Travel Guide Mono Lake

Mono Lake offers one of the most breathtaking landscapes you'll ever see. The rock formations on its surface give the impression of being on a lunar lake, if there were water on the Moon. Located in the heart of a vast volcanic region, Mono Lake was formed 1 to 3 million years ago and is fed by five rivers. Natural evaporation and river detour have created a unique chemical composition: it contains three times more salt than the Pacific Ocean, and its water is a thousand times more alkaline than drinking water. As a result, many of the animal species that have adapted to this environment are unique.The strange white rock formations on the lake are in fact limestone concretions (tufa) created by a chemical reaction between underground spring water and lake water. They should be underwater, but are in fact becoming increasingly apparent as the water level drops. In fact, an aqueduct that supplied the entire city of Los Angeles from 1941 to 1994 lowered the lake level by 15 m! Since the end of its operation, the water has risen again. It's an astonishing site in a breathtaking lunar landscape.