Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Upcoming guided trips: June 25–July 1

Are you on your way to the Mono Basin for a quick escape from the daily grind? We have spaces available on a few guided trips next week that will be the perfect addition to your vacation! Combine multiple trips for an extended guided getaway. The Mono Lake Guided Trip program offers naturalist trips to enhance your knowledge and connection to this beautiful area and its fascinating natural history.

Sierra wave sunset over Mono Lake. Photo by Nora Livingston.
Sierra wave sunset over Mono Lake. Photo by Nora Livingston.

Twilight Birding & Owling on Saturday, June 25, is a wonderful way to spend the evening at Mono Lake. We will spend a few hours birding as daylight turns to twilight, when vivid colors wrap around the horizon and paint the clouds, and then we will search for nighttime specialty birds like nighthawks, poorwills, and winnowing Wilson’s Snipe. 6:00–10:00pm. $65 for members, $75 for non-members. Sign-up today!

Great Horned Owl by Nora Livingston.
Great Horned Owl. Photo by Nora Livingston.

Wildflower Waltz on Wednesday, June 29, will have you frolicking in the flowers. We will scour the lower wet meadows and canyons for the plethora of blooms and stalks that grace the trails. We will focus on identification and natural history of the flowers we see in multiple different habitats. This walk is great for photographers and budding botanists. 8:00am–12:00noon. $65 for members, $75 for non-members. Sign-up today!

Skunk Monkeyflower, Mimulus nanus var. mephiticus. Photo by Nora Livingston.
Skunk monkeyflower, Mimulus nanus var. mephiticus. Photo by Nora Livingston.

High Country Birding on Thursday, June 30, takes you to the high points above Mammoth Lakes to look for specialty birds. The high country of the Sierra has a diversity of conifer habitats that host unique birds like Pine Grosbeaks, White-headed Woodpecker, and Williamson’s Sapsucker. Once above tree-line, hard to find Gray-crowned Rosy-finches build nests in rocky scree slopes. In this birding trip we will explore the pine and fir forests above 8,000 feet to search for specialty birds and learn about their mile-high lives. 7:30–11:30am. $65 for members, $75 for non-members. Sign-up today! This trip meets in Mammoth Lakes.

Western Tanager by Sandra Nichols.
Western Tanager. Photo by Sandra Noll.

Crowley Lake Reservoir Birding on Friday, July 1, is a great combo trip to add to the previous day’s High Country Birding trip. Down in Long Valley, Crowley Lake Reservoir sits surrounded by myriad habitats that host waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, and raptors. This birding trip will explore wet meadows, alkali lakes, sagebrush scrub, and the open waters of this freshwater lake to build an exciting list of bird species in a spectacular location. 7:30–11:30am. $65 for members, $75 for non-members. Sign-up today! This trip meets in Mammoth Lakes.

If these scheduled trips interest you but don’t fit your vacation schedule, we also offer custom guided trips tailored to your wishes and interests. Call (760) 647-6595 to sign up, and visit our Guided Trips web page for more information.