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.
Mono Lake is in Lee Vining , Ca. on highway 395 about 130 miles south of Reno, Nv.
Not only is beautiful Mono lake here but Lee Vining is also a gateway to Yosemite valley . Highway 120 which is just a couple miles south of Lee Vining leads into Yosemite national park. There are many other beautiful areas all around Lee Vining. This is an area that may be overlooked by people who visit California. An area of great beauty !!! You can see the southern sierra mountains in the background in this next photo.
