Located in remote Mono County not far from the world-renowned ski town of Mammoth Lakes, the mysterious stone columns at Crowley Lake are unlike any other natural phenomenon on the planet. They rise off an unmarked beach and, as my video suggests, are a popular spot for photography.
The columns were formed around 760,000 years ago by a cataclysmic explosion that drastically altered the area. Erosion over millennia has caused much of the singular structure to disappear, but there are still many columns that line the lake’s shore. The section of the formation shown above extends a short distance under the bluff, allowing visitors to weave their way on an other-worldly walk back to prehistoric time.
While the trail leading to the columns at Crowley Lake can be driven in good conditions and with the right vehicle, it’s best to show up ready to cover the approximately 2-mile (3.2 kms), minimally maintained distance from the trailhead to the beach on foot. My travel guide “How to Get to the Crowley Lake Columns” gives step-by-step instructions on how to reach the columns, and my companion guide “How to Drive to the Crowley Lake Columns Trailhead” provides tips on navigating to the starting line.
The water is well below the columns in my video, but it’s important to note that some or all are partially submerged when Crowley Lake receives significant precipitation. During periods of high water, some observe the columns via watercraft.
Related Content
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection featuring images from the columns at Crowley Lake.
– Click to read my feature article “Alabama: The Mystery of the Welsh Caves” to learn about how a mysterious cave system built by man at DeSoto State Park links a medieval legend, a colonial expedition, and the greatest cataclysm in human history.
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection from nearby Yosemite National Park.