April 8, 2025 Benton Hot Springs is located in the Blind Spring Valley of Mono County, California. Zooming out to Benton Valley and Range, the private campground is in the shadow of Boundary (13,147′) and Montgomery Peaks (13,441′) of the Inyo National Forest’s White Mountains. These are the traditional tribal lands and home of the Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute. This is a relaxing camping trip I try to take every year. The day’s highlight is sunrise coffee from our campsite’s private hot tub.

This year Marc Pfister and I went out from camp through Blind Spring Valley on Yellow Jacket Road (Yellow Jacket Canyon and Spring were on this route). We worked our way deeper into Chidago Canyon but with navigating on the fly we could not find a loop out from where we were.

Backtracking we descended Red Rock Canyon which blew my mind with its narrow wrap around canyon walls.

Just to the south is the Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The Volcanic Tablelands create the boundary between the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts. This ecotonal boundary combined with the wetland ecology of the Fish Slough makes it the unique home for aquatic and terrestrial species. We visited the Red Rock Canyon Petroglyph site on the edge of Chidago Canyon Wilderness Study Area.

Marc and I returned to Benton via US 6. Most of the dirt roads off 6 were gated and private. Over the years we have ridden paved and dirt roads to the north, east and west. Private property and wilderness makes route building challenging. But the rewards of the huge landscapes and unique ecology are worth a closer look. I have ridden a few “high roads” routes in the White Mountains. On my list of areas to explore would be a triangle between Bishop, Candelaria, and Mono Lake. Stay tuned.

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