Mono Basin National Scenic Area
The Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area is a protected area in Eastern California that surrounds Mono Lake and the northern half of the Mono Craters volcanic field. It is administered by the Inyo National Forest as a unit of the National Forest Scenic Area program, under the U.S. Forest Service.
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History
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The site was first described by tourists in Mark Twain's Roughing It.
Mono Basin became the first National Forest Scenic Area in the United States in 1984.[1]
Visitor Center
The Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center is located 1/2 mile north of the town of Lee Vining, California, just east of Tioga Pass (the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park), on U.S. Route 395.
A variety of activities and exhibits introduce the natural and human history of the Mono Basin. A 20-minute film, an interactive exhibit hall, two art galleries, and a book store are available inside.[2]
![](../I/Mono_Craters_from_US_395.JPG.webp)
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Agriculture.
- "Inyo National Forest: Special Places". United States Forest Service. 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
- "Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center". Mono Lake Committee.
External links
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- Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve website
- CA.Parks: Mono Lake tufa tower images
- The short film Of Ice and Fire: The Mono Basin (1992) is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.