5: Mono Lake’s unique water
Have you ever gone for a swim in Mono Lake? The lake is 2.5 times saltier than the ocean so you can easily kick back and float in the water. But why is this a salt-water lake? Because Mono does not…
Category: Visit
4: The water story
Where you stand now is the management level for Mono Lake—6,392 feet in elevation above sea level. One day, Mono Lake’s water will again reach this level, but ensuring this was a long struggle. In 1976, a group of researchers, including…
3: Tufa
Examine the tufa in front of you. What does it remind you of? What does it feel like? Tufa—from the Latin tōphus, meaning “porous rock”—forms underwater. Underneath the lake there are fractures which allow calcium-rich spring water to seep through the…
2: Plants of the Mono Basin
Can you find these three common plants of the Mono Basin? Rubber Rabbitbrush: Known for its bright green color and vibrant yellow flowers in late summer, this shrub dominates the area. As you walk down the path, look to your left and notice the…
1: Welcome to Mono Lake!
Mark Twain once called Mono Lake the “Dead Sea of California,” but that could not be further from the truth. Mono Lake is a fountain of life—important for over 300 bird species, trillions of endemic brine shrimp, and many other creatures.…
South Tufa Self-Guided Tour
Tap play below to listen on headphones. Welcome to the Mono Basin—a gorgeous, otherworldly landscape with huge, sweeping views of the high desert all around and the magnificent Sierra Nevada above. Mono Lake, this expansive terminal lake which defines this…
A report from Tioga Pass
Like we did last year, yesterday my husband and I ventured up Highway 120 West on bikes and skis to check out the snow conditions at Tioga Pass. Caltrans has plowed the road clear of snow all the way up…
Reserve your spot on a Mono Lake canoe tour
Reservations are now available for this summer’s Mono Lake canoe tours. Tours happen every weekend from mid-June through August and include Labor Day this year, Monday, September 1. Canoe tours are a wonderful way to experience Mono Lake. Glide through…
2025 Field Seminar registration opens February 7
The complete list of all the Mono Lake Committee’s 2025 Field Seminars is now available online. Registration opens at 9:00am on Friday, February 7 for Mono Lake Committee members. This year’s slate of 14 Field Seminars includes one-day and multi-day…
Fall colors starting in the Mono Basin
Fall color season is off to a good start in the Eastern Sierra with a cold snap last week that kicked things into gear! Here in the Mono Basin the aspens, cottonwoods, and willows are steadily turning more colorful every…