Description

Willow Springs lies in a deep canyon surrounded by towering, sandstone cliffs. For a desert, the canyon bottom is relatively lush because cliffs shade it from the morning and hot afternoon sun, it drains are large area that includes high mountain peaks that collect winter snow to feed a seasonal stream, and two perennial springs emerge in the canyon bottom. In addition, it sits at an elevation where the higher-elevation Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands meet the lower-elevation Mojave Desert Scrub.

The primarily birding opportunities here include Willow Springs Picnic Area, Lost Creek Trail, lower Rocky Gap Road, and short trails that connect the Picnic Area with Lost Creek.

Birders should visit the entire area: walk the trail from the Lost Creek parking area to the waterfall, then walk up the loop trail to the picnic area, and finally walk farther up the canyon following the dirt road. Return by walking back to the picnic area, then following the rest of the loop trail back to the Lost Creek parking area. Be sure to watch for petroglyphs and other signs of early human use in the area.

Link to map.

Location

Willow Springs is located in the Red Rocks National Conservation Area, about 40 minutes from downtown.

From town, drive out to Red Rocks. From West Charleston Blvd at Scenic Loop Road, turn right and drive north for 0.2 miles to the entrance station. Pay the fee, then drive around the one-way Scenic Loop Road for 7.2 miles to Willow Springs Road. Turn right onto Willow Spring Road and drive north for 0.2 miles to Lost Creek Trailhead or 0.6 miles to Willow Springs Trailhead at the end of the pavement.

Hours

Generally sunrise to sunset, but the exact hours depend on the season. Hours are posted on several signs.

Specialties

During migration, you can find a variety of species here. During summer, this is a good site for desert warblers, flycatchers, and sparrows. Other species include Gambel's Quail, Chukar, White-throated Swift, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Spotted Towhee, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Violet-green Swallow, and Bushtit.

Walk up the dirt road above the Willow Springs parking area. The canyon is good for finding desert sparrows, Spotted Towhee, Juniper Titmouse, Bushtit, and Gambel's Quail. The best part for birding ends where the road gets steep, so that is a good place to turn back.

In the picnic area, don't overlook the obvious. Chukar, Gray Fox, and White-tailed Antelope Squirrels are common.