Outdoor Fun in Mono Lake Basin

Kristy Kayaking at Mono Lake

Our new campsite near Mono Lake is strategically located for accessibility to nearby lakes and hiking trails. Starting out at the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area visitor center we stock up on maps and info and scope out what we want to see and do. The first day we kayak around the tufa towers in Mono Lake from the South Tufa area. Gliding around on the silky smooth morning water we observe osprey pairs sitting in their nests on top of the tufa towers. The briny, salty water of Mono and the brine shrimp it nourishes attracts numerous birds and water fowl. It’s fun to paddle around while watching them dive and splash. Lynn agreed to Shug-sit while she’s bird watching from the shore. Shug likes to watch the seagulls swoop and catch insects flying over the lake.  We all check out the boardwalk trail and read the informational signs about Mono Lake. We see only a few of the alkali flies that will soon be in the billions feasting on the algae that thrive in the lake. The indigenous people of Mono Basin ate the alkali fly pupae as a main food source. The info says that the rice-like pupae have a buttery, nutty taste. It doesn’t say if the pupae are eaten raw or cooked and because we don’t know we don’t try to find any to sample.

Osprey nest on the Tufa Towers

Annette and Lynn, Lundy Canyon Trail

Using our maps and info we maximize our enjoyment of local activities. On our way back to camp we stop at Panum Crater for an exploratory hike to see the obsidian volcano core. Massive chunks of obsidian litter the trail which winds in and out of the obsidian core of an ancient volcano. In the next several days we take day trips to hike and kayak around the area. A day at Lundy Canyon and Lundy Lake wows us with a beautiful hike studded with waterfalls and a visually stunning kayaking outing beneath the snow-capped Sierras. We try a morning of bird watching from the boardwalk at the Mono County Park where a flock of western tanagers darts in and out of the cottonwood trees. Dogs are not allowed at the County Park so we buy Shug off with duck chews.

Annette and Kristy, Lundy Lake

The nearby June Lake scenic loop abounds with hiking and kayaking opportunities. We loved our day kayaking in the crystal clear waters of June Lake. The beaches are wide and inviting places that just beg for a beach chair and a picnic. As always, we follow our 6 or 6:30 a.m. start time for hiking. The Mono Basin area has more than its fair share of wind in the afternoons so getting out early lets us hike and kayak without having to hold onto our hats.

Kristy and Shug in Yosemite NP

Shug hikes road in Yosemite

The little town of Lee Vining calls itself the gateway to Yosemite but Hwy 120 into the national park remains closed for winter during our visit. We drive out to the closure gate and hike into Yosemite for a few miles. Snowfields line the road and the distant vistas promise unattainable grandeur. The clear, cold morning gives us just a taste of the beauty of this national park.  FYI: Dogs can only hike on the roads in national parks and Shug took full advantage of being the only dog on an unopened highway in eastern Yosemite.

The little Lee Vining town offers a couple of fun places to grab an ice cream cone or a coffee. An old-style restaurant, Nicely’s, serves a tasty hamburger with all the fixings. There's free Wi-Fi at the library andat the Mono Lake Committee shop downtown. Another wonderful small town in the eastern Sierras to stop and wander.