Description

China Ranch Date Farm is, in fact, a working date farm. A spring-fed stream supports the date orchard, plus acres of mesquite thickets and cottonwood trees. The trees and water bring in lots of interesting birds, and the landowners graciously invite birders to wander the grounds, spot some good birds, enjoy the stark scenery, and of course, relax in the cool shade while eating a date shake or some fresh-baked date bread.

China Ranch is a spot of green amid an astoundingly arid piece of desert. This isn't a birding destination, but rather a place to stop along the highway and see a few birds before driving on to somewhere else. I like to bird China Ranch for a few minutes on the way to or from Death Valley.

Link to area map.

Location

China Ranch is located about 1.5 hours west of Las Vegas. The easiest way to get there from Las Vegas is to drive out of the Las Vegas valley on Highway 160 to Old Spanish Trail Highway and then to Tecopa where signs direct visitors to the date farm. For details, see Getting to China Ranch.

Hours

Day-use only.

Fees

None, but show your appreciation for access to the ranch property by, at the least, buying a date shake.

Hiking Trails

Several hiking trails start by the Gift Shop. Good birding trails are the Creek Trail, a short stroll along the creek, and the Slot Canyon Trail, a long trail that runs down to and along the Amargosa River. The other trails might be interesting, but not so much for birdwatching.

Specialties

This is an area to look for resident, migrant, and breeding birds. Keep an eye out for resident species such as Gambel's Quail, Cooper's Hawk, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Greater Roadrunner, Common Raven, Say's Phoebe, Verdin, Phainopepla, House Finch, and Anna's Hummingbird. During the breeding season, watch for Bell's Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Lucy's Warbler, Orchard Oriole, and Brown-crested Flycatcher.

Link to eBird site checklist.