English: The Trona Pinnacles are a very otherworldly place; so-much-so that movies including Star Trek and Planet of the Apes were filmed here to represent alien planets. It's hard to believe this stark area was covered by a large lake during the much wetter pleistocene period more than 10,000 years ago. Over 500 spires formed underwater when the area was covered by a large lake. Some of the spires are as high as 140 feet. They are composed primarily of calcium carbonate (tufa). They now sit isolated and slowly crumbling away near the south end of the valley, surrounded by many square miles of flat, dried mud and with stark mountain ranges at either side. The pinnacles are located about 20 miles from Ridgecrest with the last 5 miles along a bumpy unpaved road. Photo by Jesse Pluim, BLM.