A Surreal Day at Mono Lake: California’s Otherworldly Tufa Towers
Tucked away on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada, just 13 miles from the Tioga Pass entrance of Yosemite National Park, (which we closed when we arrived- major sad face at our bad planning.) lies one of California’s most surreal and awe-inspiring natural wonders—Mono Lake. Located in Mono County and easily accessible from Highway 395 near the town of Lee Vining, this ancient saline lake is home to some of the most unusual and striking formations in the state: the tufa towers.
Tufa Towers
These alien-like spires of limestone rise eerily from the lakebed, formed over centuries by a chemical reaction between the calcium-rich freshwater springs bubbling up from below and the lake’s highly alkaline water. The result is a forest of stone that seems plucked from another planet. The formations are protected within the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, and learning about them—either through signs around the reserve or a visit to the nearby Mono Lake Committee’s information center—only deepens your appreciation for this strange and beautiful landscape.
What truly set this visit apart for us, though, was the way it stirred something deep within. We've traveled far and wide, seen grand canyons, wild coasts, towering mountains, and vast deserts—but nothing quite prepared us for Mono Lake. There’s a stillness here that feels almost sacred. The way the light dances across the water, how the sky stretches wide and open, how the tufa towers cast long shadows in the fading afternoon—it's a photographer's dream, and for Scott, it was nothing short of a calling.
Moved by the stark beauty and timelessness of the scene, Scott was inspired to capture the landscape in stunning black-and-white photography, hoping to translate the emotion of the place into each frame. We spent the entire day out there—wandering the shoreline, shooting from different angles, watching the way the mood shifted with the light. What began as a simple stop turned into a day of total immersion and quiet wonder. And becasue it was May the 4th was also had a little fun too…
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Even now, remembering that day, we’re still amazed. There’s a certain gravity to Mono Lake, something in its ancient stillness and quiet drama that stays with you. If you're ever on Highway 395 or making your way to Yosemite, don't just pass by. Stop. Walk among the towers. Let the silence speak. And maybe, like us, you’ll leave with more than just photos—you’ll carry a sense of awe that lasts far beyond the drive home.
