Bird Spring
 Overview of Trail | |
| in Google Maps | |
|---|---|
| creator: | Tim France (nvprospector) |
| Dates: | March 27, 2011 |
| Distance: | 16.62 miles |
| Trail time: | 3 hours |
| Difficulty (1-5): | 2.5 to 3.0 |
| Vehicle classes: | Stock 4WD Small/medium dualsport Moto ATV |
Photos
Location details
Southwestern United States, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Jean, Las Vegas, Goodsprings, Bird Spring Range
Summary
Combination of different types of trails to make a complete route.
Detailed description
This trail is narrow and offers many challenges for a inexperience driver. The terrain changes from deep gravel, sand, stone steps, sharp rocks and woop-de-dos.
It is recommend that you avoid driving this trail with street tires. Many of the areas along the trail have sharp rocks and are hard on the sidewalls. Full size trucks should be avoided. The trail is not wide enough to accommodate full size trucks.
At Mrk4 (35.831997, -115.288022) you will see a BLM picket sign saying that the trail is temporarily closed. The sign is left over from when the BLM was doing an impact study of the area and this is the only picket sign that has not been removed. The area is open for travel.
Terrain type / brush factor
Non-maintained trails for old gravel pits, test oil wells and springs; small boulders, washouts, rock steps and loose gravel
Medium brush factor
Permits? Fees? Seasonal closures?
There are no vehicle requirements or permits. The trail is not maintained and it is up to the driver to determine if the trail conditions are suitable to drive.
Attendees (vehicles/people)
Toyota Tacoma / Tim France / (nvprospector)
History, geology, etc.
Bird Spring (35.889333, -115.369216) is a perennial water source with abundant plant resources, including Agave Utahensis Nevadensis, Mesquite, Yucca Brevifolia and Cacti. Through out the Bird Spring Range rock shelters can be found. These rock shelters represent seasonal base camp used by both Paiute and Anasazi peoples. Analysis of excavations showed evidence that the native peoples hunted cottontail, jackrabbit, tortoise, bighorn sheep and other animals.
Projectile points found at these sites are Desert Sidenotched, Cottonwood, Rose Spring and Eastgate series. A variety of pottery shards where also recovered representing Paiute, Shoshoni, Western Anasazi, Yuma, Walapai and Yavapai.
You can find petroglyphs through out the region. Some of the best petroglyphs are found between waypoints MK31 (35.933245, -115.385717) and MK32 (35.937260, -115.387650) and found all along the cliff face.
Now for the rocks. The Bird Spring Formation represents a cyclical unit deposited during the transgressions and regressions of the Pennsylvanian sea. The thin shaley limestone from with the bryozoans were collected has bioclastic wackestone beds above and below. The wackestone beds contain fragments of brachiopods, crinoids, echinoids, and bryozoans. The bioclastic wackestone and shaley limestone containing the bryozoans was probably deposited in normal marine water below wave base.
General considerations
All services are available in Las Vegas. Cell service is spotty through the whole area. You are able to reach the following repeaters: 2 meter - 146.88 (-) WA7HXO Mount Potosi (8514’), 70cm – 447.000 W7AOR Mount Potosi – PL 123.0 – IRLP link NARRI, 6 meter – 53.010 (-) WB6TNP Low Potosi, 900 MHz – 927.0375 (-25 MHz) WB6TNP Low Potosi PL 141.3 Link and 927.7375 (-25 MHz) Low Potosi PL 606 (Even though the repeater is shown, it does not necessarily mean that the repeater is still open.)
Resources/links
GPS units/laptops used for tracking/navigation: ASUS EEE PC; GPS puck attached to computer; DeLorme PN-40 (backup in case of hard drive crash)
Navigation software used for planning/navigation: Oziexplorer
Books used for planning: Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 3(2), 1981 - Radiocarbon Dates from the Bird Spring Site, Clark County, Nevada
Comparative Stratigraphy of the Lower Part of the Carboniferous-Permian Bird Spring Formation, Spring Mountains, Clark County, Nevada, By Janine Commerford, 1983
Important waypoints as coordinates
Bird Spring: 35.821437, -115.292967
Important turns:
35.831353, -115.287112
35.832335, -115.288468
35.836067, -115.285560
35.836857, -115.285572
35.848015, -115.293045
35.864282, -115.295123
35.882183, -115.324488
35.889370, -115.331442
35.891740, -115.344152
35.891218, -115.345207
35.889415, -115.345373
35.886337, -115.345643
35.886337, -115.345643
35.938195, -115.364418
35.929707, -115.377517
35.927392, -115.380212
35.928903, -115.380942
35.933245, -115.385717
35.933245, -115.385717
35.945938, -115.366648
35.955415, -115.399242
35.956695, -115.400185
35.978313, -115.383540
35.984332, -115.384163
35.988325, -115.382483
35.009530, -115.386433
36.011633, -115.386433
36.013395, -115.387885
Bird Spring: 36.033378, -115.374360
