Birding
Crystal
Spring
Birding
Around Las Vegas, Ash
Meadows
National Wildlife Refuge
The boardwalk trail runs through
nice Screwbean mesquite thickets (view east).
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Description
Crystal Spring is a clear, warm-water spring with a 25-foot-diameter
spring pool and an outflow stream that runs through a fairly open,
fairly flat country. The spring is surrounded by a few trees, lots of
shrubs, and grapevines. The outflow stream runs along the boardwalk and through an open
area with scattered Screwbean mesquite thickets, various species of desert shrub, and a carpet of saltgrass. Bare areas are covered with a crust of salt, which almost
looks like a blanket of snow.
The Crystal Spring boardwalk leads for about 0.3 miles from the refuge
office to the spring. Please protect the vegetation and stay on the
boardwalk.
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Farther out the boardwalk, the trail
runs through
open areas before getting to the creek (green in the distance) and the
spring pool (view east).
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Location
Crystal Spring is located on the Ash
Meadows National Wildlife, about 2 hours northwest of Las
Vegas and
about 0.3 miles east of the Refuge Office.
From Las Vegas, drive out to the Refuge Office (Table 1, Site 691).
From the Refuge Office, a boardwalk starts on the
southeast corner of the parking area at an information kiosk. The
boardwalk runs east for about 0.3 miles to Crystal Spring (Site 693).
The boardwalk has some short spurs, but it is not a loop.
Hours
The refuge is day-use only: open sunrise to sunset. |
No
more photos, yet.
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Fees
None.
Specialties
The Crystal Spring boardwalk runs along a stream
and
through
mostly open country with Screwbean mesquite trees, cattails, bulrushes, and saltgrass. The open areas are good for finding flycatchers (e.g., Say's
Phoebe and Western Kingbird), Northern Mockingbirds, Verdins, Crissal
Thrashers, and Loggerhead Shrikes. The marshy areas along the stream
and at the spring pool are good for Marsh Wrens, sparrows, blackbirds,
warblers, and similar upland species. Be sure to watch the sky for
swallows and soaring birds.
The Crystal Spring area also is good for finding
migrant
species, but the species mix depends on the season, and during
migration it depends on just who is moving through at the time. Review
the refuge
bird list for some ideas on what to expect during your visit. |
Table 1. GPS
Coordinates for
Highway Locations (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S).
| Site
# |
Location |
Latitude
(°N) |
Longitude
(°W) |
UTM
Easting |
UTM
Northing |
Elevation
(feet) |
Verified |
| 691 |
Ash Meadows Refuge
Headquarters |
36.4220 |
116.3280 |
560243 |
4030764 |
2,188 |
Yes |
| 693 |
Ash Meadows, Crystal
Spring |
36.4202 |
116.3229 |
560703 |
4030565 |
2,195 |
Yes |
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