Description

This is a quiet little place where water flows in the desert and forms a spot of green amid the vastness of the dry Mojave Desert. At the spring, vegetation includes one cottonwood tree, lots of narrowleaf cattail, honey mesquite and desert willow, some catclaw acacia, black-banded rabbitbrush, and arrowweed, plus saltcedar that the Land Managers are trying to eradicate (feel free to pull up seedlings). The surrounding desert is dry creosote bush, white bursage, and a few other hardy species.

Flooding during the fall of 2010 scoured away most of the emergent vegetation, but the tree survived and the other vegetation is growing back.

There is enough water, even after years of drought, to form a creek that runs intermittently for a few hundred yards. The water attracts birds and other wildlife (including wild burro, coyote, kit fox, and white-tailed antelope squirrel) from a wide area. Watch for finches and sparrows, plus flycatchers, hawks, and unfortunately, brown-headed cowbirds.

NOTE: Under all but the best of road conditions, driving to Bitter Spring requires a high-clearance vehicle. Take water and food, and be prepared to walk out if your vehicle gets stuck. In a 2WD high-clearance vehicle, birders can safely drive south on Bitterspring Road to Echo Wash Road, then drive east on Echo Spring Road until the road enters the wash (see banner photo). At that point, park on firm ground and walk the short distance to the spring.

Location

Bitter Spring is located east of Las Vegas on the north side of Lake Mead near Echo Bay. The easiest way to get there from downtown Las Vegas is to drive north on Interstate-15 for about 2 miles to Lake Mead Blvd. Exit the Interstate, turn right (east) onto Lake Mead Blvd, and drive east out of town, over the mountains, and down to the lake. About 1.8 miles past the Lake Mead entrance station, turn left onto Northshore Road at the T-intersection, and drive east for about 22.1 miles (30 minutes) to the unpaved Bitter Spring Road (Table 1, Site 656), which is near Mile Marker 26.

If you pass the turnoff on Northshore Road, you will quickly arrive at Redstone Picnic area (Site 659), which is located at Mile Marker 27. Pull into the picnic area, use the restroom, then backtrack for 1.1 miles to Bitter Spring Road.

Turn north onto Bitter Spring Road, which requires, at the least, a high-clearance vehicle. Drive north for 3.3 miles to the edge of Echo Wash and a T-intersection with Echo Wash Road (Site 657). Turn right onto Echo Wash Road and drive east for 0.3 miles to Bitter Spring (Site 658). Look for the cottonwood tree in the wash; you can't miss it.

You can also get to Bitter Spring by continuing north on Northshore Road to the unpaved Echo Wash Road (Site 660), which is just south of the turnoff to Echo Bay. Turn left onto Echo Wash Road and drive west up the wash. This road leads directly to the spring, but there is soft sand on this road; I used 4WD the last time I was there.

Hours

Always open, but consider it a day-use area.

Fees

It costs $10 per vehicle to enter the Lake Mead area (annual passes accepted); after that, there are no extra fees for using the spring area.

Specialties

This is a good place to check the trees and shrubs for desert residents (e.g., Verdin, Black-throated Sparrow, House Finch, Phainopepla, and Gambel's Quail) and to look for migrants (e.g., warblers, American Pipit, and White-crowned Sparrows) during fall, winter, and spring.