Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve is located near Yosemite National Park within Mono County, in eastern California. It was established in 1981 by the California State Legislature to preserve the natural limestone "tufa tower" formations at Mono Lake.
The reserve was established to preserve the spectacular "tufa towers," calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It also protects the lake surface itself as well as the wetlands and other sensitive habitat for the 1 – 2 million birds that feed and rest at Mono Lake each year.
Mono Lake is a majestic body of water covering about 65 square miles. It is an ancient lake, over 1 million years old -- one of the oldest lakes in North America. It has no outlet.
Throughout its long existence, salts and minerals have washed into the lake from Eastern Sierra streams. Freshwater evaporating from the lake each year has left the salts and minerals behind so that the lake is now about 2 1/2 times as salty as the ocean and very alkaline.
Location/Directions
Highway 395, 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park, near the town of Lee Vining, California.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended clothing
The weather can be changeable; layered clothing is recommended.
Winter is a particularly beautiful time at Mono Lake. The crowds are gone, a quiet stillness prevails, and snow crystals sparkle on the tufa towers.
The road to South Tufa is kept plowed, when staffing permits, allowing year round access except immediately after large storms.
South Tufa, Navy Beach, and the Old Marina area are all wonderful places to cross-country ski when snow conditions permit.
Mono Basin Visitor Center
The best place to begin your visit is at the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center, which is just a short drive north from the intersection of Highway 120 and Highway 395 in Lee Vining.
There’s plenty of accessible parking in front, and level access to the building and the accessible restrooms The visitor center houses a ranger information desk, a number of interpretive exhibits and a back deck that has a great view of the lake. And if the visitor center isn’t open, you can still access the back deck via a 250-foot paved level trail.
There’s also a quarter-mile paved trail that runs from the back deck and loops back around to the parking lot, which offers a closer view of the lake. It’s not a level trail but it’s probably doable for most folks with scooters or power wheelchairs. And if you can’t do the whole trail, then start near the interpretive display in the parking area, and take the level part to the first vantage point for a nice view of the lake.
Picnic Grounds Road
There are also a few accessible trails – and some picnic tables – located at Picnic Grounds Road, which is just a short drive north of the visitor center. It’s actually the second turn on the east side of the highway, and it’s marked with a simple “Mono Lake Access” sign.
There’s accessible parking near the accessible vault toilets, and a second accessible parking area next to the trailhead in the lower parking lot. And if you’d like to enjoy a picnic lunch there are some standard tables under a tree, on a level asphalt pad, about halfway between the trailhead and the toilets.
From the parking lot a.15- mile hard-packed dirt path leads out to the .2-mile David Gaines Boardwalk. The boardwalk meanders out to the lakeshore where it abruptly ends; however there are low bumpers along the trail, so you can get a great view of the lake from just about anywhere along the boardwalk. And if you’d like to take a break, there are also a few benches along the way.
There’s also another accessible trail that starts near the beginning of the boardwalk and offers some nice lake views from a higher vantage point. There is a gradual incline on this hard-packed dirt trail, but it’s doable for most wheelchair-users and slow walkers. At the .5 mile point there’s a bench to sit down and enjoy the expansive view. A tufa rock that was formed thousands of years ago marks the end of the accessible trail another .15-miles down the line.
And if you don’t want to do any hiking, there’s also a nice view of Mono Lake from the parking lot.
State Reserve Boardwalk
Another place to catch a good lake view is on the State Reserve Boardwalk which can be accessed from Mono Lake County Park. Located off of Highway 395, the turnoff to this northernmost site is marked by a brown sign that reads, “County Park”.
Accessible parking is located at the far end of the lot, with ramp access up to the accessible restrooms. A fairly level dirt and grass trail begins at the other end of the parking lot and leads .1 mile through the park to the accessible boardwalk.
The quarter-mile boardwalk winds out along the marsh to the lakeshore, and the viewing platform at the end offers a close look at the tufa formations as they poke up out of the lake. There are benches to sit and enjoy the view along the way, and a number of interpretive panels about the avian residents.
This spot is also a colorful wildflower site if you hit it just right – usually in mid-July. Additionally, there are a few picnic tables in a level shaded grassy area near the boardwalk, if you’d like to pack along a picnic lunch.
South Tufa Area
The final accessible Mono Lake site is located south of the turnoff to Tioga Road, but it’s definitely worth the short detour. Follow Highway 395 south, past the June Lake Loop, and turn east on Highway 120. The turnoff to the South Tufa Area is about five miles down the road on the left.
There’s accessible parking near the trailhead, and accessible vault toilets on the other side of the parking lot. A quarter-mile paved level trail leads past a wayside exhibit of a tufa formation and out to a boardwalk. The boardwalk is just .1-mile long and it terminates at a sandy beach. Although the access ends at the beach you can still get a good view of the tufa formations that dot this shore of the lake. If you only have time for one Mono Lake stop, make it this one, as it has the most unusual tufa formations.
Picnic Area
An accessible picnic table is available at the Mono Lake Trail trailhead. Accessible parking and restrooms are available nearby.
Trails
The South Tufa Interpretive Trail is located at the end of South Tufa Day-Use Road that can be accessed from Highway 120 east of Highway 395. This trail offers a 1.0-mile self-guided nature loop trail to the shore and through the spectacular grove of tufa towers. This is the best place to visit if you have time for only one stop. The first 0.25-mile of this trail is accessible, and hard packed native soil. Beyond the first 0.25-mile, the trail may be useable for some people with limited mobility.
The Boardwalk Interpretive Trail is an ‘out-and-back’ accessible boardwalk interpretive trail that is 0.5 miles each way. This trail is an extension of the Mono Lake County Park Trail that allows access to the north shore tufa area and marsh. The surface is wood. The trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes. Trailhead, parking, and restrooms are available at the County Park, off Hwy 395 on Cemetery Road.
The Mono Lake Trail is an ‘out-and-back’ accessible trail that is 0.75 miles each way. The trail starts at the Old Marina Parking lot located directly off highway 395 (1 mile north of Lee Vining). The main trail provides 0.33 mile accessible trail (including the Dave Gaines boardwalk) through the wetland to near the lake shore. There is an 0.42 mile spur accessible trail up the nearby hillside that provides lake views and close up view of associated tufa. Trail routes provide close up access and views of the lake and associated tufa. The surface is aggregate & wood. The trail is generally flat with slopes at less than 5% slopes with intermittent sections between 5% to 8%.Accessible picnic table and restroom is provided near the trailhead parking lot.
