Lee Vining is a center for recreational and scenic attractions around Mono Lake. Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, 2 miles north off US 395, is a protected area centered on Mono Lake, an “inland sea” that is one of the oldest lakes in North America. The water in this approximately 65-square-mile body of water is more than twice as salty as the ocean and highly alkaline. The shallow, shimmering lake is a haven not only for exuberant colonies of brine shrimp but for up to 2 million birds that converge annually to feed and nest. Learn More...