We were lucky another couple booked a guided tour for the same day as us, Aug 21st. Stuart coordinated our booking so that we got the best price. From beginning to end, he was awesome. We met at Navy Beach and began around 9am. We stopped for a short respite and science lesson, then returned about noon. I am a birder. Loved the eared grebes and ospreys. Stuart was caring and patient with the other couple, who had never kayaked before. It was a beautiful day on the lake--hot--but lovely. Always bring water and sunscreen. We would do it again if we manage to get back there! read more

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Just rented some kayaks and spent a couple of hours going around Crowley Lake. Stuart and his wife were super friendly and gave us some ideas on how to paddle and where to go. Lovely people and a great time! read more

Excellent experience! The kayak was 8:45 meet time, 9:15-9:30 take off time. Kayaked up to rush creek, stopped for a snack and to stretch our legs. Heard a nice Mark Twain poem about Mono Lake & John Muir wilderness. Would highly recommend and definitely will come back. Lovely husband and wife lead us (-: read more

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First Covid, then the wildfires. With those two working against us, I really didn't think that we were going to be able to go kayaking. With fingers crossed, I contacted Stuart via email noting our arrival date and asked if he had 4 double kayaks available. Luckily he did! However, the day before our arrival the air quality was hazardous and being asthmatic, I had to reschedule to the following week. Stuart was more than accommodating. Fast forward to the following week. Air quality wasn't great, but I was determined to go kayaking! Stuart kept in constant contact with me via email and text regarding the air quality. We made it to Crowley! Stuart texted directions to the beach and met us with a mask on. He said I must have brought my "good juju" because the air quality was terrible for 2 weeks and that was the first clear day they had. Yayyyy! He set us up with jackets, paddles and colorful kayaks. He gave us instructions and answered all of our questions. I was being overly ambitious thinking that we could make it to the pillars that was 3 hrs round trip. Thank you Stuart for suggesting Crooked Creek. It was beautiful! And my arms would not have lasted 3 hrs considering I was only paddling 20% of the time that we were out! We all had a great time and will definitely be returning customers. We HIGHLY recommend Caldera Kayaks!!! read more

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Great guides and beautiful scenery. Learned a lot about the history of the lake, it's wildlife and what makes this area so unique. You meet at 8:30 at Navy Beach, Tufa turnoff from 120. After gearing up, you hit the water about 9 AM and return about noon. You stop along the way at a nice beach for lunch (which you need to bring.) Two pointers: The dirt road between 120 and Navy Beach is one way, bumpy and rough. You will need to go slowly so allow yourself plenty of time. When I was there on June 20, all the restrooms at Navy Beach were closed due to COVID-19. Also, at the lunch spot there are no formal restrooms so you need to go into the bushes! read more

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Owners Sue and Stuart are at one with the Mono Lake environment, welcoming visitors on their 2.5 hour kayak tour from Navy Beach through tufas, nesting osprey (at a distance so as not to disrupt their nesting) and a delta of fresh snow melt. Stop at an isolated beach and stretch your legs for about 20 minutes as you learn about the history, flora & fauna including the several trillion brine shrimp that occupy the fish-free ancient lake. The sit-in kayaks both single and double seated are well equipped with life jackets, paddles and a small storage compartment. This is a serene experience with expert, friendly, stress free guides in Sue and Stuart. It's a must do and we'll worth the moderate rates. read more

Stuart and Sue did a terrific job taking my family out on Mono lake today. They were flexible, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and terrific with my kids (4 and 6). Everyone had a great time on the lake and will will absolutely be kayaking with them again. read more

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My friend and I wanted to kayak to the pillars at Crowley Lake. We called around and it turns out the couple of rental places at the lake itself don't allow you to take the kayaks to the pillars. Luckily, we found Caldera Kayaks. Stuart had another tour in the morning at Mono Lake but he was able to meet us at Crowley Lake early afternoon. He is very knowledgeable and told us all about how the pillars and the geology in the surrounding area were formed. The double kayak we rented was very lightweight and we were able to get to the pillars and back even though it got pretty windy in the afternoon. If you want to visit the pillars at Crowley Lake, I highly recommend giving Caldera a call! read more

Caldera Kayaks - Boating Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

We had a great experience from Caldera Kayaks. We were looking for something to do and the kids wanted to try Kayaking. We called Caldera Kayaks hoping someone would answer because we saw on their website that they give guided tours. Lucky for us, Stuart answered and offered to meet us at Crowley Lake right away. Stuart keep in contact via text as we drove down. The directions he provided was spot on and let us know when he arrived. Stuart gave my kids a quick tutorial and tips to help them get going. He was even nice enough to check up on them from time to time providing more advice. He was keen to watch the weather since thunderstorms rolled in during the afternoon. We will definitely be coming back to Caldera Kayaks for a guided tour on our next visit. read more

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Sue and Stuart are really amazing! Very responsive when you call and want to book a reservation. They are super friendly and just down to earth nice people. Stuart's a Geologist and knows a ton about this amazing area and Mono Lake. He must be in heaven living is such a natural area with so many crazy natural things going on here. Call them you will not regret it!!!!! read more

This is a small business that gives personal feel which Is becoming more scarce. We texted the business about same day kayak rental and we got quick response back. Stuart worked with our schedule and we had a great time kayaking with the whole family. The lake was very beautiful and peaceful. It was our first time kayaking and we had great experience. We will use this business again in the future when we come to the area again. read more

Caldera Kayaks - One of our kayaks - Boating Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

We traveled to Mono Lake on Fourth of July to kayak with Stuart and Sue. Our family had the best time! I contacted Caldera Kayaks before our trip and they were very accommodating in making sure they had 2 double kayaks for my family on a very busy holiday weekend at short notice. We also got the privilege of kayaking with people from the Audubon society!!! We had our fill of bird knowledge from the Audubon bird people and some wonderful geology and mono lake specific knowledge from caldera kayaks. We had a quick lesson on how to kayak with "rudder style" kayaks and then we were off! Very quick and efficient so we can spent the most time on the water. My 6 and 8 yr old sons loved all the brine shrimp and bug facts from sue, as well as the rock facts from Stuart and Sarah. We stayed in Mammoth and it took about 25-30 minutes to drive there, part of the drive was on a dirt road, but my Honda odyssey handle it just fine. Stuart's directions were spot on! Be prepared to paddle as the wind kicks up towards the end of the tour when you are heading back. Also be prepared to get wet and salty. My family learned a TON about the Geology and animals in the area as well as history of the valley. We will definitely be back to for more again when we are in Mammoth in the future. read more

Caldera Kayaks - Kayaking near Tufas on Mono Lake - Boating Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

I originally hope to go hiking with a group of 6 and we reached out to Stuart last minute to set up a tour of Mono Lake. Due to weather limitations and scheduling conflicts we had to cancel last minute. Although we ended up not using these services, Stuart did us a solid and gave us a full refund with no fee. He was very understanding and put the customer first. I'd recommend them for the customer service they provided. read more

We booked same day rental of two kayaks through Caldera Kayaks. Super easy communication with Stuart and got to enjoy a lovely day out on the water. It was my friend's first time kayaking and Stuart was helpful in showing her the ropes. I would recommend this company for others looking to rent kayaks at Crowley. read more

This was my daughters first time kayaking, and mine and my wife's first time in a very long time. We had never used kayaks with rudders before, took a moment but our guides were very helpful. We all enjoyed the time we had out there on Mono lake, it was such a strange beautiful lake. You should bring your own lunch,, I personally wasn't that hungry after, but i ate half my sandwich just so have something in my tummy. The road to get to the spot is a bit bumpy.. but I was in my Jeep so no issues for me.. There were people in normal 4 door sudans that did just fine. We were visiting Yosemite staying on the other side of the park so it did take some time to get there. but it was a great day non the less. Dont forget your sun screen(if you are pale like me heheh) it is a must do when in the area.. we will totally be back when in the area!!! read more

Stuart is super reachable and responds fast. Both Stuart and Sue are super personable and knowledgeable. We met at Navy Beach and after a quick introduction, they made sure that we were all comfortable in our kayaks and we set off. The tour itself was very informative, both Stuart and Sue made sure that not only we were going in the right direction but we were informed about the things around us. The other people that were on the tour were also super fun. We stopped for lunch a little bit where we got to take a close look at the shrimp of the lake and Stuart read us a story and showed us a Calcium Carbonate reaction with freshwater vs. Mono Lake water, which is how the Tufa's are created. We then paddled slowly back to where we started enjoying the nature. They were both super nice and funny as well. Highly recommend! read more

Stuart was a terrific guide on Mono Lake and really made the group feel comfortable and informed. Not only does he do an excellent job coaching the basics of kayaking but he also really knows his geology and history of the area. My wife and I shared a double kayak and had a great day seeing beautiful terrain and osprey up close. Would gladly be repeat customers. read more

Caldera Kayaks - Boating Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

This was a great tour of Mono Lake!! Even though it was a busy 4th of July weekend, Sue and her husband made sure everyone felt attended to. I was with a newbie to kayaking and they made her feel comfortable and even got her going on some more advanced stuff. Sue is very knowledgeable and genuinely excited about the wildlife and history of Mono Lake, and it shows. The tour wasn't too strenuous, but I came out of it feeling refreshed and energized. I'd recommend them to anyone, but make sure to wear your sunscreen. read more

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Fantastic day out on Mono Lake. We quickly settled into our kayak and paddled about. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and fun in general. We even got to see an actual spring. Great tour. read more

We took two separate tours with them. Really nice guides. We did a rental too and just did some paddling on our own.

Stuart and Jen are awesome. We were a group of 11, And they were so accommodating... Not only with the kayaks and the instruction, but geology lessons and history of Mono Lake. Stuart even planned a little stop on a beach, and got out a science kit and did science experiments with us. He then read some passages from Mark Twain. This was just such a great experience. Mono lake is beautiful, and just being in the middle of it in a kayak is indescribable. While we were kayaking along the lake Jen made lunch recommendations for us... We took her advice and went to the Ohana food truck next to the June Lake brewery. I can't think of a better way to end a perfect morning! The beer at June Lake brewing is awesome, and the food at the Ohana truck is amazing... read more

It was a great tour on Mono Lake. He was very knowledgeable and everything was very safe especially during COVID.

Stuart is great! Handled our reservation with prompt professionalism. Had a quick but thorough lesson to refresh our kayak skillset. Great day on the water thanks to Caldera Kayaks! read more

Fantastic trip, we were a large group of differing abilities, but Stuart, Sue, and Beth managed us masterfully with lots of nuggets of information about the area! The lake was stunning... Just magical. We saw a number of osprey nests and lake birds, and were in awe of the tufa tower formations. We are a family of 4 ranging in age from 71 (a fit 71!) to 11, and had two double kayaks that worked out very well. Lots of opportunities to take photos and enjoy the view. Highly recommend this tour. read more

My friend and I had an amazing kayaking experience at Mono Lake. Ever since I saw some photos of Mono Lake I knew I wanted to kayak in it. Stuart was an awesome guide. Prior to setting up a tour I told him my plans for the weekend and he was so kind to call me to let me know that the highway near the lake was shut down for a few miles due to a brush fire. I wouldn't have known! This saved me a 3-hour detour. Stuart was very knowledgable about the lake and gave us a fabulous tour. I highly recommend Caldera Kayaks. I can't want to go back! read more

Awesome day out on Mono Lake. Both Stu and Kathy weed extremely informed with the lake and it's surrounding. Very worthwhile.

Stuart and Sue were wonderful tour guides for our Mono Lake Tufa adventure. They graciously accepted our last minute booking and provided the perfect kayaking experience, complete with kayaking instructions for beginners and interesting facts about the lake and its wildlife. Highly recommend this tour! read more

Came for the scenery, left with profound respect for Mono Lake! Never thought I'd actually LEARN something on a kayak tour, but I did. This is one kayak trip you'll need on your "bucket" lifetime kayak location list. The vistas are just outstanding as the Sierras rise 5,000' above Mono Lake. Not being a "bird watcher" I thought I'd be bored, but the info I learned about ecology is fascinating and relevant. A backdrop of the Sierras provides the western edge to an inland sea of birds, tufa, and historical references. The kayak team is so knowledgeable and makes sure everyone is engaged. read more

Had a great time on Crowley Lake with Stewart (guide/owner). Great communication. Will be back to do the Mono Lake tour next time I'm in town. read more

Stuart was such a great guide! Absolutely loved our first kayaking experience with him. Thank you for teaching and informing us on so much information about Lake Mono Great experience! Erica and Bobby! read more

while on vacation we stopped at Caldera kayaks.owner was super friendly and knowledgeable we had our 8 year old son with us which was his first time he loved it! we would recommend going it was a great time read more

I've known Stuart for years, and I've rented and taken tours from him during that time. Stuart is a knowledgeable and fun tour guide on Mono Lake for kayak tours. I recommend him highly, and I will definitely use his services again! read more

Caldera kayaks - Stuart and Sue are fabulous guides! This guided tour was not only fun but it was informative and beautiful. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone- well worth the price for sure! read more

Totally agree with all the other reviews. It was just two of us on the tour. Excellent kayaks & gear. The tour is informative and we saw several Osprey nests with both parents attending the nests. Early in the morning, Mono Lake is usually mirror flat. Floating among the tufas was magical. We've bought our own kayaks now and go to Mono Lake on our own but it all started with a great tour from these folks. read more

We had a great time kayaking Mono Lake with Stuart and Sue. They did a great job of catering to all levels of kayakers and were extremely knowledgeable of the area and wildlife. Can't wait to go back to this hidden gem. read more

We had a super trip on Mono with Caldera Kayaks last week. It was a trip I had long wanted to take, and it was all that I hoped for. Highly recommended. read more

Sue & Stuart are very experienced and knowledgeable about the area. Fabulous experience. Excellent customer service.