Tufa against hazy skies, small waves roll into the shore.

Inyo National Forest temporarily closed

The Inyo National Forest, including sites at Mono Lake, is closed as of 11:59pm on Tuesday, August 31, and will remain closed through at least September 17, 2021. The closure includes all campgrounds, all day-use sites, all trails, all roads, all recreation, and all dispersed camping within the Inyo National Forest. Read the official US Forest Service press release here.

The closure is for both public safety and firefighter safety and also aims to decrease the potential for new wildfires starting during California’s current extreme fire conditions while firefighting resources are strained across the country. The closure affects all National Forests in California, except the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, which is not in the Pacific Southwest Region, however, additional restrictions have been announced for the Humboldt-Toiyabe, which you can see below.

Here’s what the closure means for the Mono Lake area:

Closed

  • Forest Service land around Mono Lake, including South Tufa and Navy Beach.
  • All roads and trails throughout the entire Inyo National Forest.
  • All Inyo National Forest campgrounds and dispersed camping areas.
  • South Tufa tours and Stars Over Mono programs are canceled.
  • Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (Carson Ranger District)
  • Devils Postpile National Monument

Open

Conditions continue to change, and we will update this page as we learn more. There are still many wonderful things to do, see, and experience in the area—click here for more information on what is open and closed in all of Mono County. Additionally, you can see live views of Mono Lake, or enjoy a self-guided South Tufa tour from home.

Let’s all do our part to help protect the places we love the most and to stay safe. Special thanks to all of the firefighters and first responders out there.

Top photo by Arya Degenhardt.