Yeah, we stage at about the same place, off to the left next to the green hills. There are a couple of open spots for group camping. I have only day tripped it there so we just back to the hills. Makes loading/unloading real easy. The "washes" are off to the left over in them thar hillsWe go in to a place just before the road starts in through the hills, probably a couple miles off of Irwin Road. I used to go all the way to the top by the Joshua Trees but that seemed like a long haul to get up there. Besides, between those two spots there are a lot of nice trails that head north west from the road, single track too I tell ya. We kept heading up to the west of the radar station on nice trails, to me that is.
Do you ever ride in the hills to the right of CC road up about a mile from the staging area? That is where there is a ton of single track that just serpentines it's way throughout the whole Mtn range. Real fun stuff.
From another ride.
http://youtu.be/czhXn8f4WTg