Limestone Sentinels

Ancient tufa formations stand guard over Mono Lake's alkaline waters

This alternative perspective of Mono Lake's South Tufa area reveals how these limestone towers create a natural sculpture garden along the shoreline. The tufa formations were submerged for decades but became exposed when water diversions to Los Angeles lowered the lake level by 45 feet. Today, conservation efforts have stabilized the lake, allowing visitors to walk among these remarkable geological monuments that showcase millions of years of chemical precipitation.