Trona Pinnacles
Calcium-carbonate towers formed underwater in Pleistocene Searles Lake and now stand across a dry basin used for science fiction, geology, camping, and night-sky viewing.
Artwork inspired by Agnes Pelton
Calcium-carbonate towers formed underwater in Pleistocene Searles Lake and now stand across a dry basin used for science fiction, geology, camping, and night-sky viewing. Mining infrastructure on the horizon is part of the modern landscape. Three anchors prevent a superficial visit: towers is 500+, land manager is BLM, and formation is Pleistocene lake.
Drive the main loop only as road conditions allow, then walk between formations without climbing their crumbly surfaces. The final dirt road can be rutted or muddy, there is no water or shade, summer heat is extreme, and mine roads are not public shortcuts.
- Towers
- 500+
- Land manager
- BLM
- Formation
- Pleistocene lake
Quick guide
- Begin at
- Drive the main loop only as road conditions allow, then walk between formations without climbing their crumbly surfaces.
- Compare
- Compare tufa spires with Searles dry lake, then use desert night sky to test what the site is trying to communicate.
Know before you go
- Begin at
- Drive the main loop only as road conditions allow, then walk between formations without climbing their crumbly surfaces.
- Compare
- Compare tufa spires with Searles dry lake, then test that reading against desert night sky.
- Place in context
- Towers: 500+; Land manager: BLM; Formation: Pleistocene lake
- Plan the arrival
- For Trona Pinnacles, use Trona Pinnacles, Trona Pinnacles Rd, Trona, CA 93562 as the reviewed public arrival point. Before visiting Trona Pinnacles, confirm current road, parking, reservation, weather.
Good to know
The final dirt road can be rutted or muddy, there is no water or shade, summer heat is extreme, and mine roads are not public shortcuts.
Notice these
- tufa spires
- Searles dry lake
- desert night sky