Visiting Mono Lake, California – What to Know

Plan your visit to Mono Lake in California with tips on what to see, where to stay and what to know before you go.

On our last road trip we crossed the Sierra Nevada Mountains in our home state, California, to explore the other side of it. We had been there several times before but we knew, that there was still so many things to see.

One of the things we saw was Mono Lake which is known for its tufa towers, very cool rock formations sticking out of the water. It was interesting to learn more about them and where they came.

Mono Lake was such a beautiful place, and very unique. It’s a nice place for a little hike or even for spending a day kayaking. And yes, you can swim there too. But be aware, that the water is actually so salty, that it might be easier to float than swim. So if you are driving by this area, Mono Lake is definitely worth a stop.

AN ANCIENT LAKE in California

Mono Lake is a saline water lake in California, close to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Mammoth Lakes. Since we were visiting Mammoth Lakes we thought it would be fun to visit Mono Lake as well. The drive from Mammoth Lakes to Mono Lake was less than half an hour.

This lake is one of the oldest lakes in the United States. It is actually ancient, over 1 million years old.

Since the water has no outlet from the lake, high amount of salts are stored in it. So basically you could float on the water just like in the Dead Sea in Israel. Because of the salt the water also stays alkaline.

This salty water is home for millions of Brine shrimp, which then attracts many migratory birds that eat them. Brine shrimp is an endemic species, but due to the alkaline water, no native fish live in this lake, and attempts to introduce fish to Mono Lake have failed.

When you approach the waterline, you might see a big amount of flies like we did. They are called alkali flies, and are an important source of food for the birds living or migrating through Mono Lake.

Because of the salty water, the lake never freezes over even though snow sometimes covers the surroundings of it.

WHAT ARE THE TUFA TOWERS OF MONO LAKE?

Most people visiting Mono Lake want to see its rock formations, the so called tufa towers. These limestone towers are born when springs at the bottom of the lake containing calcium, bubble up to the surface of the lake. The calcium and carbonate that is in the water combine, and limestone is formed around the spring. The spring keeps running in the middle, and the tower keeps growing around it until it reaches the air.

In 1941 Los Angeles County started using the water from the Owens River which flows to Mono Lake. The level of the lake started to decrease rapidly and the nature around the lake started to suffer. When the lake level was only half of what it used to be, the quality of air got notably worse too. Mono Lake tufa towers become more visible and stopped growing.

Luckily a committee that was founded in 1978 has been quite successful in the protection of the lake and its nature, and the level of the lake should not get any lower.

MONO LAKE TUFA STATE NATURAL RESERVE (SOUTH TUFA)

The most popular place to visit is the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, also known as South Tufa, which offers the best views for the tufa towers. It was established in 1981 to preserve the towers and the animals living by the lake.

There is a small fee that is collected at the beginning of the trail. We were there on a busy day when there was a ranger guiding people, but it seemed like they normally have a lockbox where they ask you to leave $3 per adult. So I would recommend bringing exact change.

Also, if you have the America the Beautiful pass, which is the annual pass for national parks, you can use that. Just leave it on your car windshield while visiting.

South Tufa Interpretive Trail starts from the parking lot and takes you to see the most beautiful tufas of the lake. The trail is 1 mile long and along it there are signs that tell you all about the lake and its animals.

The lake is so beautiful! You can see the snowy Sierra Nevada Mountains reflected in the water, and the tufa towers. This must be a dream destination for many photographers, but just remember: climbing to the rock formations is prohibited by law!

Unfortunately, when we drove down from Mammoth Lakes to Mono Lake, the altitude sickness hit our oldest daughter. I also experienced some symptoms on this trip. When we were about to start the trail she started feeling sick and vomiting. So I went alone while the others waited in the car.

When I got back our daughter was already feeling better and did a short walk to see the tufas with my husband. So gladly everyone was OK, and the ranger recognised the symptoms right away. He told us that is was fairly common when coming down from Mammoth Lakes which lies about 7,900 feet above sea level.

Other places you can visit at Mono Lake are County Park or Navy Beach, both of which can be reached by US Highway 395. If you are bringing a canoe or kayak, or want to swim, Navy Beach is probably the place for you. Navy Beach is actually very close to South Tufa.

Where to stay in Mono Lake

The closest town to Mono Lake is Lee Vining, which is tiny and practically on the beach. Only 217 lived there in 2020. But they still have few options for accommodation, like Lake View Lodge and Yosemite Gateway Motel.

They did however, have a couple of nice restaurants where you can eat if you didn’t bring a picnic. Check out for example The Basin Cafe or Whoa Nellie Deli, and then stop for an ice cream at Mono Cone.

We stayed in Mammoth Lakes at Mammoth Mountain Inn, which was great. After visiting Mono Lake we drove less than half an hour to Ridgeport, where we stayed at Silver Maple Inn. However, if you want to step into the Gold Rush time, you should choose the historic Ridgeport Inn built in 1877.

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Many people visit Mono Lake after driving through Yosemite National Park or when visiting Mammoth Lakes. If you like hiking and are visiting at summer time, Devils Postpile at Mammoth Lakes is amazing! You can find our tips for hiking with kids from here.

And if you drive even further down south, you will pass Manzanar National Historic Site and Death Valley National Park. We once drove through the park all the way to Las Vegas, and that was a great way to combine these two sights.

However, if you continue along US Highway 395 to north, there are several natural hot springs close by, and an facinating ghost town, Bodie. The road will ultimately lead you to one our favorite places in the whole world: Lake Tahoe, so there are many things to see in this area!

Have you visited any of these places?