Our original intention was to camp at Rainbow Basin. However, because of it's close proximity to Ft. Irwin, the explosions from the nearby range were very intrusive. The dog was terrified, so we had to regroup. We've always wanted to camp at Afton Canyon, and since it was only about an hour's drive away, off we went. We were a little leery because of this area's reputation for ORVs, but the campground was deserted the Tuesday after Veteran's Day. This is the first time we've camped at a developed campground where we were the only occupants. We enjyed the solitude for 24 hours, after which our fellow campers began to pour in.

The Desert was pretty warm for November. Shana enjoyed playing in the Mojave River. Afton Canyon is one of two places that the Mojave, which is normally an underground river, stays permanently surfaced. The other is The Mojave Narrows in Victorville.

We had the most beautiful campsite. The Mojave River was about a half mile walk from our space.