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 and birds.

Located about 2 hrs north of Las Vegas, Torrance Ranch isn't a birding destination. Rather, this is a place to stop along the highway, relax for a few minutes under the trees, stretch the legs, and spot a few interesting birds before driving on. There are no restrooms.

Please help protect the land, vegetation, and wildlife here. Don't play in the water, as this will disturb the rare toads and fish.

There are three areas to bird: the parking area, the boardwalk, and the old highway.

Link to site map.

Description

Torrance Ranch was a homesite on the edge of a marsh in the bottom of a desert valley. A fairly smooth road leads from the highway to the site of the old ranch house, which is gone. Trails and a boardwalk lead from the parking lot into the area, providing access to about 20 acres of the preserve.

Most historic structures are gone, but trees and shrubs from home landscaping (apple, pear, pomegranate, and cypress) remain in the area. There is also a variety of desert riparian (cottonwood, willow) and native upland plant species.

The water and fruit, plus vegetation for cover, makes this is a good place for migrating birds to stop and rest during their journey. The big trees also provide nesting habitat for Great Horned Owls and songbirds.

Good places to bird include the cottonwoods and other trees at the end of the road, the marsh east of the picnic area, and the willow thickets and spring pools north of the trailhead. Walking into the area, birders will encounter a kiosk with information about the area and a site map.

To the right of the kiosk, a rock-lined trail (the Boardwalk Trail) leads northeast towards to a sign with more information about the habitat and species that are protected here. Farther out the trail, a boardwalk leads into the marsh where grasses and hydrophilic plants provide habitat for fish, birds, and other species. A line of bulrushes and cattails mark the small stream, and willows are growing up around the dace pool.

Watch for birds in the sky (e.g., swallows and hawks) and the marsh (wrens and sparrows). Listen for the calls of toads, and look for fish in the water.

Near where the boardwalk begins, watch for a faint trail that forks off to the left (north). This is the other end of the boardwalk trail.

Back at the kiosk, a trail runs left and out onto the old highway, which serves as the Old Highway Trail. Just across the old road, a wide gully is partially blocked by a low cement dam. Springs provide a trickle of water that feeds a small pool here with aquatic vegetation that seems to be a good place to find sparrows, and keep an eye out for toads.

The Old Highway Trail runs north providing elevated views over marshes on both sides of the road. A line of trees and willows along the dike stretches north for about 400 yards. The north end of the area burned a few years ago, but this served to clear some brush, but the trees are growing back. This is a good area to look for migrating birds feeding and resting in the trees.

Just beyond the willows, but before the fence, the stone walls of an historic cabin sit on a little bluff overlooking the marsh; this would have been a nice place to live. Walking into the marsh beyond the cabin, birders in sensible shoes will find another spring pool with fish, but birding from afar might be a better idea.

The surrounding area harbors sparse, dry desert scrub. Between the wet marsh and the dry desert, plant species such as saltbush, desert-thorn, saltgrass, greasewood, and rabbitbrush provide more habitat for sparrows and other desert birds.

While in the Area

Consider birding around the town of Beatty. The Amargosa River flows through town, and people can bird the trees and riparian corridor on the south edge of town. Highway traffic in this area can be too fast, so stay clear of the road edge.

Also, Beatty Urban Pond, also known as Bombo's Pond, is located just south of the narrows outside of Beatty. The cattail fringed pond is visible from the highway and provides habitat for more birds. Fishermen use the pond, so it isn't usually a good place to see waterfowl, but desert species and migrants will come in for water.

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. From the stop sign in Beatty, continue another 7.2 miles to Oleo Road and Torrance Ranch Road. There are no signs visible from the highway. For details of getting to Torrance Ranch, see Torrance Ranch Access.

Hours

Always open, but this area 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 Bullock's Orioles. Vermilion Flycatchers have been seen here. Great Horned Owls seem to be resident.

Check the marshy areas for Marsh Wrens, Violet-green Swallows, 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-tailed Lizard, Western Fence Lizard, and Side-blotched Lizards). Keep an eye out for snakes too, especially the Great Basin Rattlesnakes that live in the area.