Blue Point Recreation Site
Fast Flight Facts
Target Species: Desert and mesquite bird species
Elevation: 1400'
Habitat: Desert Riparian Habitat along the Salt River
Overall Birding Rating: 2
Difficulty: 1 (Easy)
Birding Type: Easy Hiking
Facilities: Parking, restrooms
Fees/Ownership: Six dollar Tonto National Forest Fee
Closest Town or City/How far from Phoenix: Mesa /29.8 miles east-northeast of Phoenix
Getting there: Accessed just off Bush Highway to the parking area of the Site
Overview: The Blue Point Recreation Site is the smallest out of the ten recreation sites at the Lower Salt River Recreation Area. This is a very small place, but is often very enjoyable. The primary habitats here are mesquite bosque and sonoran desert. Cliffs run on the north side, which are good for birds that favor the rocky hillsides. The Salt River is on the west side of this recreation site.
Along the Salt River, most of the time the water is very shallow here. Great Blue Herons and Spotted Sandpipers are the most usual waders. The best birding here would be the mesquite bosque habitat, which is a good place to see migrating passerines and wintering birds like Gray Flycatcher. Phainopeplas are observed here in high numbers. Breeding birds will include Lucy's Warblers and Bullock's Orioles. Taking a trail to the east of the parking lot through the mesquite bosque will eventually lead into the Sonoran desert, which is an excellent path for observing our desert birds up close. Listen and watch for Anna's and Costa's Hummingbirds, Ladder-backed and Gila Woodpeckers, Gilded Flicker, Cactus and Rock Wrens, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Curve-billed Thasher, Black-throated Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal.
Birding Tip: Take the trail that goes east of the parking lot a good distance for best birding results. Take the trail west also to bird the river some and also bird along cliff sides that are along the north side of the area. The trail is accessed at the north end of the parking lot.
Directions: The Blue Point Recreation Site is located between mile markers 28 and 29 on the Bush Highway. It will be on the north side of the road, and directly across from the Pebble Peach Recreation Site, another good birding locale.
Pages:
Scenes and Sights from the Blue Point Recreation Site
Blue Point Recreation Site Map
*All maps property of Google
Overview of the Blue Point Recreation Site:
Light-blue line/path: Trail that goes east and west from parking lot, the best birding bet for this recreation site. Explore in the mesquites throughout the site as well.
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