Trona is a small town with a significant history in California's Mojave Desert. Named after the mineral that shaped its destiny, Trona sits on the edge of Searles Lake, a dry lakebed rich in mineral deposits that have drawn people to this harsh landscape for thousands of years.
Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have inhabited the Searles Valley area for at least 8,000 years. These early inhabitants were skilled hunters, pursuing bighorn sheep, deer, and rabbits across the landscape. They also gathered various plants, seeds, and nuts to sustain their communities. The tools they left behind - stone implements, arrowheads, and grinding stones - provide insight into their daily lives and reliance on the land's natural resources.
Just 10 miles south of Trona lie the famous Trona Pinnacles, a forest of otherworldly tufa spires rising from the desert floor. These unique geological formations were created 10,000 and 100,000 years ago when Searles Lake was still filled with water. Calcium-rich groundwater and alkaline lake water combine to form the pinnacles beneath the lake's surface. Today, over 500 of these tufa spires dot the landscape, ranging from a few feet to over 140 feet tall, creating a genuinely alien-like environment.
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