Overview

Kyle Canyon is a good place to bird the western montane forest. The Kyle Canyon Road starts in typical Mojave Desert scrub and climbs through the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland to a Yellow Pine and Pine-Fir Forest mixed with Quaking Aspen at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet.

There are no particular birding "hot spots," but there are many places to stop, enjoy the mountain habitat, and watch birds. Check the middle-elevation shrubland, spy on backyard feeders in town, bird the woods from the road and picnic areas, take short hikes, or climb to the summits -- there are plenty of opportunities to spot birds of the western montane forest.

Description

The Spring Mountains, located northwest of town, rise from desert valleys at elevations below 2,000 ft to the summit of Mount Charleston at nearly 12,000 ft. The great range in elevation creates a great range of climate and several vegetation zones. The Spring Mountains are completely surrounded by desert, forming an island of montane habitat surrounded by a sea of desert scrub. This island of high-elevation vegetation provides habitat for montane species not found in the deserts around Las Vegas. In contrast to the desert, the mountains have a real winter, and the changing seasons and winter snowfall results in a range of birding opportunities.

Kyle Canyon is one of the major canyons on the east side of Mount Charleston, and the Kyle Canyon Road provides easy access to a number of birding sites, but there are no particular hot spots. The best way to bird the area is to drive the road, stopping to bird in different habitat types (be sure to pull off the road and watch the traffic), and walking the trails along the road.

The Kyle Canyon Road starts in typical Mojave Desert scrub, climbs through a scrub-oak canyon and pinyon-juniper woodlands, and gets to the upper end of the yellow-pine belt where ponderosa pine, white fir, and aspen intermix at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet. The road ends in the bottom of a deep canyon surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and mixed pine-fir forests.

Places to bird in Kyle Canyon include pullouts along the road in the desert and pinyon-juniper zones, the ranger station in the ponderosa pine zone, the library area, the pine-fir forest around the lodge and picnic area at the end of the road, and the pine-sagebrush habitat around the trailhead parking for Mary Jane Falls.

Pullouts along the Road. There are a number of pullouts along the road where you can stop, pull completely off the road, and watch and listen for birds. In the desert zone, look for House Finch, Rock Wren, and Say's Phoebe. In the pinyon-juniper zone, look for Pinyon Jay, Spotted Towhee, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

Kyle Canyon Ranger Station. The ponderosa pine and shrubs around the ranger station can be good for birding. Look for Cassin's Finch, Purple Finch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Scrub-jay, Gambel's Quail, Western Tanager, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Dark-eyed Junco. This area can be quite busy on weekends, so a short walk up the Fletcher Canyon Trail might be a better choice. The start of the trail is fairly easy and quickly gets away from the sounds of the highway.

Library Area. The public library is located in town, across the street from the fire station. Check the tall trees for Band-tailed Pigeon, and walk through town checking the bird feeders. Please respect private property.

Kyle Canyon Lodge. The lodge is located high in the canyon, below and just east of Cathedral Rock. The pine-fir forest and birding opportunities are similar to those at Cathedral Rock Picnic Area, but you can eat lunch and do some of your birding from the porch of the lodge. Keep an eye out for chipmunks.

Mary Jane Falls Trailhead. Even thought the parking area is surrounded by towering limestone cliffs, this part of the canyon is fairly open with a forest of ponderosa pines, white fir, aspens, sagebrush, and mountain mahogany. The understory is open with a few wild current and composite shrubs, plus some grasses, thistles, and a few other forbs. Look for Red-breasted Nuthatches, Pygmy Nuthatch, Steller's Jays, Lewis's Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadees, Green-tailed Towhees, Townsend's Solitaire, Cassin's Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, and Clark's Nutcracker.

Location

The end of the road in Kyle Canyon is located northwest of Las Vegas, about 60 minutes from downtown. Head out to Mt. Charleston. From the turnoff on Highway 95, drive west on Highway 157 (Kyle Canyon Road) for about 21 miles to the end of the road (Table 1, Site 669), stopping along the way to check for birds.

Kyle Canyon Ranger Station (Site 726). The ranger station is located about 18 miles up the Kyle Canyon from Highway 95. It is on the south side of Highway 157, about 0.6 miles beyond the intersection with Highway 158 (Deer Creek Road).

Cathedral Rock Picnic Area (Site 670). The picnic area is located just before the end of Highway 157. The Kyle Canyon Road runs up the canyon, makes a big hairpin curve and climbs back and up underneath Cathedral Rock. Just past the Cathedral Rock trailhead parking, turn south into the picnic area. They charge a parking fee in the picnic area, but you can park outside and walk in for free.

Kyle Canyon Lodge (Site 669). The lodge is located at the end of Highway 157. As you come out of the turn-around at the end of the pavement, you will be looking right at the porch of the lodge.

Mary Jane Falls Trailhead (Site 541). The trailhead parking is located higher up in the canyon than the picnic area and lodge. From the Ranger Station, drive about 2 miles up the canyon to Echo Road, which veers off the main road just before the big hairpin curve. On Echo Road, drive 0.35 miles to a left turn with a sign for Mary Jane Falls. Turn left onto a dirt road and pass Echo Well Pump Station #3 (signs and chain-link fence). Drive another 0.25 miles to the end of the dirt road.

Hours

Most areas are always open. The Cathedral Rock Picnic Area is closed, and the gates are locked, around sunset. If you plan to wander off into the woods, be sure to check the closing time (it changes during the year) at the entrance station so you don't return late and find your car locked in for the night.

Fees

Most areas are free, but they charge a "parking fee" in the Cathedral Rock picnic area. The last time I checked, I think it was $6 to park inside the picnic area; you can walk in for free. If you walk into the picnic area from the Cathedral Rock Trail parking area, walk on the road; the trail eventually loops back to the picnic area, but it makes for a long, steep route.

Specialties

Kyle Canyon is good for finding woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, bluebirds, warblers, towhees, and jays. Keep an eye out for Northern Flicker, Lewis's Woodpecker, Clark's Nutcracker, Red-tailed Hawk, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Pinyon Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Pine Siskin, Pygmy Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Townsend's Solitaire, Western Bluebird, Cassin's and Purple finches, Dark-eyed Junco, Green-tailed Towhee, Western Tanager, Townsend's Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Virginia Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Be sure to watch for Mt. Charleston Chipmunks (Palmer's Chipmunk), an endemic species, often seen in picnic areas, and the only chipmunk at or above the yellow-pine zone. Watch for Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels too; these are only found in high-elevation places.