How to Find the Elusive Stone Columns of Crowley Lake on US 395

A few years back when we planned for a road trip through the U.S. 395, we stumbled upon some photos of the Crowley Lake Stone Columns. There wasn’t a lot of info on this mysterious place but we managed to find some vague directions on how to get here. After multiple attempts of tracking them down, we finally managed to find out what this place is all about. These majestic stone columns are something straight out of this world. They are considered a true geological masterpiece, rising up to at least 20ft tall along the shoreline of Crowley Lake, California. These stone columns are connected by high arches as if they are part of an ancient Moorish temple. It is not that easy to get here, however, the Crowley Lake Stone Columns are definitely worth making that trek.

Note: This place is a magical place and a geological masterpiece. Please help us protect these rock formations and this area for generations to come. Please make sure to take out ALL of your trash and DO NOT deface or harm these stone columns. If you see someone there that does, please help us educate them and protect this place!

Stats

Where:

Crowley Lake Stone Columns: 37°36’34.4″N 118°43’12.5″W
4WD Parking: 37°36’27.0″N 118°43’07.6″W
Hiker Parking 1: 37°35’23.9″N 118°42’15.9″W
Hiker Parking 2: 37°35’23.1″N 118°42’26.8″W

Fee:

There is no fee to visit these wonderful columns.

Parking: 

There is a small dirt lot on the top of the hill, where you will be hiking down to the columns.

Restrooms: 

There are no restrooms anywhere around here.

Distance: 

• About 750ft from the 4WD parking lot to the beach where the stone columns are.
• 1.8 miles each way from Hiker Parking Lot 1 to 4WD parking lot.

Elevation Gain: 

164ft from 4WD parking lot to the beach area

Level: 

Easy

Estimated Completion Time:

Depending on what route you take and how long you want to spend there, between 1 – 4 hours.

Ideal Weather: 

The columns are only visible late Fall, through Winter, and early Spring. You can’t see them outside of the winter, since the water level will be too high. Drier and calmer days are the best time to visit.

Ideal Time: 

Morning or before sunset. The light will be a lot softer and better for photos.

Pet-friendly: 

You can bring your pups, however, please make sure to pick up after them and DO NOT let them use the columns as their personal toilets.

Weather:

VIDEO

History of Crowley Lake Stone Columns

These geological wonder stone columns of Crowley Lake were buried and hidden for ages under the tons of pumice and ash. The pounding waves of Crowley Lake helped carve out the softer materials at the base of the cliffs, eventually revealing these unique columns. There are over 5,000 columns within a 2-3 miles radius.

The stone columns at Crowley Lake are grouped together. They are also diverse in shape and size, but most of them have distinct encircled horizontal cracks about 1 ft apart. Many of them are still buried in the sand.

According to the researchers from UC Berkeley, the columns were created by the melting snow seeping down into the hot volcanic ash from a cataclysmic explosion 760,000 years ago. As the water boiled, it created evenly spaced convection cells similar to heat pipes. These tiny spaces were cemented into place by minerals that were able to resist the erosion of the surrounding forces such as wind and strong waves.

The Adventure

The first time we got here, the water level was almost to the top of most of the columns. We thought we went to the wrong place because there wasn’t any way for us to walk in between the stone columns. After that, we came back two more times, through different routes, hoping that we missed something. However, we got the same result every time.

Luckily, a few weeks ago, one of our friends send us a recent video of her walking through the columns. This was then that we realized our mistake; we went there during the wrong season! Every time we went, it was either toward the end of spring, summer, or early fall. The water level dips down significantly toward the end of fall and through the winter. This is when these mysterious stone columns of Crowley Lake emerge. Once the snow melts, the lake level goes back up and they disappear.

You’ll NEED 4WD vehicles to get here regardless of what routes you take. Some are more advanced than others. We will go over the easiest way to get to Crowley Lake Stone Columns. Even so, there is one very steep and bumpy hill at the beginning that requires 4WD. You probably won’t make it with high clearance or all-wheel drive. If you don’t have 4WD vehicles, you can hike in. We will cover it below.

Getting to 4WD Parking Lot

• From U.S. 395, you’ll want to turn onto Owens Gorge Rd in Toms Place, about 26 miles from either Mammoth Lakes or Bishop. This road is directly across from Tom’s Place Resort.
• Follow Owens Gorge Road all the way (don’t listen to your GPS if it tells you to turn off Owens Gorge Road unless you want to take a fun 4WD off-road route) until you cross over the dam. The paved road will turn into a dirt road.
• As soon as you cross over this dam, make a left onto the first dirt road (about 0.25 miles). It is almost a U-turn to the left. Because of its angle, you might not see it. Make sure to pay attention.
• Once you turn onto this dirt road, you can decide to drive or hike in. If you decide to drive in, you NEED 4 WD.

By Foot:

• If you don’t have a 4WD, you can either park at Hiker Parking Lot 1
• Or drive in a bit further to the bottom of the steep, bumpy hill (Hiker Parking Lot 2). There is a big flat area right before the hill where you can park your car. If you do park here, please make sure to pull all the way to the side and DO NOT block this hill. It can be dangerous for both your car and the others that are driving up/down this steep hill.
• Once you park, head up the hill and follow the dirt roads to the 4WD Parking lot. The road is mostly flat once you climb up this hill.
• The best way to get there is to use GPS to map out the coordinates above.

By Car:

• If you’re driving in, follow the dirt road about 0.3 miles
• At this point, you’ll reach this steep, bumpy hill that will require 4WD.
• This hill can get a bit tricky if you’re not an experienced driver. Make sure you know what you’re doing.
• Once you get past this hill, the rest of the way is quite flat and easy with the exception of some sandy whoop-de-doos. The best way to get there is to use GPS to map out the coordinates above.

The Hike Down

Once you get to the 4WD parking lot, the view is gorgeous. The expansive views of Crowley Lake against the snowy mountains are breathtaking. If you look down to the shoreline on your right-hand side, you can see the rows of columns below. That is your destination. From here, you’ll want to hike down this hill to that beach. There are ways to drive down there, but you can only do that when the water level is low enough and you will need 4WD vehicles and a lot of off-roading experience.

This hill is quite deceptive. It is steeper than it looks. There aren’t any official trails. We just used the best routes for us to get down, without trampling on any vegetation. It gets a little steep toward the end, however, since the hillside consists of soft sand, you’ll get enough traction. This sand however makes the hike up quite tiring. It is only 750ft down, but I had to stop a couple of times to catch my breath. You won’t get lost easily.

Once down to the beach, we went left first because Dustin saw some caves there. Sure enough, there was a decent size cave for us to explore. It’s kind of funny because the first few times we stopped here, the water was almost to the top of the columns. We saw the columns but it was impossible to access them, let alone exploring the caves. We were able to enjoy the sunset and took some gorgeous photos here though. This time, the scenery was completely different. The water edge was so far back that there was an actual beach wide enough for a car to drive around these columns. It was pretty wild. You can see a dark line that runs through these columns, that was where the water usually sits at.

After spending some time exploring the cave, we made our way to the columns. Make sure you wear your shoes walking around. The sand is made from small pebbles, they are not fun to walk on barefoot (I know, I did that).

These columns are amazing. It’s not easy describing how wonderful it was to be able to walk among these geological wonders. It made us feel like we were back in the ancient time, walking through a sacred temple. In some areas, you can go in quite a bit. It is a haven for photographers. We spent over 4 hours here, photographing the place. The only reason Dustin reluctantly left was that it got dark.

Once you finish exploring these columns, you can head back the way you came in. Don’t forget to visit the hot springs on Benton Crossing, on the other side of Crowley Lake. If you’re traveling on U.S. 395, go visit Mono Lake. It’s not that far from here, and it is another awesome place. You can also kayak here as well or hike up Black Point Fissures to explore the fissures. Further down U.S. 395, there is a wonderland of rock called Alabama Hills, a dry waterfall of Fossil Falls, the amazing Olancha Sculptures of Jael Hoffmann. If you head to Mammoth Lakes, there are tons of cool hikes such as Crystal Lake, Valentine Lake, Duck Lake.

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RECOMMENDED GEAR:

These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.

The majority of these links are through our affiliate links so if you buy something, it is at no extra cost for you but it helps us support the site. That being said, don’t buy something just to support us, buy something if you think it will enhance your travels and adventures. 

•  Hiking shoes
You need hiking shoes to get down the hill. Vy’s shoes are Merrell Women’s Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot. Dustin’s shoes are TARGHEE III WATERPROOF.

•  Snacks/Lunch
The closest place to get food is back at Toms Place. Depends on how long you want to spend here, bring extra snacks and food.

•  Sunscreen
Always bring sunscreen. We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter – Zinc Oxide – Coral Reef Safe, and All Good Sport Sunscreen Lotion – Coral Reef Safe (3 oz)(2-Pack) or Stream2Sea SPF 30 Reef Safe Sport Tinted Sunscreen.

•  Water
Doesn’t matter when you go, always make sure to bring plenty of water. Vy uses the Camelback L.U.X.E. Dustin uses the Clik Small pack (sadly Clik is no longer around). Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is also a great backpack for a shorter hike like this.

•  Jacket
It can get cold here during the winter, and quite breezy, bring a jacket. We love our Patagonia Puff Jacket. You can get the female version here. For warmer days, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket

CAMERA GEAR:

•  Camera:
Sony a7 III
Gopro Hero 7 Black

•  Lenses:
Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens    

•  Accessories:
GoPro The Handler Floating Hand Grip – Official GoPro Mount   
Aluminum GoPro protection frame
SandMarc Extended GoPro Pole
Hybrid Pro Filters – DSLR / Mirrorless
Cinema CPL Filter – HERO 9

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