Mono Lake
Mono Lake in California is a high-desert, hypersaline lake famous for its limestone tufas and seasonal bird migrations.
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Geography
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | Western United States |
| Subregion | Great Basin |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Mono County |
| District | Mono Basin |
| City | Mono Lake |
| Postal Code | 93541 |
| Timezone | AmericaLos Angeles |
| Latitude | 37.9234 |
| Longitude | -119.0064 |
| Maps |
6:13 PM LOCAL TIMEMono Lake is an iconic high-desert terminal lake perched at around 6,380 feet in elevation just east of the Sierra Nevada. Known long-term for its salinity and alkalinity, the lake has become a refuge for large populations of egrets, terns, and brine flies, which in turn support predatory fish and raptor predation. The shoreline landscape is marked by distinctive tufa towers—calcium carbonate formations that emerge where freshwater springs encounter the saline lake. Visitors come to Mono Lake for scenic drives, wildlife viewing, and walking along trails that cross the exposed shoreline in dry years or damp flats after storms. Nearby facilities, interpretive centers, and access points link to services in Lee Vining and beyond; the lake’s surface often reflects an expansive sky, especially at dawn and sunset.
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