Mono Lake, California

We left Kershaw-Ryan State Park with the intent of stopping in Tonopah for fuel and, assuming we'd get a decent signal there, either find a spot to camp and use the broadband card to get caught up on things, or maybe an RV park with wireless.

So, off we went, down Nevada's famous Extra Terrestrial Highway (SR375.)

Aliens and Earthlings have all left a calling-card

Shortly after turning on to the highway at Crystal Springs we passed the Alien Warehouse, guarded by an 20 foot tall alien.  'Not sure what they store there, so I leave it to your imagination.

For many lonely miles we entertained ourselves with admiring the shifting colors and shadows in the hills beyond, and the few clouds that drifted here and there. Nevada really is a geological wonderland, and the colors and textures in many area touched my volcanic action as well and the layers of ancient sea-bed range from subtle reds to striking black and white with splashes of blue and green.

As we traveled farther west we came to a broad, flat plain, where the entertainment shifted to watching dust devils in the distance as they chased one another across the acres of sagebrush. . . we are easily entertained!

No such luck with the Internet connections. 'Couldn't get better than 2G in town (we're ordering a new antenna, but our phones weren't much better signal) and the three RV "parks" more resembled storage yards than someplace we wanted to spend the night. As much as we love the history of Tonopah's past as a gold mining center, it's sinking rapidly as a place we want to spend much time. We found diesel at the station in the middle of town, though it was hard to get in and out with our trailer. It was the best place price wise, as the station at the north end of town is rather proud of their product and prices it several cents higher.

Finding lodging prospects in Tonopah rather dismal, so on we went.

Steve had read discussions on the forums of dispersed camping in the Inyo National Forest (California) so that become the new objective. We approached Mono Lake from the Nevada side, through Benton (intersection of I6 and hwy 120). Benton looks like an interesting little burg, with a couple of B and B's, antique shop, and lots of interesting old equipment, wagons, etc. parked around. The day was getting short however so stopping wasn't on the agenda. We pushed on, down hwy. 120, toward the intended goal of dispersed camping areas around Sage Hen pass. NOTE: this route has some really steep grades (7% or better) both up and down, so if you are underpowered, it's not recommended.

I don't think we've ever taken this route before, and though we know the area pretty well we were still surprised by the breathtaking views. The dark and rugged Sierras, lacking their usual snow cap, but still sporting bits of white here and there, contrasting with the closer hills draped in the grays of volcanic ash flows. As the day was getting late, the afternoon shadows emphasized the sculpted forms of the side canyons. Not a great place to stop for photos however, as the road is narrow, and the reflector markers along the sides of the road make pulling of in a long rig difficult. This area is closed in winter, and at 7-8,000 ft. elevation for most of the route that shouldn't be surprising.

We discovered that there are no signs indicating camping areas, and unfortunately most of the side roads are angled in such a way that it's difficult to hit them coming from the east. They must think everyone comes in from the west, hwy. 395.


After examining the various options we ended up down closer to the lake, pulling in right at the kiosk with a display of the old Mono lumber mill.

We followed the dirt road for a short distance to a fairly level site, and the most spectacular view of Mono lake, with no neighbors!

The historical information kiosk by the road explains the history of the Mono lumber mill, which supplied the old mining town of Bodie with lumber during it's peek period. There was even a narrow gauge rail way that ran from the mill up to Bodie.

Scraps of the mill still lie in the ravine, and the kiosk has photos of the original mill.

The hillside where we walked is till littered with the old tin cans and broken bottles from the mill community, some are quite old, and it makes for interesting exploration to meander through the brush and find further traces of the settlement that grew up around the mill.

The forest is sparse right in the area we camped, due to a fire that swept through the area about 12 years ago. New trees are sprouting here and there, but the charred stumps still remain to remind us of how destructive a forest fire can be. It is natural however, and the new growth demonstrates the diversity of plant life that actually benefits from a fire.

The first day started out as a gray and gloomy, with a bit of wind, but soon became quite interesting as the clouds developed and then at sunset took on beautiful golden shades. Little dust devils kicked up out on the island, looking a little like smoke signals at a distance.

We spent two relaxing days here, watching the shifting clouds, playing ball with Shiner, taking walks, and just relaxing. 

I need a break!

More scenes from the area and cloud studies,  here.

This area is a great base camp from which to further explore the area, and there's a lot to see here.

[Dispersed camping is allowed an many areas in the Inyo National Forest. Here is the overview of requirements. It's nice to know there are still a few places where you can just set up a low impact camp and enjoy the view..... for free! Check here for a map of side roads and location of dispersed camping areas.]