Visited Mono Lake - South Tufa Trail and did the 1-mile walk around the formations. The place is…read moresurreal, especially during sunset when the sky lights up in amazing colors. The tufa towers rising from the lake make the whole scene look otherworldly. There is paid parking per person as noted at the site. What's fascinating is how these tufas form--freshwater springs bring in calcium, which reacts with the carbonate-rich lake water to create calcium carbonate (limestone). Over time, this reaction builds up into the giant rock towers you see today. One quirky detail is the swarms of tiny flies along the shore, which move in waves like something out of the Mummy movies--strange but cool to watch. Overall, an unforgettable spot and a must-visit in Mammoth Lakes.

Beautiful lake with unique tufas that makes it one of a kind. It was so peaceful there and our…read moregroup even did a return night trek there to see the stars. There are a lot of flies at the water's edge so I don't recommend swimming here. The dirt road off 395 is accessible with most vehicles. Definitely recommend a visit here if you are in the area.

We didn't see 20 lakes in the basin but enjoying nine peaceful mountain lakes during a single day…read morehike was darn fabulous. Located outside the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, 2.5 miles of dirt road is crossed to reach the trailhead at the closed Saddlebag Lake Resort at 10087 Saddlebag Lake Road. As a former resort, the location has lots of parking but since the closed buildings meant no running water and an outhouse toilet. The often-closed Tioga Road (aka Hwy 120) must be open to get to Saddlebag. For a longer and harder hike, the basin loop can be reached by going up Lundy Canyon located north of Lee Vining and might be an alternative starting point if Tioga is closed. The loop can begin by heading left across the dam, but we went right around eastern side of Saddlebag Lake - the largest and only man-made lake of the hike. The western side is rocky talus while the eastern trail around Saddlebag Lake is longer but has a more comfortable walking surface that was preferred by people fishing in the lake. The remaining lakes appear at regular half-mile intervals with each having their own flavor. The first set of lakes were small and serene Hummingbird Lake, deep and eerie Odell Lake, and classically graceful Lake Helen. We then took a worthwhile and brief side trip down to Lundy Canyon to the cascading Lundy Canyon Falls. We resumed on the loop to see our favorite Shamrock Lake with multiple little peninsulas poking into the lake which was followed by narrow inlet-like Excelsior Lake, cliff-sided Steelhead Lake below the Sphinx-ish Shepherd Crest, unremarkable Wasco Lake, and meadowy Greenstone Lake before returning along the opposite side of Saddlebag Lake. Maps showed two trails between Steelhead and Wasco Lakes. The western trail is incomplete but also led to the best geology with bold green layered rocks. Our hike was 9.3 miles to circle around nine lakes and one waterfall. The elevation varied from 9,900' to 10,400'. Never steep, the terrain rolled up and down which felt like a 1000' elevation change hike. The paths were mostly exposed with few trees. Located in a true basin, the lakes were surrounded by peaks and ridges. Icy snow pockets that survived the summer ensured water flow through the creeks and lakes.

Hiked this as an overnight backpacking trip with 2 friends in late July, it was the most beautiful…read moreamazing hike I've done and seen in a very long time. Drove up from San Diego the night before and tried to get a camping spot at ~7K feet altitude to get adjusted but all the campsites were full, so ended up camping overnight at disbursed camping down the road (still up at altitude, just no facilities and no fires allowed). Woke up in the morning and made a quick stop at Whoa Nellie Deli to use the bathroom, fill up on water etc. And then drove the very rocky road up to the trailhead. I have a Subaru Impreza, all wheel drive but not a lot of lift, so it was doable, but would have definitely felt better in an SUV, although I also saw a Prius in the parking lot so any car can make it I guess. Parked in the parking lot, there are bear boxes there to leave everything from your car that you're not bringing with you on your backs (also bring a bear canister if you're doing overnight!). Then we headed out. We hiked around the north side of Saddlebag lake, which was beautiful, and a little more crowded as a lot of day hikers just hike that lake. We then took the turn off to the right to head up to the rest of the lakes. On day 1 we did about 6 1/2 miles. We kept passing beautiful lake after beautiful lake. There was a point where we were hiking down a pretty steep climb and it started hailing on us! I was relieved we were hiking down at that point and not up with our packs on. I'd recommend having alltrails map downloaded as there are literally no trail markers, there would have been really know what to know which way to go without it. So we kept hiking and climbing, up and down, around more and more lakes. And then we setup camp for the night around Greenstone Lake. Night 1 was Friday night and was very quiet, no other over-nighters around. Night 2 was a Saturday, and it got a bit more crowded. Nothing too crazy, but there were definitely others in sight and ear-shot. We setup for 2 nights, and then did a day hike the next morning up to Conness Lake which was actually possibly the most beautiful lake I've ever seen in my entire life. I even went swimming in the freezing water! On our last day we woke up in the morning, packed up, and hiked out the remaining 3ish miles back around the bottom of Saddlebag Lake.

This is one of a kind lake . It was formed by underground fresh water . The lime stone formations…read moreare unique. When I first visited this lake many years ago, the lake was a lot bigger than now . We came around 5:30'pm amd the sun was setting . We saw the orange cloud in different shade and golden sun beam was reflected on the lake and he cloud at the same time . It was magical ! I am sad today to find out most of the lake water was re directed to Los Angeles area for other uses . The lake has shrink and the water becomes super salty . That affects the tiny shrimps that live inside the lake , the algae and the seabirds that eats the creatures that live in the water . I hope the situation would improve soon . We create a new problem to solve the existing problem.

It is off the main road to access this area, but only by a few miles and it's worth it. An easy…read moredrive, plenty of parking. An easy hike to the lake, flat with a slight descent. At the waters edge you can see several of the tufa's. You get a nice view across the lake. At the parking lot are some kiosks with information pertaining to the lake. Along the trail are some placards with additional history and information. The waters edge was covered with thousands of the alkali flies. Kind of gross but memorable! Also on the trail down are markers showing dates and what water levels were at that time. That really is impressive to see how low the lake was from its original level. At the parking lot is a payment station. It's 3$ per adult. Also some pit toilets at the end of the parking lot.

This review is for Panum Crater Trail which was a ~2.5 miles round trip that took ~1.5 hour to…read morecomplete. This was an unique hike that takes you to the rim of the crater overlooking Mono Lake as well as to the center of the crater filled with obsidian rocks! The trail was mostly sandy and a little rocky closer to the summit. The best views of Mono Lake are on the rim trail! AllTrails GPX route doesn't take you to the summit. Follow the trail for another ~0.2 miles to reach the summit for a brief view of Mono Lake. Required to drive ~0.5 miles on dirt road. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/VurvIs-_Cnw

STEPH JUDGEMENT: One of my favorite hikes in Mono County…read more I've been back several times now, and my appreciation for this place grows each time. And I've finally managed to remember "Bitch Hill" (a term I coined) on my last visit. For some reason I totally blocked it out from my first visit--maybe because I was trying hard not to be blown off the trail by a freak spring storm--but it's a section on the Rim Trail that's quite steep that'll definitely elevate your heart rate. I always start out with the Plug Trail to see all the rocks, and then go back down and do the Rim Trail for the views of the lake. It's not a long hike, but there is that "hill", lol.

This lovely little community trail is 1.5 miles one way and goes along the Lee Vining Creek. It…read morestarts just south of the Lakeview Lodge, which is on US 395. You walk down a fairly steep hill, but then are strolling through delicate creek side trees and vegetation for most of the rest of the trail, which goes north, towards Mono Lake. The trees were in their fall colors, which was amazing in the afternoon light. The creek is clean and beautiful. We saw some birds (even a water ouzel!) and small critters. There are signs along the trail that tell you a little bit about what's around you. It's a wonderful and fairly easy walk. The end of the trail goes up fairly quickly, and you end up at the visitor's center, just north of town. If you have some time, definitely check out this lovely walk!

A cool little park, located in the city of Lee Vining. It does have bathrooms, and let's be honest…read morea totally killer view of the lake It's an awesome spot after you've driven the twisty Tioga Pass, or come over the Sonora Pass and need a place to just kick back and relax

Aspen trees for miles…read more I always make a point to stop here just to witness the Aspens changing color, a breathtaking transformation that typically peaks in late October. It's absolutely worth the short detour. Located approximately 20 mins from Yosemite's entrance at Tioga Pass. These golden groves are located just before the entrance to the campground. While I'm not much of a camper myself, I did stroll through the site to get a feel for it just incase I ever change and become a camper. It's serene, quiet, and beautifully nestled alongside Lee Vining Creek. The area is shaded by trees and offers amenities like restrooms and picnic tables. If camping is your thing, I recommend checking out their website for more details. Even if you're not into camping, catching the Aspens in their autumn glory should be on your list if you're in the area between late October and early November.

I'm very hesitant to review this campground, because we wanted to keep this special Eastern Sierra…read moreNevada hideaway all to ourselves. We arrived on a Friday afternoon without a reservation, and began to mildly panic one we learned most of the sites had already been taken. Luckily we came across some super friendly Aspen Campground regulars, who invited us to share their double site which just happened to be situated in a prime spot right next to the beautifully bustling river - SCORE! The Big draw to Aspen is hands down the fishing. It just so happened that right before we arrived the local hatchery dropped a load of fresh trouts, ready to be hooked! This was my first time fishing, and I was able to catch (and Cook) my very first fish! If you like to fish and you like to camp, going to Aspen is a no brainer. The trees are also large and plentiful, so if you come, don't forget to pack your hammock!

The tour was fine. I am not ranking it higher because the male guide (Stuart?) insisted on…read moredemanding to know where I was born. As if he had a right to know. As if it mattered. I would never go back to this place after that unpleasant exchange. The female guide, Sue, was nice though. Ranking on her alone would have been 4 stars.

I don't know if there is any other place to rent a Kayak at Mono Lake, but who cares because Mono…read moreBasin Kayak Rental IS THE BEST! Tom really takes care of his customers. The kayaks are in great shape and Tom took all the time necessary to make sure that I had the best time, including giving me all of the lakes rich history! If you go to Mono Lake, go see Tom and get out on the lake,

First off, the cleanest vault toilets I've ever seen. The campground is beautiful, and at 10K feet,…read moreis one of the highest you'll find in California. The trails into the wilderness are amazing, just take your time to get acclimated to the elevation. We rolled in on a Thursday evening and were lucky to snag the last open site. Only downside to the campground is that you have to pitch your tent on the camping pad, which is kind of small. Wouldn't recommend if you're with a group with multiple tents. Also, $40 per night to camp if you have two cars.

Such a beautiful campground! We were able to get a spot in a Friday afternoon in August, last one…read morebut it was nice. Lots of shade too! And the camp hosts keep the toilets SO CLEAN! And I'm not sure how they did it but they smelled like flowers!

A cool little park, located in the city of Lee Vining. It does have bathrooms, and let's be honest…read morea totally killer view of the lake It's an awesome spot after you've driven the twisty Tioga Pass, or come over the Sonora Pass and need a place to just kick back and relax

I'm not sure why this little park doesn't get five stars from everyone. Yes, it's small, but the…read moretown (county?) has made great use of the space... * quiet location * convenient to highway 395 and with easy parking * extremely clean, bright bathrooms, open after dark * I felt safe * filtered water dispenser * free L2 car charging * view of Mono Lake * convenient to food and drink - just a two-block walk to Mono Cone (which I also recommend) or a gas station convenience store It's a great little place for a brief bite, a rest, or just to stretch your legs. I stopped here on both directions of my drive up and down Hwy 395. What's not to like?!