Mono Lake

Paddle among tufa towers on an ancient salt lake.

A huge, salty, alkaline lake below the Sierra crest, ringed by limestone tufa towers that look even stranger from a boat. The Mono Lake Committee runs short naturalist canoe tours on summer weekends, and Caldera Kayaks guides morning trips from Navy Beach. Go early: winds can rise suddenly, and the islands are off limits through the spring nesting season.

At a glance

Size

About 60 sq mi (13 by 8 mi)

Water

2.5 times saltier and 80 times more alkaline than the ocean

Launch

Navy Beach on the south shore

Island closure

Apr 1–Aug 1 for nesting gulls

Osprey buffer

Stay 200 yd from nest tufas, Apr 1–Sept 1

Good for

Beginner, Intermediate

What’s here

• Flatwater
• Guided tours
• Wildlife
• Swimming

Rentals, guides and shops

• Mono Lake Committee canoe tours

  Naturalist-led canoe tours among the South Tufa towers from Navy Beach, Saturdays and Sundays at 8, 9:30 and 11 am. No kids under 4.

• Caldera Kayaks

  Guided sea-kayak tours from Navy Beach at 8:30 am, through the tufa to the Rush Creek delta; also rentals on Crowley Lake mid-May to mid-October.

Events

“Usually” means the date follows past years. Confirm before you go.

• FestivalUsually the third weekend of JuneUsually

  Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua

  Birding field trips, talks and canoe outings around Mono Lake. The 2026 edition ran June 18–21.

Where to stay

• lodgeLake View Lodge

  Family-owned lodging in Lee Vining since 1932.

  10 min drive
• cabinTioga Lodge at Mono Lake

  Historic roadside stop with rustic cabins and a restaurant looking over the lake.

  15 min drive

Nearby

• Whoa Nellie Deli · 10 min drive

  The gas-station deli at the Tioga Pass turnoff, famous for fish tacos and lake views.

• Bodie State Historic Park · 45 min drive

  A gold-rush ghost town left in arrested decay, up a partly dirt road north of the lake.

• Gull Lake Marina · 25 min drive

  Boat rentals and trout fishing on the June Lake Loop, a string of sheltered alpine lakes.

Getting there

• Reno-Tahoe International (RNO) · about 2 hr 45 min drive
• Reno · about 2.75 hr
• Los Angeles · about 5.5 hr
• San Francisco (summer, via Tioga Pass) · about 5 hr

Directions in Google Maps