Desert Wonder · California
Mono Lake Tufa
Ancient tufa towers rising from an alkaline lake
TypeDesert Wonder
StateCalifornia
Best seasonSummer & fall (Tioga Pass open)
How to visitSouth Tufa area, small fee; easy boardwalk
A primordial inland sea on the dry side of the Sierra, studded with knobby tufa towers that grew underwater and now stand exposed along the south shore. At dawn the spires and their reflections turn the lake into another planet.
The shot
South Tufa spires mirrored at sunrise.
Nearby & worth pairing
- Inyo National Forest
- Yosemite’s Tioga Pass
- Bodie ghost town
- June Lake Loop
Access, fees, permits, and tour availability change with the season and the managing agency (tribal park, state park, BLM, or NPS) — confirm current rules and reservations before you go, tread lightly on sacred and fragile sites, and pack out everything you bring.
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