Mono Lake, Saline lake in Mono County, California, US.
Description
Mono Lake is an endorheic salt lake in eastern California. Limestone formations known as tufa towers rise from the water and give the landscape an unusual appearance.
History
The water body formed roughly 760,000 years ago as an endpoint in a closed basin. Volcanic activity in the area and continuous mineral buildup from springs shaped the appearance of the lake and its surroundings over time.
Culture
The Kutzadika'a, a group of Northern Paiute, harvested alkali fly larvae from the shore and traded them with neighboring communities. This practice reflects how people in this region understood and made use of the water's distinct properties.
Practical
Several viewing points around the shore allow visitors to see the landscape from different angles. South Tufa offers the shortest path to the limestone formations and is walkable for most people.
Did you know?
The water holds so much salt and minerals that only two main species can live in it: brine shrimp and alkali flies. These two organisms form a simple but working food chain in an environment too extreme for nearly all other life forms.
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This collection presents geological formations created through millions of years of natural processes. From the striped sandstone walls of Antelope Canyon in Arizona to the basaltic columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and the calcium terraces of Pamukkale in Turkey, these sites...
Bodie
21.8 km
Tioga Pass
24.8 km
Mount Dana
22.7 km
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
8.3 km
Mono Basin
9.1 km
Mount Conness
27.9 km
Panum Crater
10.2 km
Conness Glacier
27.6 km
Tioga Lake
23.6 km
Tioga Pass Entrance Station
24.8 km
Lyell Canyon
30.8 km
Mount Gibbs
23.6 km
Mono Basin National Scenic Area
8.6 km
Bloody Canyon
20.1 km
Great Sierra Mine Historic Site
24.8 km
Kuna Peak
28.6 km
Koip Peak
28.2 km
Hall Natural Area
26 km
Dunderberg Peak
23.8 km
Agnew Lake
31.1 km
Blacktop Peak
29.7 km
June Lake Beach
25.3 km
Lee Vining Canyon
17.6 km
Mono Lake Volcanic Field
2.6 km
Danburg Beach
11.1 km
Obsidian Dome
28.7 km
Navy Beach
8.4 km
Tioga Lake Overlook
24 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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