Category: Points of Interest

A point of interest is a specific location that attracts visitors due to its cultural, historical, natural, or recreational significance. Typically marked by unique features, it offers an engaging experience, such as scenic views, educational value, or leisure activities. Examples include museums showcasing local heritage, natural landmarks like arches or waterfalls, or historic sites tied to significant events. Often accessible by trails or roads, POIs may provide amenities like visitor centers, guided tours, or interpretive signage, making them ideal for tourists, hikers, or locals seeking exploration and enrichment.

One Tree Hill, A trip to the U2 Joshua Tree

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A trip to the U2 Joshua Tree brought back a life time of memories. There was never a point in time that I was not aware of Joshua Tree’s.  Growing up in Southern California, they are a common site in the high desert and after all there is a National Park named after them.  Many nights I have spent camping in the national park and asking my dad about the Joshua Trees.  They are just so weird.   Their limbs twisted in the wind.  They thrive in the harsh desert environment, yet don’t offer much shade.  The are a symbol of the desert southwest, and perhaps would be THE symbol of the desert south west if not for the saguaro cactus.

U2's Joshua Tree - 2016
U2’s Joshua Tree – 2016
The original Joshua Tree of the Us Cover. Photo made Dec. 19, 1994 |Source= Joho345 – @U2 (www.atu2.com)
The original Joshua Tree of the Us Cover. Photo made Dec. 19, 1994 |Source= Joho345 – @U2 (www.atu2.com)

I remember exactly where I was when I was introduced to the Irish Band U2 by a close friend of mine.  Back then, they were the Irish Rock Band U2.  I was introduced to them watching a video tape copy of “Under a Blood Red Sky” and forever fell in love with my Irish compatriots.  In 1987, U2 released there next album “The Joshua Tree” which also coincided with my passing the exam for my drivers license.  I wore out by original tape and its copy driving the city of Pasadena to and from high school.  

The album tore through the consciousness of the United States and this Irish boy had a little more pride in his heritage.  The best part was that the album was named after and predominately featured photographs of the iconic image of the desert.

In May, 1987 my friend invited me to a trip to Death Valley.   As his father drove  across the desert that afternoon, my friend pointed  out the window and yelled, “There is ‘THE’ Joshua Tree”.  By the time I turned around in my seat, the tree was off in the distance.  I could not tell from the angle and distance, but the area looked about right.  We drove on, the sounds of an Irish Harmonic flowing through the speakers.  I would soon forget this conversation, a foot note of my past.

I always wanted to see the Joshua Tree of u2.  Before the internet  it was not easy to find places such as this.  They don’t put this information on maps.  Rumor and stories filled the void.  I never asked, but over the years I heard that the site of U2’s Joshua tree was not near the National Park.  I heard that someone lite it on fire.  I heard it died.  Many stories told of unprepared people dying while searching for the Joshua Tree.  All just rumors.

I never thought about the Joshua tree site until I started Destination4x4.com.  After about 10 minutes searching on the Internet, I found it.  Sadly the rumor it died proved to be true.  But then an odd thing happened.  Like many lost places of the Mojave, there is a small make shift monument to U2 at the site of the fallen tree.  The dead tree is still there, fallen to the earth around 2000 and being consumed by the harsh desert climate.  The site is located just off the CA Highway 190 between Lone Pine and Death Valley.

Within a year, of finding the Joshua Tree site, I found myself driving along the highway 190 into Lone Pine, CA.  There is no marker to the site, and no paved road to follow.  The site of the Joshua Tree is located about 100 years off of the road, which runs parallel to the highway.  After some back road creative navigation, I saw a glint of metal and the downed icon about .5 miles in front of me.

You have found what your looking for monument located at the site of U2s Joshua Tree.
You have found what your looking for monument located at the site of U2s Joshua Tree.

As I walked towards the dead Joshua Tree, I could not help but think about how silly this endeavor was.   A grown man taking his family to see a dead tree. My inner sound tracked played “Running to Stand Still” as I stepped back into the past.  Memories of high school came flooding back.  The surrounding hills morphed into the album cover.  I recalled a conversation between me and a lost friend on the highway not too far from here where he was convinced he saw this tree.  I now know he did see it.

Like many places in the Mojave, a make shift monuments lies on the site.  Undoubtedly updated with each new visitor who like me hunt down the obscure.  It is a matter of time until  a passing windstorm, dry climate and time remove any remnants of the Joshua tree.  Oddly enough, it was here alone with my small family that I understood what I what I wanted to do with Destination4x4.com.  The four us jumped back into the jeep.  I loaded up the Joshua Tree on my phone and played “Where the streets have no name” as we drove off for our next adventure.

The U2 Joshua Tree 2016
The U2 Joshua Tree 2016

Update

Just under a year after our visit to the Joshua Tree, for our wedding anniversary, Heather and I saw the band play their songs from the dessert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on May 20th, 2017.  I found out later that I had a case of double Pneumonia, but would not miss this for the world. The concert was a celebration of their music and the desert landscape which i love.

U2, Rose Bowl, Pasadena CA 5/20/2017
U2, Rose Bowl, Pasadena CA 5/20/2017

Bodie and Aurora rivalry continues to this day

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Two towns located in the hills above Mono Lake maintain, the Bodie and Aurora rivalry continues even now, long past their demise.  Bodie, CA and Aurora, NV boomed with the gold rush of the 1870s and busted just years later when the gold ran out and faded into history.  Miners, merchants, and people would undoubtedly moved either direction between the two cities and with good fortune would undoubtedly talk down the previous city.  Such is human nature, but why would this rivalry continue long past the demise of both towns?

The Standard Mill, Bodie, CA. Photograph by James L Rathbun
The Standard Mill, Bodie, CA. Photograph by James L Rathbun

Bodie, CA is the crown jewel of ghost towns.  Maintained in a state of arrested decay and located just 13 miles off the 395 highway outside of Bridgeport, CA, Bodie hosts over 100,000 visitors each year.  The current site has some 100 structures, flush toilets, museum, guided tours, on-site staff, a website, Facebook presence and a gift shop.  (I own two coffee mugs and three shirts)  During a visit two Bodie, I over heard two fellow visitors joking about a StarBucks coffee located near the fire station.  Bodie, justifiably is a popular place to visit, there are many people there when you visit.

Aurora, NV Photograph by James L Rathbun
Aurora, NV Photograph by James L Rathbun

By contrast, Aurora is a forgotten intersection of two roads.  The town was raised long ago for its brick, and only two structures are not lost two the bush and those are unrecognizable monuments to the towns past.  Few visitors will reach the town site of Aurora and those who do might be disappointed in what they find.  By almost any measure there is no comparison in the quality of a visit to the two towns in modern times.  So, why would there be an active effort on the part of those affiliated with Bodie to discourage visitor from driving to Aurora? Does the Bodie and Aurora rivalry continue to this day?

On a visit in June, 2016 I walked into the museum and spoke with one of the park staff / ranger to inquire about Aurora.  I told the ranger I was planning to drive to Aurora and asked “How many miles is it to Aurora?”

The Ranger replied, “I think it is about 30 miles?”

I answered, “Well, I thought it was about 9 miles, but I don’t remember the source so I could be wrong.”  I thanked him and moved on.

Perplexed a bit, I walked around the museum and studied a few exhibits.   Once of the exhibits I saw was a hand written note / map, which noted that it was 6 miles to the Nevada border and Aurora was 10 miles past that point.  I returned to the Ranger at the front desk and told him, “Apparently, we are both wrong you have a document which states it is 16 miles to Aurora.”

He replied, “Well, it can be a rough road and I heard the bridge is out.”

Again, I thanked him and walked off towards the jeep.  Rough roads do not cause much concern, and a bridge being out is a binary concern.  We can either pass or not pass and will not know until we get there.  I loaded my family into the jeep, reset the trip odometer and sent off east towards Aurora.  We followed the road and Bodie Creek North from Bodie and soon we reached a small bridge.   As we drove over the bridge, I thought to myself, “Well so much from that bridge being out…”

As we continued down Bodie Creek there was another bridge, which was indeed out but immediately the obstacle was passable via the road to the right.    The bypass simple dropped down a few feet, crossed Bodie Creek and up the other side.  Not any issue with our Jeep JK.  We continued down the road and made a right turn to climb the hill into Aurora.  We soon reach an valley covered in sage brush with a wooden structure which appeared to be a head frame.  A moment later we reached and intersection and another concrete structure which was the remains of a building.  Surely, this must the Aurora.

Everything about the small valley was screaming Aurora.  The map told me we found Aurora.  Memories from my last visit 30 years prior told me it was Aurora.  The structural remains told me we found Aurora.  Everything told me that we found Aurora, except my trip odometer.  Since my cell phone GPS is worthless with no Internet connection, the one piece of measuring equipment told me I was 5 miles off of my destination.  After lunch we headed out again and soon found ourselves in the highlands above Mono Lake in extremely rough terrain.  We finally reached mile 16 and knew that the distance measurement found in the Bodie Museum was flat out wrong and wrong in a big way!

Remains of Aurora bricks found deep in the undergrowth. Photograph by James L Rathbun
Remains of Aurora bricks found deep in the undergrowth. Photograph by James L Rathbun

We turned around and returned to the site we believed to be Aurora.  Again we checked the maps, and everything appeared to match.  We had an intersection with another road.  We had a few limited structures.  One further investigation, we began to see flattened buildings in the over growth of sage brush.  Two structures became several.  As I walked through the thigh high sage brush, I looked down and saw bricks!  Bricks are the sure sign that we found Aurora!

Photographic landscape comparison between our trip and a historical photograph.
Photographic landscape comparison between our trip and a historical photograph.  The angles are slightly different but clearly the hillside line up.

So, how do we explain the differences in the distances.   My memory, which is fallible, was 9 miles.  The Ranger told me about 30, which I believed was way off.  The map in the museum told me 16 miles, and my odometer measured 11.5.  I reset my odometer and drove back to Bodie and duplicated my initial measurement of 11.5 miles and made a mental note of the dilemma.  Why is the distance so wrong?  I am willing the accept a slight variation in the mileage measurement of the jeep.  I have 35″ tires on the 4×4 and the gears are changed to 5.13:1.  The computer was changed to reflect these modifications.  This could explain a slight variation but not 4 miles over 16 if the program parameters are not exact or correct.

When we returned to camp that night I checked the “Bodie State Historic Park” guide purchased when I arrived at Bodie and published and revised in 2010.  On page one there is a town map with a reference to Aurora at a distance of 18 miles away!!!  Great, another number for the distance between the two towns.

When I arrived home I opened up Google Earth and check my measurement for the Bodie to Aurora Trail.  This measurement from Google Earth is 12.1 miles are more or less corroborates my measurement.  So, why would California State Parks publish an erroneous value and lengthen the distance of the Road from Bodie to Aurora?  Could the fact that California “lost” Aurora to  and its revenue to Nevada when the area was surveyed in 1863 explain this behavior?   Does the Bodie and Aurora rivalry between the two towns continue?  Could it be that the mile distances site actually describe a longer route around the mountain to the north west of Aurora.  Perhaps no one from California State Parks has checked?

I prefer to think of this is the last argument in the rivalry between two lost mining towns. An underhanded slight to history. The Bodie and Aurora rivalry continues…

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Downeyville Nevada

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Downeyville is a historic silver-lead mining ghost town located in Nye County, Nevada, in the remote Gabbs Valley region. Once known as one of the westernmost settlements in the county, it emerged during the late 19th-century mining boom in central Nevada but followed the familiar pattern of many Western mining camps: rapid growth fueled by mineral discoveries, followed by decline as ore bodies played out and larger strikes elsewhere drew away residents. Today, it consists primarily of scattered rock foundations, mining debris, and remnants of structures on a sloping rocky fan in a desolate desert landscape.

Discovery and Founding (1877–1878)

The story of Downeyville begins in May 1877 when four brothers—Patrick, Jeremiah, Edman, and James Downey—discovered rich silver-lead ore deposits a short distance from the existing camp of Ellsworth. Word of the strike spread quickly, drawing miners and opportunists from Ellsworth and other nearby areas. The new settlement initially consisted of just four crudely built log cabins. By 1878, it had grown into a functional mining camp with a population of approximately 200 residents (mostly men). The town was named after the Downey brothers, with one of them (often referred to as P. Downey or J. Downey) serving as the first postmaster.

Early infrastructure reflected the camp’s hasty development. New arrivals often slept outdoors or among the sagebrush due to a lack of housing. The post office opened on March 31, 1879, and operated until October 15, 1901, providing an official marker of the town’s legitimacy. Stage lines connected Downeyville to Wadsworth and Luning, and Wells Fargo & Co. established an express office.

Boom Period and Daily Life (1878–Early 1880s)

By late 1878, the town had expanded significantly. A correspondent for the Grantsville Sun (October 19, 1878) described it as having 60–70 buildings of various types, including three well-stocked stores, six saloons, three boarding houses, three blacksmith shops, a stable, hay corrals, and other businesses. The camp was lively, with miners, merchants, and support services catering to the growing population.

A lead smelter—one of the first true lead smelters in Nevada—was constructed around 1880 (some accounts place it slightly later) by the Downey Mining Company. This reduced the need to haul ore long distances to mills in Austin or the Carson & Colorado Railroad. Ore shipments and smelting operations drove the local economy. High hopes were expressed in local newspapers; the Silver State (September 5, 1882) predicted that Downeyville would rank among Nevada’s top bullion shipping camps due to expanding ore bodies.

Daily life in Downeyville mirrored other frontier mining towns. Saloons provided entertainment, while stores and boarding houses supported the workforce. The town’s isolation in a “lonely valley” added to its rugged character. In 1879, an Indian scare involving Piute (Paiute) groups heightened tensions; reports noted anger over an incident near Mammoth and Grantsville, with warnings that a large gathering near Ellsworth could threaten the lightly defended camp (which had only about 30 men at the time).

Mining Operations and Economy

The primary producer was the Downeyville Mine (sometimes associated with the broader Gabbs Mining District). Initial ore was shipped for processing elsewhere, but the local smelter improved efficiency. Production figures vary by source: some estimate the district yielded $7 million to $12 million in silver and lead between 1878 and 1901, while one account notes the main Downeyville mine produced about $600,000 by 1901 alone. Lead was a key output alongside silver.

Decline and Early Challenges (Mid-1880s–1900)

The boom proved short-lived. By 1885, most residents had departed, leaving only the Downey brothers. Mining proved inconsistent, and a resident’s letter in the Eureka Sentinel (June 7, 1890) lamented that no mining income had been earned for over a year. The 1901 census recorded just three residents in Downeyville amid Nye County’s total population of 1,140. The discovery of rich silver at Tonopah in 1900–1901 accelerated the exodus, as miners chased newer opportunities.

Brief Revivals (1901–1950s)

In 1901, the Downey family sold the main properties to the Nevada Company, operated by J. Phelps Stokes (son of Anson Phelps Stokes, associated with Austin’s Stokes Castle). The company built a store and boarding house and brought in about 30 workers, but profitable ore could not be located, and operations ceased by year’s end.

A more sustained revival occurred in 1923 when Downeyville Mines, Inc. rehabilitated the mine. It operated intermittently until 1927. Smaller revivals followed in the 1930s and 1950s as metal prices fluctuated, but these were minor leasing operations with limited impact. After 1927, the town remained largely silent except for occasional prospecting.

Legacy and Current Remains

Downeyville never recovered as a populated settlement. Its post office closure in 1901 marked the effective end of its official status. The site today is a classic Nevada ghost town. Scattered rock foundations (all that remain of buildings) and mining debris, including cans and broken glass, cover a spread-out area on a rocky fan. No complete structures survive, though mine ruins are among the better-preserved features. The location feels particularly isolated, with a nearby desert grave marker for Korean War veteran Private Teddie Mack Edwards (1929–1995) adding to its lonely character. Recent artifacts, such as an old mobile home trailer chassis, suggest sporadic modern visitation.

Access requires four-wheel-drive vehicles over rough roads, and the site is best visited with caution due to its remote desert setting (hot summers, cool winters). Downeyville exemplifies the ephemeral nature of Nevada’s mining towns—built on hope, sustained briefly by ore, and abandoned when economics shifted.

[mapsmarker marker=”11″]

Resources

Camp Rock Springs

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A small oasis and valuable water supply along the Old Mojave Road, Camp Rock Springs was the site of a military outpost established on December 30, 1866.  There are few remains or ruins of the old dusty outpost but a plaque to remind the visitors that men of the U.S. Army served at this remote desert post.

Camp Rock Springs, Old Mojave Road
Camp Rock Springs, Old Mojave Road

Camp Rock Springs

To the United States Soldiers of Camp

Rock Springs— who guarded the U.S. Mail.

No Glory there nor much chance for

military fame, but true patriots and heroes

were they, to submit to such privations–

Yet there are the nurseries of the army,

and from such hard schools we graduated

a grant and Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas.

General James F. Rusling USA

Bill Holcomb Chapter

E. Clampus Vitus

The sentiment of General Rusling is poignant, and the soldiers who guarded this post did so without notice from the outside world.  Few people at the time, yet alone now even knew this place existed.  Beginning in 1860 a 20 man patrol, with one officer would patrol between Camp Rock Springs and Fort Mojave to the East, twice per month, every month, to maintain and service the Mojave Road.

In 1863, a number of complaints were filed with the army recording Indian sightings and activity including 300 – 400 encamped about 30 miles to the south.  Additionally there were complaints the Native Americans were thought to be steeling cattle, however these complaints were cancelled a few days later.  If nothing else, this would seem to indicate a level of contempt and distrust towards the native population regardless, these complaints and issues kept the army in the Mojave desert busy.

Rock Springs
Rock Springs

In 1865, two men started a mining operation at the Rock Springs location.  While the two men were away, their buildings burnt and their supplies stolen.  The two men immediately became very vocal in their complaints that the government was developing the area for the government while not protective the investment of the miners.  Soon after the miners fled the area, Camp Rock Springs became and official post of the army, and is described as  “On the desert . . . very disagreeable place for the troops” in a government report.

The camp was quickly built using local building materials, however the high cost of operating the camp and the scarcity of water, despite the spring, caused the camp to close in 1868.  The duties of Camp Rock were taken over by the Camp at Marl Springs.

Camp Rock Springs
Camp Rock Springs

The site now does still have some water, and is a small oasis in the desert.  The spring does not travel more than 50 feet into the canyon before the desert claims it again.  The Camp, like the soldiers is long gone.

Government Holes

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The tale of the the Old Mojave Road is the story of water, the more important resource in the desert.  Along the Old Mojave Road trail is the Government Holes water stop.  Long abandoned, the site still contains a wind mill, a corral and a few watering holes.  This quiet remote location was even the site of a gunfight.

Government Holes in the central section of the Old Mojave Road.
Government Holes in the central section of the Old Mojave Road.

The story of the American West is the story ongoing and continued conflicts between the Native Americans and settlers and this holds was also true for the Mojave desert.  In 1858 the Mohave tribe attack various wagon trains, which prompted a military response from the U.S. Government. Major William Hoffman and over 600 men were dispatched to the Colorado River which is the  homeland of the Mohave  Tribe.  Major Hoffman demand the Mohave surrender to which the tribe relented.  Major Hoffman next established a post on the eastern bank of the Colorado River which developed into Fort Mojave.  To support this new fort, regular supply wagon trains from Los Angeles were required to travel east through the Mojave Desert until the Civil War.  Improvements to the wagon trail included a water stop which became known as Government Holes.

By the 1870s, steamboats on the Colorado supplied Fort Mojave and the Mojave Road became a highway for miners, prospectors, and ranchers.  In 1883 the Southern Pacific / Atlantic & Pacific Railroad took up the majority of traffic.  Throughout the 1800’s the Mojave was an open range, and cattle and livestock grazing was a source of money and food.  As with many human endeavors, smaller operations consolidate into larger companies.  These companies worked to claim ownership of land and most importantly water rights.

Homesteaders were in conflict with the Cattle Companies, when the homesteaders stake claims on the best grazing territory.  Homesteaders crops were trampled by the cattle, and the cattle companies denied the homesteaders access to water.  The homesteaders responded by taking their portion of beef from the herd.  All of this game to a head when a gun fight broke out between Matt Burts and J. W. “Bill” Robinson on November 8th, 1925.  Both men died in the fight, and may be one of the last of the “old west” gunfights and the plot of a lot of Hollywood movies.

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