Mono Lake Tufa State National Reserve

Overview

Mono Lake is one of the oldest lakes in North America, millions of years old, and a striking product of the tectonic and volcanic forces that shaped the area. Trapped in a closed basin with no outlet, the lake has concentrated salts and minerals over millennia, making it roughly 2.5 times saltier than the ocean! Its iconic tufa towers are calcium carbonate formations built where calcium-rich freshwater springs once mixed with the lake's alkaline waters. Each spire is essentially a fossilized spring that's been slowly constructed over centuries and revealed as lake levels rise and fall.

Amenities

  • Family Friendly
  • Accessible
  • Pet Friendly
Mapped location of Mono Lake Tufa State National Reserve
Mono Lake Tufa State National Reserve
US-395 Lee Vining, 93541
Website

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