Birding Around Las Vegas, Outside the Las Vegas Valley
 China Ranch sign at highway intersection (view W) |
China Ranch is located about 1.5 hours northwest of Las Vegas. The easiest way to get there from Las Vegas is to drive out of Las Vegas on Highway 160 towards Pahrump. At about 37 miles out, before getting to Pahrump, turn left onto the Old Spanish Trail Highway (Site 0708). Watch for signs to Tecopa. Drive southwest 33 miles, across the desert, over the mountains (watch the sharp curves at Emigrant Pass!), and down to the near edge of Tecopa Town. At the intersection of Old Spanish Trail Highway and Furnace Creek Road (Site 1518), turn left onto Furnace Creek Road and drive south 2 miles to China Ranch Road (Site 1519). Turn right onto China Ranch Road and drive another 2 miles. The pavement eventually ends when the road winds steeply down a narrow canyon. Drive carefully until the road opens into the China Ranch area. The trailheads are at the end of the main road (Site 1520), just past the gift and date-shake shop. Link to area map. |
 Old Spanish Trail Highway at Furnace Creek Road (view W) |
 Old Spanish Trail Highway at Furnace Creek Road sign |
 China Ranch sign at a intersection (view W) |
 Furnace Creek Road at China Ranch Road (view S) |
 Paved section of China Ranch Road (view SW) |
 China Ranch gate (view W) |
 Arriving at China Ranch Date Farm (view SW) |
 China Ranch Gift Shop and Bakery; aka the trailhead (view SW) |
Table 1. GPS Coordinates for Highway Locations (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S). Download Highway GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.
| Site | Location | UTM Easting | UTM Northing | Latitude (N) | Longitude (W) | Elevation (ft) | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0497 | Old Spanish Trail at Emigrant Pass | 584429 | 3971429 | 35.88528 | 116.06462 | 2,760 | Yes |
| 0708 | Hwy 160 at Old Spanish Trail Hwy | 610996 | 3992528 | 36.07282 | 115.76738 | 1,025 | Yes |
| 1518 | Old Spanish Trail at Furnace Creek Rd | 572117 | 3966943 | 35.84583 | 116.20142 | 1,467 | Yes |
| 1519 | Furnace Creek Rd at China Ranch Rd | 573884 | 3964796 | 35.82634 | 116.18205 | 1,726 | Yes |
| 1520 | China Ranch Date Farm | 572784 | 3961851 | 35.79988 | 116.19449 | 1,234 | Yes |
Happy birding! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 240323
| Birding Around Las Vegas | Southern Nevada Birds | Guide Service | Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer | Home |