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Take a day trip to the Mono Lake area, which is 30 miles north of Mammoth Lakes on U.S. 395. First you’ll be greeted by the Mono Craters, a chain that stretches from near the June Lake Loop to Mono Lake. These other-worldly craters, which will remind you of a moonscape, are covered with layers of light-colored pumice from a series of volcanic eruptions over the years.
Mono Lake’s glassy waters extend eastward from the base
of the Sierra Nevada. A spectacular and ancient inland sea,
it sustains a rare biosphere where tiny brine shrimp and alkali
flies feed millions of migrating birds every year. Visitors
are welcome to explore the weirdly shaped tufa (calcareous
and siliceous rock deposits from the water) towers at South
Tufa, off Highway 120.
The Mono Basin Scenic Area and Visitors Center is one-quarter mile north of the town of Lee Vining. The Visitor Center features interactive displays of the basin’s geology, ecology, and human history, as well as a photo exhibit, a changing art exhibit, and a bookstore. Interpretive tours are available year-round.
Located 30 miles north of Mammoth Lakes off U.S. 395
Visitor’s Center: 760.647.3044
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