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.
A very interesting description of the crater lake in the 19th century is worth the reading: Mark Twain, "Roughing it ", chapters 38-39. Probably one of the first tourists describing the place.
Mono Basin became the first National Forest Scenic Area in the United States in 1984.
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.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of Agriculture.
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