Seeing Tulare Lake from a plane
Once the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, drained for farming until it vanished. It came back in 2023 after record snow. Look for the grid of farmland in the basin floor.
3 of our routes pass it. California · rated 5 of 10
The easy pick
Sacramento to San Diego: sit on the right, 27 min after takeoff.
Which side, by route
| Route | Side | When |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento to San Diego | Right | 27 min after takeoff |
| Sacramento to Los Angeles | Right the other side is usually better on this route | 31 min after takeoff |
| San Diego to Sacramento | Left the other side is usually better on this route | 36 min after takeoff |
From the real paths of every nonstop on these routes in the last 10 days, at the usual time of day.
Questions
Which side of the plane do you see Tulare Lake from?
It depends on the direction: the right on most of our routes (2 of 3). The table lists each route's side.
When can you see Tulare Lake from a plane?
Mid-flight: see the table for when on each route.
Do clouds matter?
Yes. These answers assume a clear day. Within 3 days of your flight, pick your exact flight in the app for the cloud forecast.
More
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