Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Calcium-carbonate towers rise where springs met the alkaline lake, while brine shrimp and alkali flies support enormous bird migrations.
Artwork inspired by Selden Connor Gile
Calcium-carbonate towers rise where springs met the alkaline lake, while brine shrimp and alkali flies support enormous bird migrations. Falling lake levels and restoration make Los Angeles water history inseparable from geology. Useful scale comes from three specifics: lake type, Saline terminal; elevation, 6,380 feet; and protection, State reserve.
Start at the visitor center, then visit South Tufa near low-angle light while keeping shorebirds and fragile formations undisturbed. Roads can be sandy or snowy, tufa is brittle, swimming water is highly alkaline, and nesting areas close seasonally. Close attention to South Tufa, alkaline lake, and migratory birds turns the visit from a collection of sights into a connected argument about this place.
- Lake type
- Saline terminal
- Elevation
- 6,380 feet
- Protection
- State reserve
Quick guide
- Establish scale
- Start at the visitor center, then visit South Tufa near low-angle light while keeping shorebirds and fragile formations undisturbed.
- Slow down for
- Compare South Tufa with alkaline lake, then use migratory birds to test what the site is trying to communicate.
Know before you go
- Establish scale
- Start at the visitor center, then visit South Tufa near low-angle light while keeping shorebirds and fragile formations undisturbed.
- Slow down for
- Compare South Tufa with alkaline lake, then test that reading against migratory birds.
- Place in context
- Lake type: Saline terminal; Elevation: 6,380 feet; Protection: State reserve
- Plan the arrival
- For Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, use Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center, 1 Visitor Center Dr, Lee Vining, CA 93541 as the reviewed public arrival point..
Good to know
Roads can be sandy or snowy, tufa is brittle, swimming water is highly alkaline, and nesting areas close seasonally.
Notice these
- South Tufa
- alkaline lake
- migratory birds