Overview

Torrance Ranch, a 130-acre Nature Conservancy Area just north of Beatty, Nevada, was established to protect springs and riparian areas at the headwaters of the Amargosa River. The water, in turn, supports rare Amargosa toads and Oasis Valley speckled dace, plus a variety of other wildlife. Good places to bird include the cottonwoods and other trees around the old homesite, the marshy vegetation east of the homesite, and the willow thickets and spring pool north of the homesite. This is a good place to look for migrants and summer residents, but it is a long drive (about 2 hrs) from Las Vegas, so this isn't a birding destination for Las Vegas birders. Rather, this is a place to stop along the highway, relax for a few minutes under the trees, and spot a few birds before driving on to somewhere else.

Please be careful here and help protect that land, vegetation, water resources, and the wildlife they support. Please don't play in the water, as this will disturb the rare toads and fish.

Link to map.

Description

Torrance Ranch was a homesite on the edge of a marsh in the bottom of a desert valley. The structures are gone from the main house area, but a variety of desert riparian (cottonwood, willow), native upland (juniper, pine), exotic (salt cedar), and other trees and shrubs left over from home landscaping (apple, pear, and other fruit trees) remain around the area. The water and fruit, plus vegetation for cover, makes this is a good place for birds to stop and rest.

To the east of the homesite, out in the bottom of the valley, there is a large marshy area with grasses and other hydrophilic plants, plus a line of reeds and cattails that line the small stream.

To the west of the homesite, between the homesite and the highway, there is a wide gully with a low (broken) cement dam and a small pool of water below the dam. A trickle of water feeds the pool from springs along the highway. There is a bit of aquatic vegetation (cattails, bulrushes) and a few toads in the water. Other aquatic vegetation in the wet spots includes sedges, needlegrass, and saltgrass.

To the north of the homesite, a line of trees and willow thickets stretches out for about 400 yards. The vegetation grows along the edge of the old highway, between the old roadbed and the marsh. From the homesite, you can walk north on either side of the willow thickets; the old road is easier to walk on, but the "trail" gets you into the thick of things (wear sensible shoes). A ways up, water and mud forces you to leave the marsh and walk on the roadbed. There is a small spring pool under the northern-most clump of willows. Just beyond the willows, the stone walls of an historic structure sit on a little bluff overlooking the marsh; this would have been a nice place to live.

The surrounding area is desert scrub, with saltbush, desert thorn, salt grass, and rabbitbrush between the marshy area and the desert.

Location

Torrance Ranch is located on Highway 95, about 120 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

To get there from Las Vegas, drive north on Highway 95 for about 2 hours to Beatty (Table 1, Site 899). From the stoplight in downtown Beatty, drive north for 7.1 miles to Oleo Road.

Oleo Road is about 1.5 miles past Bailey's Hot Springs and RV Park, and it is the road after Boiling Pot Road.

Turn right onto Oleo Road (dirt) and drive east for about 50 yards to a brown gate on the north (left) side of Oleo Road. A sign next to the gate reads "Torrance Ranch, a Wetland and Wildlife Preserve." Turn left, open the gate, drive into the wildlife preserve, and close the gate. Drive up the access road for about 0.25 miles to the parking area by the old homesite (Site 627).

When driving south on Highway 95 (e.g., driving south from Tonopah), Flour de Luis Road is 0.9 miles north of Oleo Road, and you see the marsh and willow thickets on the left (east) just before getting to Oleo Road.

Hours

Always open, but should be considered day-use only.

Fees

None.

Specialties

This is a good area to find a variety of desert and riparian species. Check the trees and willow thickets for warblers, sparrows, flycatchers, and other migrants, including Wilson's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, White-breasted Nuthatch, Lincoln Sparrow, Warbling Vireo, Mourning Dove, and Northern Orioles. Vermilion Flycatchers have been seen here.

Check the marshy areas for Violet-green and Tree Swallows, Red-tailed Hawks, Common Raven, Killdeer, and Lark Sparrows.

Keep an eye out for other species such as amargosa toads, Oasis Valley speckled dace (but don't trample the marshy vegetation trying to get a better view), and wild burro. There are several kinds of lizards here (e.g., western whiptail, zebra-tail, fence, and side-blotched lizards). Keep an eye out for snakes too, especially the western rattlesnakes that should live in the area.