyd fan and a geologist. If you are a Pink Floyd fan, Mono Lake is featured on the Wish You Were Here inner album sleeve. Unfortunately, the water level has dropped a lot since 1975. It is a saline lake that supports a unique and productive ecosystem. The lake has trillions of brine shrimp and alkali flies and is a nesting area for birds. The tufa towers are beautiful and worth a close up view. After some internet research, I learned that the South area is the best area to view the tufa towers. After visiting the area, I have to agree. There is a $3 charge to walk the paths, or you can use your National Park's Pass. There are two paths, and they connect and lead back to the parking lot. Beautiful Views!

This review is for South Tufa Loop Trail which was a ~0.8 miles round trip that took ~25 mins to complete. Short and easy with unique views of tufa towers and Mono Lake! Worth stopping by only if you're near Mammoth Lakes. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/2JMLkz1hyTg

Very interesting Gorgeous place. unusual rocky formations (tufa) make this place one of a kind must see. Several things make this great location for photography and birds. There are tiny bine shrimp and some tiny fly that the birds love .. the flies didn't bother people. The tufa formations are shelter and home to birds. layers of mountains frame the very blue water and Tufa formations. The water is 8 times more salty than the ocean and very alkaline so good for your skin. I guess they don't mind you swimming but not totally sure about that. they do have kayaking. We only had a short time and lots of driving to get from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite but made a point to stopping here to check it out. my husband is a vet so a lifetime pass for national parks so we didn't have to buy anything or pay. We came in late September and the water was nice but not warm enough to swim. I was hoping there wouldn't be a breeze and get the stunning reelections in the lake. But there was a breeze so no reflections ... wish i had the time to see this place at sunset or sunrise. saw different birds and chipmunks. Visitors center is nice. nice bathrooms. There is a wooden boardwalk to the lake..

A great stop along the 395. The boardwalk can be accessed on the north side of the lake from the Mono County Park on the lake's north shore. It is a fascinating place, with interesting history and incredible mountain views. The tufa and beautiful lake color are worth a boardwalk. The county park has parking, flush toilets, picnic tables, and a playground with a climbing wall.

Nice stop on the way to Tahoe. Picnic tables, parking and a place to stretch your legs, beautiful views. The ground off the walkway is marshy and your shoes are likely to get wet or muddy. The rocks near the water are sharp like concrete and there are places with a lot of flies. The lake is typically very clear in the summer , the shrimp population was low so the lake was not very clear.

Beautiful! Easy stop between Mammoth, Yosemite and South Lake Tahoe off 395. They do not charge for the museum or facility grounds, but do provide opportunity to donate and I suggest you do or shop at the store to support the cause. - Free entry - went on a Thurs mid day, about 20 ppl there, no lines super easy - gift store has clothing, books, jewelry, hats, candles etc. lots of gift options - very interesting history tied back to early 1900s. - great photo opps - parking is free - prob need and hour or so to take it all in - bathrooms are clean!

I have been to Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve twice now and it's still just as magical. Parking isn't huge, but there are just enough spots for how little traffic there is. There is moderate to light foot traffic depending on the time of day. There is no shade as everything is out in the open and it does get fairly hot in the summer months. I believe that there are two trails, a short one and longer one which takes you out to Navy Beach. The trail starts off paved and then transitions into sand for most of the way. Yes, there are a bajillion flies, but they are essential to the ecosystem that thrives here. There are multiple signs stating information about the ecosystem and the tufa, which I wouldn't skip over as it gives you a lot of insight into the reserve. The tufa are something like you've never seen before. They are each so unique and different. The views are amazing and you can get some great photos. You can take a swim in the water if you dare and supposedly it's so salty that you can float. Overall, this is a great place for the views and for taking a short or lengthier hike.

This is a must come spot to see something you'll never see anywhere else on this planet. This site was used on a Pink Floyd album cover I hear. Maybe a little before my time, but the spot is famous. Made of Calcium carbonate these towers form as fresh water springs flow out and mix with the super salty waters of Mono Lake. Yep, you can wade in and float real easy! It's a bit of a walk to the lake from the parking lot, but at least it's flat. Best times are at sunrise or sunset. Middle of the day in the summer is not a good idea. Bring you cameras, yep, lotta peeps doing selfies here.

Definitely get the free tour! It explains a lot. SIgn up at the Mono Lake Committee visitor's center in Lee Vining or online. Parking is free if you have the National Park pass, leave it on the dash of your car. Otherwise three bucks, credit card only.

Come in the evenings where the light is ever so gentle, the breezes caressing the landscape and birds fly in flocks seemingly skipping across calm blue waters.

This is my first time visiting the southern part of Mono lake. Compared to the location further north, this one has clean restroom and walk way that leads you directly to the lake. Tufas here are bigger and much closer up than the other locations. They both have their own unique features so I suggest that you stop by another location if time permits. They ask for $3 parking in an envelop so if you come with dollar bills, it would be easy to pay for parking. Getting there on the dirt road feels like forever but you will get there and enjoy a nice walk & view.

Nice stop for a nature walk and relaxing views of the tufa towers. We saw lots of different migrant birds and the algae in the water was interesting. Some complaints in other reviews about the flies on the surface of the water. If they had read the signs and park brochure they would see how essential these flies are to the ecosystem there. We also headed to Navy Beach to see some free-standing sand tufas. Pretty cool. Our family likes seeing odd and strange structures (like tufas) they are unlike anywhere else. This was a short drive from Mammoth and worth it for us.

Exploring the Mono Basin was beautiful. The visitor center has a panoramic view of the lake and you can see the trails below. I started my trail from the visitor center, however it got pretty thick with brush and I was apprehensive about running into a rattlesnake. I then found a road that actually is perfect to hike on and not worry about snakes. There is a cool cave see pics for name and information. After hiking I drove down the road where it ended to a flooded area, people were fishing. We took the road to the left towards the water, it was a one lane, one vehicle, rough terrain dirt road. Lots of boulders and no where to turn off if another car is headed towards you. Once we got the the waterfront there were a lot of birders, some people swimming ( not sure the water is safe to swim in), there was a small dock, and beautiful views. Wear sunscreen there is little shelter and not a lot of trees.

Wow wow wow. Mono Lake is incredible. Well worth a visit if you're in the Yosemite or Mammoth Lakes area. My guidebook of the area tells me that Mono Lake is the second oldest lake in the United States and it's a sight to behold. It's huge and there's a lot to explore, but what you'll really want to see are the tufas. Reach them by following the signs to "South Tufa." There's plenty of parking ($3) and then walk to the shore to see the tufas. Now, what are tufas you might wonder? Take a look at my photos. Those crazy rock formations and columns? Those are tufas. They're underwater calcium formations that went above the water as the water levels dropped in the area. They are amazing (and for music nerds: The inside photo of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here was photographed amid the tufas). The water is heavily salted so there are no fish. But there is brine shrimp so there is a bit of a fish smell to the air. But, it's also tremendously beautiful (just ignore the flies) and the water, if you go out a bit, is crystal clear. If you're like me and want to jump in., head to Navy Beach and you can swim and/or launch kayaks or canoes there. I had my bathing suit ready to float in it's salty, bouyant waters, but a storm rolling in only allowed me to wade in calf deep a bit. The water is cold and if you have any knicks on your skin, they'll sting, but it's fantastic. Rocky bottom so if you intend to swim, break some aquasocks. Or, just walk around and enjoy the incredible sights that mother nature has built of us to take in.

Great place to stop and enjoy Mono Lake. Beautiful at sunset. Parking and a pit toilet are available here. Fee station can be found at the end of the parking lot.

This is such a pretty area! I had not previously taken this route on 41 and was impressed all along the way. I was especially pleased with this viewpoint on one end of the lake. There were not many other tourists and the lake was very serene. I thought the bumper stickers people left behind were an added fun feature.

Located right off the 395. Parking is $3. Beautiful sunrises can be seen here. Short walk to the tufas. I recommend this stop for people with limited mobility. Although there is no access to the water for wheelchairs the walk to the water is short. The tufas are another story. Visited August 3, 2017 and there was a volunteer available to answer all your questions about the lake and surrounding areas. She even had a telescope up to view a osprey nest. Pretty cool. We love Mono Lake. Even though we didn't get up those time around for sunrise, i will always have the memories and photos from last year's views. If you want a nice walk and closer tufas experience, drove to the south tufas just south of Lee Vining.

Take your cameras! We stopped here as part of our trip to Twin Lakes. Very nice visitors center, take the time to watch the movies and explore before heading out to the Tufas. We got a little lost finding the ones on the south side of the lake so I recommend you ask someone at the visitors center. My kids loved the visit and we plan to go again.

My second time at Mono Lake but first time seeing tufa during the day time. The first time I was there in last fall , it was pitch dark and saw gazillion stars and could see the Milky Way so clearly. The sky was full of stars. Nothing like I'd ever seen before. Jaw dropping out of this world effn amazing. This time we went just before the sunset. It was the most beautiful sunset I'd ever seen , sun going down behind the Eastern Sierra mountains. The shape of tufa during the sunset is pretty cool , you get the sun and the shadow on tufa and the lake. We saw quite a few photographers there. From the parking lot , it's an easy walk to the lake. You can either take the paved trail or the dirt trail. You can get up and close to the tufa from the dirt trail , highly recommend taking it. Once it gets dark , it's pretty hard to find the dirt trail without flashlights or headlamps. I'd take the paved trail when dark. Tufa are calcium carbonate made by precipitation from water , an alkaline lake and 3 million years in making. Pretty cool sight to see. 3$ parking but free if you have a National Park pass. Just display your pass on the dashboard. Totally worth seeing if you are in Lee Vining or in the area.

The view of the lake is amazing, particularly in the morning and sunset. First time, I saw it from the top of Mt. Dana. I am glad to finally visit the town and the reserve. We took guided sunset tour and morning kayak tour with Friends of Mono Lake Reserve, and learned about the history and conservation. I don't think our visit to Yosemite is complete without the experience here, which made us more aware of how precious the water is and all the politics associated with it.

Mono Lake is one of California's unique bodies of salt water. It was the focus of a controversial NASA study in 2010. It suggested that some bacteria at Mono Lake had adapted to using arsenic for life. That would have meant similar, alien lifeforms would be possible in the galaxy. The research was mostly contradicted in 2012. Make sure you stop at both the visitor's center and the lower parking lot at lake level. There's a nice, long boardwalk to the edge of the lake with good views of the salt formations.

Either you bring the water to L.A. or you bring L.A. to the water -- Noah Cross, "Chinatown" And bringing water to LA almost destroyed this lake. Thankfully conservation efforts combined with a major victory in court have slowly brought Mono Lake back to life. Of course my son has an interesting perspective on this. "The Lake was almost destroyed by diverting water to LA" "Why did LA need the water?" "For the growing population of California?" "Well then don't humans need the water more then the lake?" "Well, the Lake is important ecologically for the birds who feed on the shrimp in the Lake" "Aren't we more important?" Dam'n you my little Aristotle! Of course, the situation is very complex as I got to thinking about this. My grandparents moved to CA along with the large migratory shift that was occurring. I was born in LA County as the result of my Mom marrying her HS sweetheart . My son of course was born as the result. So if no water diversion from places like Mono or Colorado, means no large population increases. May mean my mom doesn't get raised in CA...which means maybe I do not get born and therefore my son. Puts a new spin on my knee-jerk environmental response ne'st pas? Anyway, what sparked this conversation of course was a visit here after lunch at Mono Cone. We started with the very cool visitors center which has a nice display and film discussing the environment and effects of mankind on the lake. There are also trails from here that lead down to the lake. After visiting here, we drove out to the South Tufa reserve which has the best looking of the Tufa's (Not Tofu, Tufa) that dot the shoreline. From a conservation website Tufa's form: As the calcium comes in contact with carbonates in the lake, a chemical reaction occurs resulting in calcium carbonate--limestone. The calcium carbonate precipitates (settles out of solution as a solid) around the spring, and over the course of decades to centuries, a tufa tower will grow. Tufa towers grow exclusively underwater, and some grow to heights of over 30 feet. The reason visitors see so much tufa around Mono Lake today is because the lake level fell dramatically after water diversions began in 1941. I have a few photos which I will post like others have. There are several great trails in this area and some wonderful photographic spots. Fee here is only $3.00. We only spent a couple of hours but you could easily double that time, take a ranger led tour or take a kayaking tour. It really is a wondrous place...highly recommended.

What are those? We stopped by here on two separate occasions during road trips on our way to Las Vegas. We drove to Mono Lake Basin on 395 to view the scenery and walk along the short trails, educating ourselves from reading the signs posted along the Mono Basin Visitor Center. We arrived here early morning and was not able to wait for the Visitor Center to open but we did view a beautiful sunrise that morning. There is also a museum just nearby... but what became interesting was from looking across the lake there were these... these things, we didn't know what they were, they looked like some kind of formation that grew from the lake. Directions from the Visitor Center said to drive 5-miles south on U.S. 395, turn left on Hwy 120 East and follow the signs to South Tufa... so we did! We had to check it out! As we drove closer and closer to the location we noticed rows and rows of cream-colored rock towers. These are called tufa. We parked our car (there is actually a designated parking area) and walked the trails. There are restrooms as well, did not have to use it so I don't know how it is inside. We walked through a grove of tufa towers formed by underwater springs in the saline and alkaline lake. South Tufa would be the best place to begin a little exploration of Mono Lake. We followed the self-guided trails and educated ourselves on Mono Lake's unusual water, rocks and wildlife. We found out that this was often a stop for visitors. At one point we saw some professional photographers take some photos of these... these things! South Tufa is a living lake! It is a vital habitat for millions of migratory and nesting birds..The trail, which is about a mile long, winds along the shoreline and among the tufa towers surrounding us with unusual beauty. As the lake level dropped, the tufa towers were exposed and the springs that formed them dried up. It was quite a scenery especially when you have the beautiful mountains in the background. On one of the signs it read that "these "tufa" towers were hidden under water, but today they stand above the water level like an odd, abandoned city." It was eerily fascinating. Review #0334

Mono Lake was on our to do list for our road trip up the 395. So coming from Mammoth, just watch for signs that say Moni Lake Tufa Reserve. You turn right off the 395, and even though it says road closed 6 miles ahead, stay on the road cuz you turn off before the road closed area. There is a fee stand, we put our $3.00 in the canister. Plenty of parking. Toilets too. The trail loops around so we walked the loop. The tufas were pretty cool. Good place to take pics!

Looking for a short hike with lots to see and explore? This is the spot. Excellent State Reserve for birdwatching, learning about Tufas, the history of Mono Lake and how it was created, and the adjacent areas. Take time to explore the beach area which has a unique ecosystem of flies and shrimp. Bring water because there is no shade. Vault toilets are available at the trailhead. There is also a small parking fee. I have taken my family here twice to explore and they absolutely love it.

A really gorgeous place to visit I truly was taken by the stone formations and history of the Tufas~* reminded me of how I felt on my first visit to the Salton Sea, Bombay beach eleven years ago when all the houses were still on the beach. Sadly, people have stolen all the abandoned houses of salton sea so it's no longer a ghost town near the water. This was a gorgeous view of how unique nature truly can be.

This weekend, I watched a heavy rain turn a placid lake into a rollicking sea. Now that the waters of Mono Lake are rising due to conservation methods, the calcium carbonate tufa towers seem like ghost ships on an ocean. Darkened clouds and heavy winds made the tufa formations appear to move against the battering waves. This is progress. Mono Lake is roaring back to life and it's gaining on its goal to reach 6,392 feet in depth. That's still 25 feet below its 1941 level, but its easy to notice the increased numbers of birds who appreciate the larger size of the lake. Of course, the boardwalk trail to the water's edge will get shorter as more shoreline is reclaimed by the lake, so the next generation will take fewer steps than you as they gaze upon the Mono Sea.

Funky time natural park (natural wonder?) in the shadow of Yosemite and Mammoth. It's hard to compete with those two, but Mono Lake is truly a unique and worth-seeing geologic anomaly just off the 395 Highway, right by Tioga Pass. We came here looking to kill some time at the end of the day, and despite the somewhat otherworldly ambiance of the lake, it was a peaceful and calm way to spend sunset and early evening. If you mostly want to sight see, the main place to park and walk around is the South Tufa Grove. You can easily wander for a solid hour or so among the bizarrely shaped tufa columns. If you have even an inkling of an interest in unusual natural phenomenon then this is easily the place for you. Several informative plaques and signs are available as you amble about at your leisure explaining the formation of the tufas, the local ecology, and the hopeful future for Mono Lake as a whole.

Clint knew best!! A short personal story here. When I was about 14 or 15 I saw Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter" for the first time. The story of the movie takes place in the small town of Lago next to a small lake. As a kid I was fascinated by the surroundings whenever the camera wondered around. This was in 1977-78 and I had no idea where Mono Lake was. About 3 decades later I moved to California and by then I had read and learned more about Mono Lake so when I wanted to visit Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve for the first time I was dead curious about the filming location, but there was one little problem, Lago burned down at the end of the movie and there was nothing left of it!! Fortunately after a fair amount of time looking on the Internet, I ran into the GPS coordinates! There is nothing left of the site, except the fact that where the base of the buildings were, there is less shrub growth! You can almost see the squares, almost. Today, the mono lake is a far more popular destination than it was decades ago and thanks to the efforts of Mono Lake Committee and other concerned citizens, it has been saved from turning into a dry salt lake. There are a couple of very easy to access sites where you can drive your car, stop and walk/hike the very easy hiking trails. There are many spots that offer magnificent photo opportunities. If you are a hardcore hiker and/or photographer who does not mind hiking the slightly harder trails, you have even more to discover and enjoy. My recommendation is to stop at the visitor center which is right of US Route 395. I have written a review about it here (Scroll down a bit on the list of my reviews and you'll see it). The rangers are extremely helpful and you will get all the answers you need before you decide where to go to get the most of this beautiful area.

Mono Lake is really remote. This lake is on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains and really requires some advanced planning to reach. The Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve is one of the more interesting parts of the lake located on the southwestern shore best accessed from Highway 395 south of Lee Vining. The turnoff is a big south of the main junctions, but it is the fastest route. Once you park and pay your fee, you can walk the wooden boardwalk towards the tufa. The route is dotted with signs explaining the area and the formations with constant reminders to not touch, climb, taunt, or anger the tufa. Walking around the formations is very eerie with a surreal landscape with amazing backdrops of the lake and the mountains. Several small coves allow you to see the brine shrimp and flies that inhabit the area. The main trail can be hiked in about an hour with several stops for pictures. It takes an extra 20-30 minutes to drive and hike here from the main visitor center, but you get a much richer experience among the tufa. There are few places on Earth with such weird and interesting landscapes. It is really worth a stop if you are driving down Highway 395 or staying in the area.

Like the Trona Pinnacles but on water. The walks not that far from the parking area. Being a few singles dollars for the mandatory parking fee. The weather changed from cool to warm to cloudy to sunny to raining to cold and back warm all within an hour. Loved this place. There is one bench to sit and relax at in the path to the Pinnacles/tuffas. Your about a one to two minute walk away from the water when you see this bench and the walkway turns to a wooden path. ANIMALS ALLOWED. YES PARKING , approx $3.00 or more. 3 to stay for the day only.

South Tufa Trail is extremely enjoyable and easy to hike. There are plenty of Tufa here and you will be able to see the lake almost the whole time. This is one of the oldest lakes in Northern America. This is actually one of my favorite places ever because of the formations " which show what nature can do with a few basic elements. The strange spires and knobs are formed when fresh water springs containing calcium bubble up through the carbonate-rich lake water." -USDA.

There are very interesting 10-20 feet tall mineral formations in this one of the oldest lakes around... the lake is 3X saltier than the ocean and home to hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife. It was a neat stop on our road trip

If you've ever wanted that out of this world landscape, Mono Lake is where you want to go. This reserve is such a geological beauty. I promise you won't take a bad picture here. The story of the lake is that it has been affected by the residents of Los Angeles pumping water out of the lake for years, mixed with salty sea water from when this area was actually part of the ocean, mixed with geothermal outlets, results in these beautiful tufa creations. I seriously love this kind of stuff. Never realized a good chunk of the sierras have a few hot spring outlets? Pretty cool! Please do your part and make sure you pay to park in the lot. I believe in bad karma and also paying respect to this native land. They charge I think $6? There is free parking at the visitor center, which is super informative. Have fun with this wonder of the world and embrace life. Try to make a visit out here if you are going to Mammoth Lakes or Bodie. Get the most bang for your buck.

Not a RESERVE review! WARNING: If your passing through or just stopping for gas, whatever you're reason behind stopping here. PLEASE follow the speed signs. Mono Lake is no joke on following speed sign. THEY WILL PULL YOU OVER AND CITE YOU! Other than that looks like a cute town and cool place to stop and visit the reserve.

Mono lake looks like something out of another world. I was driving, but not sure how you could take a bad picture here. Huge lake off of highway 395. Rock and reflection formation look killer. Looks like a different planet.

Tufa - A variety of limestone. A must stop by if you're ever doing a 395 road trip. It's not even too much out of the way (30 minutes off the highway). The tufas are absolutely gorgeous and Mono Lake looks exactly like the photos. Just some tips: - To see the most tufas head to the SOUTH TUFAs. Drive past the visitor center and down 395S. Watch for signs for Mono Lake South Tufa. You will turn left onto 120 east. Follow this road down for ~5 min and you will turn onto a road that takes you to a parking lot. It cost $3 dollars to visit / park. - From there you will walk down a short path ~5 minutes to the lake. Super gorgeous! The trail is a round trip but one way isn't paved and takes you through some grass.

This is the SOUTHERN tufa (there's a northern one as well) and you have to drive off the 395 to get to here. Follow the signs :D You'll get to a small parking area in which you have to pay $3 pp (children under 15 are free). You'll get a pass to put in the car. Then you'll walk down the path... You get to enjoy the stalagmites (oh gosh. science terms) that were formed underwater and grew this way, but now has actually risen up and now you can see em. Follow the path to the other side, where you will see birds and little insects being eaten by the birds. There are volunteers here that will help you see other sights and give you background (yes... LA basin drained the lake, a little too much).... it's so salty that you can actually smell the salt when you get nearby. Saltier than the ocean because of the fact that the water level has been lower- if it goes back to the 1940s original depth, then it'll be fine. Follow the path, go all the way around, circle around and enjoy Mono Lake. You can also make your way up to nearby Navy Beach, a mile the to the East of this place. You walk back and you enjoy the views. There are nice mountain views if you have a sunny and clear day (: Around Lee Vining, in case you ever wanted to go :) OH and be careful- road is not paved partially.

****************** * Review #150 * ****************** During the first day of our road trip, we were passing by Mono Lake and decided to stop and check out the lake and the Tufas. The Tufa state reserve is actual a few miles South East of the Mono Lake visitors center area. To get there, you have to turn down this little road which is nothing but gravel. By car its fine, but some of my friends were on their Vespas so it was a bit hair-raising to watch and follow behind them in the SUV. At the end is a parking lot, info kiosks, and restrooms (maybe porto potties?). There is a path leading to the lake and the tufas. As you walk along, there are short tufas on both sides of the path. You'll also see dashed brass markers. The markers indicate the water level at a certain year. Over the years, the water level has been dropping significantly as the water has been siphoned off for use in the LA area. Pretty sad ... At the end, you'll be along the water and see the larger tufas. The tufas kind of look like super large sponges or coral you'd see in the ocean. There are birds and large swarms of flies. The Tufas are pretty cool to see. Its just sad that you can see them only because the water level has dropped so drastically. Though there are signs posted warning against it, you can tell people hacked off mini parts of the Tufas to take home. This is definitely a must see if you're around this area. Beware, it gets hot Hot HOT in the summertime. Tufa : http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/ly6gGTJ4tJcEoH70DtPrYA/l

A SPECIAL NEWS ALERT FROM NASSA HINDQUARTERS IN DC, REGARDING NEWLY DISCOVERED ARSENIC BASED LIFE IN MONO LAKE, CALIFORNIA! WARNING! MONO LAKE ARSENIC WATER SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A MOUTHWASH! NEWS ALERT COMMUNICATION FROM ANDROMEDIA: Dear Non-Arsenic-based Lifeforms, on the insignificant dust sub-nano-blotch of shit, that you call "Earth", We, the Arsenic A-holes of Andromeda, are well aware of the direction of our galaxy, which is racing toward yours, and many of our leaders just feel that you are just in our way (note: we are due to collide with your galaxy in about 4 billion years, give or take a billion). They especially don't like you because you are anti-arsenic and call us nasty names like, toxic aliens, poisonous slime, and just plain weird alien creatures, who ruin your stupid ideas about what life is based on. Contrary to what your "scientific leaders" (ha ha ha!) "believe", all known intelligent life in the Universe is based on Arsenic. Some of our representative organisms based at Mono Lake have been in perplexing communications with the semi-humanoid called Palinoid, who seems to be under the idiotic impression that she can not only see our Galaxy from her backyard, but is qualified by the imbeciles on your dust speck, to represent your interests (poor bastards). Now, in our confusing communications with this Paranoid Palinoid. In general, we have no damned clue about she is babbling about (and we suspect neither does it), since she neither believes in neither science, logic, nor our existence. Intragalactic translations are imperfect by nature, so we may really never figure out what either she or you crazy multi-cellular misfits are babbling about! She seems to believe that a God, who does not seem to have a name, will protect you creatures sometimes/maybe, when he feels like it? This appears to work better, if you pray to either a corn-dog on a stick, or is it a god on a stick, depending upon which translator we use, on any given eon. This Palinoid seems to also pray to either a Holy Mackeral or a Holy Ghost or Goose, which just proves that she and you are just insane imbeciles. Generally our scholars do not believe that you morons qualify as "intelligent life". Many intergalactic races believe that your life-form ranks, at the very bottom of the Intergalactic IQ/ Grossness Scale (IIQGS), especially based on the crap on what you call cable TV and Foxy News. It is also believe by many Galactic scholars that you imbeciles, especially the North Korean ones, are racing madly into mass suicidal extinction, by means of either weapons of mass stupidity or you are going to drown in your own mass excretement! In practical terms,we really could not care less about you humans, except maybe as good ambulatory incubators of our friends, the bacteria and viruses of your planet. We hate to break this news to you, but we think that is why you were created, to be kind of like walking Yogurt cultures for fermentation and production of bacteria and other creatures. The collective biomass and collective IIQGS of your bacteria alone, is far great than you pathetic shit-bags can imagine. If it comforts you, and you have not f-nuked each other to oblivion before then, you have 3-5 billion years to move your crappy galaxy out of our F'in way. If it helps, please feel free to pray to corn-dog/god on a stick, Holy Goose, or the God you have not named yet, or your prime imbecile, the leader Paranoid Palinoid for assistance in U-hauling your stupid flatulent noisy shitty asses out of our god-damn way! Galactically yours, The Galactic Exalted Pooba of Arsenic A-holes of Andromeda BTW- I have visited my Mono Lake subjects, a few of your Earth years ago. The Mono Lake was great, but, Your food & accommodations sucked...there was NO ARSENIC on the Menu! P.S.- You are so screwed! You Anencephalic Imbeciles! [note : based on real news: PC Mag= Has NASA Found Alien Life?]

Mono Lake is not your traditional lake. It's over 750,000 years old, is saltier and more alkaline than any other lake you've come across and has giant limestone structures called tufa towers growing from beneath the lake. It was definitely a really fascinating experience. We stopped over at the Mono Lake Visitor Center before we drove down to the lake. The views from the visitor center make for some really good pictures. The lake from afar looks quite different as compared to up close and personal. It's a little slimier closer to the lake with many seagulls flying around. We didn't find the time but I would recommend walking a little further, away from all the people and birds so you can see a lot more of the tufas. If you're thinking about fishing here you're outta luck, the water is way too salty to inhabit anything except for some brine shrimp. I guess you could go for a dip in the lake but we were a little skeptical like most people there.

Hands-down one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. After finally rucking out for a sunrise a couple years back, the Mono Lake South Tufa have forever captured my heart. I was mesmerized by their beauty while the sun brought them to life, and I got to experience it all over again last summer (although, in quite treacherous conditions this time.. hello, 70mph winds.. at 4:45am .. and 20F!) I have read as much as one can read about Mono Lake, and the history behind it is equally fascinating as the nature itself. The Tufas are truly something else. One cannot live without witnessing a sunrise or sunset here. It transports you to another world.

There's what you want and then there's what you'll settle for. Mono Lakes Tufa State Reserve was a settle. Not to say it wasn't amazing, remarkable and beautiful, but it just wasn't what my heart was set on. I've been wanting to go to Bodie for the past 3 years. Something that you'd never realize from meeting me in person is that I adore ghost towns. I love the idea that people once lived in a now abandoned place and the items that they leave behind hold memories for me to uncover and make stories about in my head. Sometimes the daily grind takes it out of you and what you need to recharge is a break. So this past weekend Bodie was that destination. We planned only 1 day before online chatting. It was spontaneous and fun, we both looked at photos online and were almost giddy with anticipation. Then we drove to Sac and stayed one night before heading on our journey. 4 roads were closed due to rockslides but we persisted, happily chatting about whether we'd make it in time. Finally 13 miles from the park... the main road is closed. Disappointment often feels like your heart drops to your stomach. It's a really low hollow feeling, that is kind of hard to describe with words alone. Maybe it's most akin to someone punching you in the stomach. We turned around to go home after seeing nothing. Texted CB at a road stop, and she said we should go to Mono Lake an see the Tufas. So we turned around and drove another 30 miles. Much to our surprise it was beautiful. Limestone dust covered foliage, salt water lake and clouds that parted just so, when we opted for photos. It was really quite lovely. And with that a little less disappointment we turned around and went home.

If you are traveling from Yosemite down toward Death Valley/Las Vegas, make a worthy excursion to Mono Lake. This breathtaking moonscape-like state park has pillars of salt (tufas) that would make a perfect backdrop for Game of Thrones. Fees are paid by honor system. The relatively short, flat pathways from the parking lot are well-maintained, and you can walk by the lake side while observing birds and brine shrimps you can see in the green waters. The water is very salty -- and just take my word for it -- don't taste it, as it's ripe brewery for bacteria. Don't miss this out-of-this-world unforgettable visual adventure.

We stopped by to take a day off from boarding at Mammoth. Parts of this lake are really REALLY really beautiful! I think our views from the south and southeast edges were my favorite. The water is perfectly reflective and the mirrored tufa comes out pretty epic in pictures! There are some areas that provide nice walks and a shallow edge for some rock skipping. Ohhh the simple days.