
If you’re looking to get the most our of your trip to Mono Lake, a visit to South Tufa is a must. The otherworldly tufa towers combined with the stunning high desert landscape and abundant birdlife makes this area truly breathtaking. If you’re planning a visit, be sure to check out our schedule of upcoming South Tufa tours, so you can learn all about Mono Lake from an expert guide. If you’re looking for a more flexible option, you can also enjoy a fully narrated, self-guided tour of South Tufa.
Enjoy the self-guided tour from the shores of Mono Lake, at home before your visit, or anywhere with an internet connection. The tour now has a totally refreshed look with new features and it can be enjoyed from a phone, tablet, or computer.
If you’re following along with the tour at South Tufa, the nine short stops will take about 45 minutes to complete. If you’re following along from home, you can complete the tour in as little as 20 minutes. Check out the list of stops below—you can begin with the first stop, or skip to any stop that interests you. Enjoy!
If you have questions about or suggestions for this self-guided tour, you can log in to comment below or send me an email.

South Tufa Self-Guided Tour
TOUR HOME TOUR MAP NEXT STOP Tap play below to listen on headphones. Welcome to…

1: Welcome to Mono Lake!
Mark Twain once called Mono Lake the “Dead Sea of California,” but that could not…

2: Plants of the Mono Basin
Can you find these three common plants of the Mono Basin? Rubber RabbitbrushBig SagebrushCaterpillar Greasewood Rubber Rabbitbrush:…

4: The water story
Where you stand now is the management level for Mono Lake—6,392 feet in elevation above…

5: Mono Lake’s unique water
Have you ever gone for a swim in Mono Lake? The lake is 2.5 times saltier…

6: A buffet of flies and shrimp
Mono Lake is like an all-you-can-eat buffet of flies and shrimp for the millions of…

7: The birds of Mono Lake
The Mono Basin is an oasis for hundreds of species of birds, many of which…

8: The future of Mono Lake
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything…
Top photo by Rose Nelson.