Just east of Yosemite, tufa at Mono Lake. The ancient lake has no outlet, and at about 1 million years, it is one of the oldest lakes in North America. If you are planning a trip to Yosemite, don't miss Mono Lake -it is only 13 miles east from one of Yosemite's park entrances. About 30 miles north of Mono Lake is one of the best-preserved ghost towns of the west: Bodie, and I will dedicate a separate series of blog entries to Bodie and its ghosts this coming spring.