Tufa formation on Mono Lake, California, United States Dec 5, 2024

Tufa formation on Mono Lake, California, United States

Shaped by the slow passage of time, tufa—a type of porous limestone—emerges as one of nature"s most spectacular formations. While these towers can be found in many places, today"s image showcases them at Mono Lake in Mono County, California, United States. These structures develop when calcium-rich fresh water, flowing into the lake from several creeks and streams, mixes with the lake"s alkaline water. Over centuries, this interaction caused calcium carbonate to build up, forming tufa spires above the lake"s surface. To preserve the tufa towers, the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve was established in 1981 by the California State Legislature.

© Susanna Patras/TANDEM Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Santa slalom
Dec 5, 2023Castles in the Bavarian Alps
Dec 5, 2025Maya site of Copán

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Where history comes alive
Dec 19, 2025Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
Hiding in the woods
Jan 15, 2026The fishing village of Reine, Norway
Sep 20, 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
Dec 25, 2025Merry Christmas!
Jan 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
Ever seen garlic bloom?
Underwater underground
The Coast of Death
Jan 23, 2024Maldives
Sep 2, 2023Allens Hummingbird
Stretching to the sky
Nov 6, 2024Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington, United States
Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Colours of spring
Mar 7, 2024Roques de Benet, Els Ports Natural Park, Catalonia, Spain
Nov 3, 2024International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Apr 18, 2024International Day for Monuments and Sites
What are these predators doing?
Jun 29, 2024Tour de France 2024
Jul 11, 2024World Population Day
Butterfly, fly away
Don’t look down!
A grand view
Dec 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
Mar 21, 2026International Day of Forests
Jun 6, 2024Les Braves monument, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France