Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
State Park · Lee Vining, California
Mono Lake is a large, very salty and alkaline lake in the Eastern Sierra near Lee Vining, at about 6,400 feet. It is famous for its tufa towers, limestone spires that formed underwater where spring water met the lake, and that stand exposed now because Los Angeles diverted the creeks that fed the lake and its level dropped. The South Tufa area has a short trail and boardwalk among the towers, and Navy Beach gives an open shoreline view. Brine shrimp and alkali flies feed millions of migratory birds, including California gulls and Wilson's phalaropes. It suits photographers, birders, road-trippers and anyone driving to or from Yosemite. Expect sun, wind and a faint sulphur smell, and a fee at South Tufa. Bodie is a separate Spottos place. Confirm fees, tour times and visitor center hours first, and bring your own fresh water, because none is sold at the shore and the dry air at this altitude dehydrates you quickly. Most visitors spend one to two hours here.
Hwy 395, Lee Vining, California, 93541, United States
The reserve is open to visitors in daylight hours year-round, and the roads and parking areas stay open on most days, though access roads can close for snow, flooding or road work - confirm conditions before you drive. A fee is charged at South Tufa, collected at a kiosk or self-pay station, and may not be staffed at all times. The Mono Lake Committee Visitor Center in Lee Vining keeps its own seasonal hours, usually longer in summer and shorter in winter. Ranger-led tours run in the warmer months on a posted schedule that varies by year. Tioga Pass Road, the route into Yosemite, closes in winter and reopens in late spring or early summer, so check its status if you plan to cross.
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