Popular Birding Places
Rich County
(To print a county map along with this information, go to the Print Center)
Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Idaho)
Directions: Go east on 200 North from Main Street (US 89) in Paris, Idaho and go to the bridge that crosses the Bear Lake Outlet Canal. Turn right immediately after the bridge and continue a few hundred yards to the refuge.
|
|
| Details |
Bear River Meadows (Randolph viewing area)
Directions: From UT 16, 1.5 miles north of Randolph, take Crawford Mountain Road going east about three miles through fields and farmland to the area around the Bear River with its oxbows, shallow ponds and wet meadows. (The road continues on into Wyoming and joins UT 30/WY 89).
Specialty Birds: Sandhill Crane, Long-billed Curlew and American Bittern
Directions: From the intersection by the "Rock Store" in the center of Laketown (just off UT 30, at the south end of Bear Lake) go west about 3 miles to a "T" in the road. Turn right going toward Meadowville (left going toward Round Valley) and go about a 100 yards to where the road crosses Big Creek.
 |
| Details |
Birch Creek Reservoirs
~ submitted by Kristin Purdy
Description: Birch Creek Reservoirs--an old one and a newer one--are
surrounded by relatively steep and rocky canyon slopes. Only the tops of the
slopes are wooded with small patches of aspen and fir; the remainder of the
vegetation is sage and greasewood. Both the east and west ends of the old
reservoir are choked with scrubby willow and hawthorne shrubs.
Directions: From Woodruff, proceed west 8-9 miles on UT 39. The
unimproved road to Birch Creek Reservoir is a right (north) turn and located
between mm 61 and 60. The road is marked by a low brown sign that indicates
Public Camping, 1 mile. Drive the mile and park at the fenced area next to the
old reservoir. The new reservoir is accessible by walking up the steep path on
the left side of the dam.
Birds: Yellow Warbler, Violet-green Swallow, Golden Eagle,
Yellow-breasted Chat, Fox Sparrow, Rock Wren, Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted
Sandpiper.
Other: Scan the red rock and sage canyon slopes for Rock Wrens,
Green-tailed Towhees, and Swallows. Investigate the inlet and outlet ends of the
old reservoir for riparian-habitat birds that prefer thick scrub--Yellow
Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Fox Sparrows. Walk up the steep trail on the
left side of the dam to reach the new reservoir. Walk along the south shoreline
of the new reservoir and watch for Spotted Sandpipers along the shore,
Double-crested Cormorants in the water, and Green-tailed Towhees on the slope
above. The footing may be soft.
Dairy Ridge and Eli Ridge Roads
Directions: Dairy Ridge and Eli Ridge Road are located on UT 39 between mile markers 45 and 46. To get there from I-15, exit the interstate at 347 and turn east on 12th Street, also named UT 39. Follow UT 39 through Ogden Canyon, along the south shore of Pineview Reservoir, and east of Huntsville. UT 39 proceeds due east of Huntsville and follows the South Fork of the Ogden River. Watch the mile markers count up. Dairy Ridge and Eli Ridge are served by the same sign and are just over the Cache Valley line. The road into the area may still be impassable due to snow late into spring. ~ Kris Purdy
Specialty Birds: (Summer only) Blue Grouse, Mountain Bluebird, White-crowned Sparrow, Green-tailed Towhee
Directions: The reservoir is located about 3 miles east of Randolph. The Old Canyon and New Canyon roads west of the reservoir can provide good birding.
Monte Cristo Campground ~ submitted by Kris Purdy
Description: Monte Cristo Campground is the only non-primitive camping
area in the Monte Cristo Range. It's located at approximately 9,000 feet in
elevation. The vegetation includes aspen stands, firs, limber pine, Engelmann
Spruce and wildflower meadows.
Directions: Take SR-39 north and east from I-15 exit 344 in Ogden or pick
it up at the intersection with SR-167 (end of Trapper's Loop) in Ogden Valley,
Weber County. From Rich County, pick up SR-39 in Woodruff at the intersection
with SR-16. Monte Cristo Campground is located on SR-39 at mile 47.7.
Birds: Three-toed Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker,
Red Crossbill, Cassin's Finch, Purple Martin, Clark's Nutcracker, Olive-sided
Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird
Other: Wander at will, listen and watch. The Three-toed Woodpeckers have
been seen many years at the south end of the campground on the slope where the
mature spruce is located; the birds flake the bark off the trunks in their
pursuit of bark-dwelling larvae. Continue along SR-39 to mile 48.7 at the
intersection with Curtis Creek Road. Watch and listen
for Purple Martins.
Directions: Go 6 miles north of Sage Creek Junction and turn left on Six Mile Road. The reservoir is about a mile down the road.
E-mail: records@utahbirds.org