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Birding Blue Point Spring
Birding Around Las Vegas, Lake Mead Region
Birding Around Blue Point Spring
Blue Point Spring

Description

Blue Point Spring is a place to go bird watching in the desert where water flows and forms a little spot of green with a few palm trees. There used to be buildings here, but they burned long ago, leaving a few foundations and the palm trees. This isn't a birding destination, but it is one of several places to stop and bird if you are traveling along the north side of Lake Mead.

Water flows from a shallow cave on the hillside above Blue Point, runs down a long, fairly straight, narrow stream channel (probably not entirely natural), and spills out into the open area by the palm trees. There is water and wet ground near the palms, but no spring pool or other open water.

A use-trail leads along the creek to the spring, as does an old road, and there are a few short use-trails around the palms, but the area is not developed for hiking. Green riparian vegetation in this sparsely vegetated section of the Mojave Desert attracts desert birds year-round and migrants during spring and fall.

Blue Point Spring
Palms near highway (view N from parking area)

Covered picnic tables are available at Rogers Spring, a few minutes south of Blue Point. Food, drinks, and a few other services, but not gasoline, are available at nearby Echo Bay. Complete services are available in Overton to the north.

Location

Blue Point 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 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 at the T-intersection onto Northshore Road, and drive east for about 45 minutes to the paved Blue Point Spring parking area (Table 1, Site 0661), which is on the left (northwest) side of the road a few minutes north of Rogers Spring (Site 0538). The parking area and palm trees can be seen from the road.

Blue Point Spring

Hours

Sunrise to sunset; this is a day-use area.

Fees

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

Birding Blue Point Spring
The actual spring is up near the hills (view W)

Specialties

This is a good place to check the palm trees and shrubs for desert residents (e.g., Verdin, Black-throated Sparrow, House Finch, and Gambel's Quail) and to look for migrants (e.g., Orange-crowned Warblers, Green-tailed Towhee, and Lincoln Sparrow, and White-crowned Sparrow) during spring and fall. Keep an eye out for dragonflies too.

Birding Blue Point Spring
Hiking towards the spring (view E)
Blue Point Spring
Blue Point Spring near the spring
Blue Point Spring
Birdwatcher at the gauging station
Blue Point Spring
Upper edge of the spring (view N)
Blue Point Spring
Upper edge of the spring (view E)
Blue Point Spring
The actual spring is down in a ditch
Birding Blue Point Spring
Trail along the stream channel during winter (view W)
Birding Blue Point Spring
Spring area with USGS Gauging Station during winter (view NW)
Birding Blue Point Spring
Spring pool down in a ditch during winter (view W)
Birding Blue Point Spring
Brushy shrubs over spring pool (view E)

Table 1. GPS Coordinates for Highway Locations (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Highway GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.

Site # Location Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) UTM Easting UTM Northing Elevation (feet) Verified
0661 Blue Point Spring, palms near road 36.3897 114.4283 730668 4030040 1,526 Yes
0538 Rogers Spring 36.3778 114.4425 729423 4028693 1,612 Yes

Happy Birding! copyright; Last updated 240322

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