Re: East side wanderings pikshures: Death Valley to Sonora pass

Spent memorial day weekend working our way up the east side with a dip into western death valley regions.

Visited Centennial Canyon for the petroglyphs


And did the run up to Cerro Gordo (both the peak and the private town - check with the caretaker before a visit)





Said hi to U2's Joshua tree


Climbed the very easy but seldom visited Jack Gunn peak (and Boxcar Cabin)


Spent a cold night at one of our favorite campsites along 120


Had travertine hot springs all to ourselves



And drove back over the snowpacked Sonora Pass


Full photo album here

Thanks for sharon.
Sad about Joshua Tree. I always assumed it was in Joshua Tree...

Confused about the "favorite campsite on 120". What am I missing?

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The U2 tree fell naturally after a big storm several years ago - you can see how the wash undercut it. People have built quite a shrine to it out there. It's a short walk across the desert just off of 190 between Olancha and Darwin. I'm not a crazed U2 fan but for some reason the Joshua Tree album has always been my desert driving music so it is fun to stop from time to time.

The 120 campsite is between Benton and Lee Vining, just off of pavement and tucked into a small tree-covered rock outcropping. Great views and 120 is really quiet along there. It's a bit out of the way but if you cut over from 395 on the dirt roads south of mono craters it's not too bad to get there. I like the Mono Basin for dispersed camping in the summer - gets away from the people.