Along Route 58. Photo by Alan Schmierer
Along Route 58. Photo by Alan Schmierer
D - NORTH COUNTY-All of the county north of the Cuesta Grade and east of the coastal hills
ATASCADERO AREA
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D-1 HEILMAN REGIONAL PARK:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Santa Rosa Road exit and go 2 blocks east. In 2 blocks turn right (south) on El Camino Real then in 2 blocks turn left
(east) onto El Bordo Ave. In a few blocks (on the right) enter the signed parking area. (Access, at least in part, to all, but much of
the walkling is cross-country and sloping.)
BIRDING: This is oak habitat with water nearby (lakes and the waste treatment plant) making it attractive to birds. One can find HUTTON’S
VIREOS, OAK TITMOUSE and other oak breeders as well as a variety of migrants.
D-2 ATASCADERO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Curbaril Ave exit and go east. In just over a mile, immediately past the railroad tracks, turn right (south) on Gabarda
Road. At the end of Gabarda continue straight to the plant entrance. The facility hours are as follows: weekdays 6:30 AM to about 4:00 PM;
Saturdays and Sundays 7:00 AM to about 11:00 AM (sometimes sooner). As a courtesy, at the main cluster of buildings let someone know that you
are there to bird. This can usually be done by just holding up your binoculars. (If you do not find someone easily, it is ok to enter anyway.)
(Accessible to all; most of the birding is from the car.)
BIRDING: One of the best birding locations in the county. YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES and EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES are often seen along Gabarda Road
on the way in. Drive the perimeter and dike roads. Most of the fresh-water ducks are seen there in season, most notably sometimes large
numbers of WOOD DUCKS in winter. SHOREBIRDS numbers are variable depending on the pond levels and anything could show up there. Sometimes
SWALLOWS and SWIFTS are seen in numbers over the ponds (report summer sightings of VAUX’S SWIFTS to the county compiler). PHAINOPEPLAS are
often seen along the back fence area. BAND-TAILED PIGEONS are often seen flying overhead. …. and the list goes on! (Be careful in there
and be a courteous guest!)
NOTE: THIS SITE CLOSED TO BIRDERS DUE TO RECENT NEGATIVE INCIDENTS BY BIRDERS.
TopD-3 DE ANZA TRAIL:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Curbaril Ave exit and go east. In just over a mile, immediately past the railroad tracks, turn right (south) on Gabarda
Road. At the end of Gabarda (just before the entrance to the wastewater treatment plant) turn left (east) on Tampico and in 2 blocks right
(south) on Aragon. Park at the end.
BIRDING: A number of trails lead up and down the Salinas River channel or just walk cross country. Trail conditions range from easy-walking
to deep sand. The habitat is riparian, with mature cottonwoods, and willows where it is wetter. Water conditions range from completely dry
during some summers to flowing river during wet winters. Look for YELLOW WARBLERS, PHAINOPEPLAS, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, ORIOLES, etc in
this area.
D-4 ATASCADERO LAKE:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Rte 41 (Morro Road) exit and drive west for a little over a mile and turn left (south) on Portola Road. Take the first
right (south) onto Lake View Drive. (Easy access to all.)
BIRDING:Park and walk the edge of the lake, or scan from strategic locations. Scan the lake for DUCKS. There area often introduced MUTE SWANS
there. Look for BAND-TAILED PIGEONS and any of the OAK-WOODLAND BIRDS. Check the willows for MIGRANT PASSERINES.
D-5 SAN GABRIEL ROAD:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Rte 41 (Morro Road) exit and drive west for about 1.7 miles to a traffic light. Turn right on San Gabriel and park in
the pullout. (Coming from Morro Bay on Rte 41 San Gabriel is the first traffic light in Atascadero.) (Accessible to all.)
BIRDING: This is the only known breeding area in the county for PURPLE MARTINS (April through July). There is often an occupied nest hole
right at the northwest corner of the road junction. If they are not seen in this area they may be found on the power lines or flying, along
the next mile further west along Rte 41. There is a bike path along the creek for a few blocks that provides access down the riparian
corridor. Driving San Gabriel Road south of the traffic light, and bearing right at the next intersection onto Rafael, there is a small pond
that sometimes has breeding WOOD DUCKS, but safe parking is difficult.
D-6 ROUTE 229:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP)
From US 101 take the Santa Margarita / Route 58 exit, and follow Rte 58 for 6.8 miles to the junction of Rte 229.
BIRDING: Drive north on Rte 229, stopping at any safe parking spots to bird the chaparral. Look for “BELL’S” SAGE SPARROWS, possibly
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW (summer; look especially in areas where the chaparral is thinner and with more open ground between bushes), FOX SPARROWS
of various races (winter), and other chaparral species. (The road is paved. There area a few pull-outs where it is easy access to all, but
walking the road is steep and there is some traffic.)
D-7 SANTA RITA ROAD:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From US 101 just south of Templeton take the Vineyard Road exit. Go west on Vineyard
Road for just under a mile and turn left (south) on Santa Rita Road. In about 0.6 miles bear right at the fork. In another mile or so the
road starts following close to a creek on the right. (Accessible to all.)
BIRDING: From this point on the road follows a rather deep and dark canyon. Stop wherever it is safe to pull off and look and listen. (One
of the best areas is at a small picnic area on the right. One of our members was told by a sheriff’s deputy that there have been drug deals
going down in this area and to use caution!) This area is particularly good for breeding birds such as LAZULI BUNTINGS and MACGILLIVRAY’S
WARBLERS (one of the most reliable locations in the county). Many of the oak woodlands species are also found there. At the top of the pass
there is a more open habitat, with grasses and weeds and a few oaks. The road then drops down (west) and follows Old Creek. There are
several spots along the creek to check for riparian species and this creek has potential for AMERICAN DIPPERS (very rare) in winter. (This
road eventually tees into Old Creek Road where a right (north) turn and an immediate left (west) turn puts one on Cottonwood Creek Road to
Whalerock Reservoir … see #A-1.) (Another option at the tee is to drive right (north) on Old Creek Road for about 5 miles to Rte 46. At
Rte 46 turn right (east) for 1.2 miles and then left (north) on Dover Canyon Road. Park at the very beginning of the road and walk the road.
For about 1.0 miles, Dover Canyon Road passes through deeply shaded oak forest, very similar to Santa Rita Road.)
D-8 BIG SANDY STATE WILDLIFE AREA:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From US 101 north, almost to the Monterey County line, exit to San Miguel
on Mission Street. In 0.8 miles turn right (east) onto River Road. In 0.6 miles, turn left (north) onto Indian Valley Road.
In 1.5 miles, bear left at the fork and in another 1.9 miles park on the left (west) side of the road.
BIRDING: From this parking spot there are several trails that go to the Salinas River riparian corridor; willows and tall cottonwoods. Seldom
birded location in an area seldom visited by birders. (Some steep places on the trails and deep sand in the river bed.
D-9 area pending
D-10 SHANDON (CW CLARKE) PARK:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From US 101 exit onto Route 46 east. In 15-16 miles exit right (south) to Centre
Street in Shandon. In a few blocks Rte 41 east joins Centre Street from the right and the two parallel Rte 46 through town. The park is
on the left (north) side of the road midway through town. Park at the main gate. (Accessible to all. Restrooms.)
BIRDING: An oasis in the hot dry end of the county; green grass and mature cottonwoods, other broadleaf trees and a few large conifers.
Look for MIGRANT PASSERINES especially in spring. A good place to look for LAWRNCES GOLDFINCHES.
D-11 BITTERWATER VALLEY ROAD BRIDGE:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From Shandon Park (see #D-10) proceed east on Centre St / Rte 41 to the junction
with Rte 46. Drive east on combined RTE 41 / 46, and in 4.2 miles turn right (southeast) onto Bitterwater Valley Road. In 0.3 miles park
just before the bridge.
BIRDING: Theriver channel both up and down the Cholame River is a cattail / bulrush wetland. This is a spot worth checking for at least a
few minutes each time one passes that direction to see what may have strayed into this desert oasis. (Accessible to all.)
D-12 CHOLAME VALLEY “WETLANDS”:
DIRECTIONS:(MAP) From #D-11, return to Rte 41 / 46 and turn right (eastbound). In about 2 miles,
just before where Routes 41 and 46 split, turn left (north) onto Cholame Valley Road toward Parkfield (there is a protected left turn lane).
In 4.2 miles turn left (west) onto McMillan Canyon Road and park. (Cholame Valley Road is paved. It is narrow, however, and there are
few safe places to pull off the road adequately. When it is dry you may find places to pull off. When it is wet the shoulders are deep clay
mud! At times during wet winters the road is flooded. Be very careful under these conditions; the water can be uncomfortably deep and the
bottom may be very muddy from silt!)
BIRDING: This may be one of the world’s smallest wetlands! It is composed of a cattail filled ditch on one side of Cholame Road and an
alkaline standing-water ditch on the other side of the road, generally less than a quarter of a mile in length and often full of cattle.
Stay on the roads or roadsides; all of the land is private! This is the only place in the county where there are breeding AMERICAN
AVOCETS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS on a more or less regular basis. CINNAMON TEAL also breed there as do VIRGINIA RAILS and sometimes
TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRDS. An occasional YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD is seen there in winter. Look for small numbers of MIGRANT SHOREBIRDS.
(Flat walking surface with low volume of traffic; accessible to most… with caution.)
D-13 DAVIS ROAD SOUTH TO ROUTE 58:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) Start on Davis Road at its north end, on the south side of the combined Routes
41 and 46 just west of Cholame Road junction(see #D-12). Drive south on Davis Road. In about 8 miles Davis Road crosses over into Kern
County and tees into Annette Road. Turn right (south) on Annette and in 2.1 miles turn left (south) onto Bitterwater Road (back in SLO
County). In a little more than 12 miles from the Annette Rd / Bitterwater Road junction there is a spring (Pinole Spring) and pond in
the drainage on the left (east) side of the road. In about another 9.5 miles Bitterwater Road tees into Route 58 six miles west of Soda
Lake Road. (It is a total of 34.7 miles from Rte 41/46 to Route 58.) This can be made into a loop by birding #D-9, 10 and 11, and using
this route described to get to the Carrizo Plain, returning to US 101 via Route 58. (This is essentially a driving route and thus is
accessible to all.)
BIRDING: The route described is mostly of interest in that it bisects a part of the county that is seldom birded. In general it does not
have a large number of birds or species. The route mostly goes through dry rolling grasslands with intermittent patches of trees (that are
worth checking for MIGRATING PASSERINES). There are a variety of RAPTORS in winter. Check Pinole Spring. Because of its isolation it could
attract interesting migrant WATERFOWL and SHOREBIRDS. The southern 8 miles before getting to Route 58 is an excellent area to look for
RAPTORS (winter best) and sometimes there are flocks of TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRDS (winter) in the cattle areas.
D-14 POZO ROAD (NORTH SECTION):
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From US 101, take the Santa Margarita / Route 58 exit and drive east through town.
At the far end of town Rte 58 turns right (south) across the railroad tracks. In about 1.5 miles, where Rte 58 angles abruptly left, stay
straight; this is now Pozo Road. (Re-set the odometer at this junction.)
BIRDING: One usually will see YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIES along this north part of Pozo Road, especially early in the morning as they check the
road for road kill. Along Pozo Road is probably the best place in the county to find LEWIS’S WOODPECKERS. For the past few years they have
been more or less regular in winter at mile 1.7 on both sides of the road and at mile 1.8 on the left (north) side of the road on a dead oak
tree.
D-15 SANTA MARGARITA LAKE:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) (Detail Map) From US 101, take the Santa Margarita
/ Route 58 exit and drive east through town. At the far end of town Rte 58 turns right (south) across the railroad tracks. In about 1.5 miles,
where Rte 58 angles abruptly left, stay straight; this is now Pozo Road. In about 6.5 miles from this junction, turn left (north) to Santa
Margarita Lake County Park ($7 day use fee).
BIRDING: (http://www.slocountyparks.com/activities/santa_margarita
_map.htm) This is a large lake and impossible to bird from any one place. From the entrance fee station one can drive straight ahead down
to the west boat launch area, then drive or walk a 0.7 mile loop around a point that gives good places to scope the lake for WATERFOWL, BALD
EAGLES and OSPREYS. A second area: from the entrance station turn immediately right (east). In about 0.5 miles there is a picnic site on
the left (north) that is on a knoll with a good view of the lake. In another 0.5 miles park at the White Oak Flat picnic area / boat launch.
WESTERN and CLARK’S GREBES breed in the small area of cattails / reeds on the west side. One can drive farther east along the lake from here
on a dirt road to scope the far eastern end of the lake. One could also walk from the picnic area along the road to the end and return via
trails, making a 1.7 mile loop. This is an oak woodland area and as such one would expect HUTTONS’ VIREOS, OAK TITMOUSE, BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAKS, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER and other oak habitat species during breeding season.
D-16 RICONADA TRAILHEAD:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From the Pozo Road / Santa Margarita Lake junction, drive about another 2.9
miles east on Pozo and take a right (south) up a short road to the Rinconada Trailhead parking lot. (Paved sloping road of 0.1 miles
accessible by most.)
BIRDING: Along this short road is a good area to find CASSIN’S VIREOS in breeding season. From the parking lot the trail goes through oaks
and then up into chaparral to the ridge, where it joins the Hi Mountain ridge road in about 1.2 miles (800 vertical feet). (See #D-18 for
the ridge road and birding this area.) (This is obviously a steep trail and not for everyone, especially on a hot day!)
D-17 RIVER ROAD / SALINAS RIVER:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) (Detail Map) From the Pozo Road / Santa Margarita
Lake junction, drive another 7.8 miles east on Pozo Road (4.7 miles from the #D-16 turnoff) and take a left (north) on River Road. In 1.7
miles turn left into a large parking lot; $7 day use fee.
BIRDING: A trail follows along the border of oak-savannah / riparian (cottonwood-willow) habitats of the Salinas River. In about 0.5 miles
there is a division in the trail / road. Water levels permitting, one can walk this trail along the south edge of the river for a mile or
considerably more. When Santa Margarita Lake is full, the lake backs up to near this area. Back at the division in the trail, the right
fork goes through a short wet area and then follows the north shore of the river (or lake depending on the lake level). Both forks are good
birding, especially during breeding season.
D-18 HI MOUNTAIN:
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From US 101, take the Santa Margarita / Route 58 exit and drive east through town.
At the far end of town Rte 58 turns right (south) across the railroad tracks. In about 1.5 miles, where Rte 58 angles abruptly left, stay
straight; this is now Pozo Road. (Re-set the odometer at this junction.) From this junction, drive 15.9 miles along Pozo Road to the small
village of Pozo and turn right (south) onto Hi Mountain Road. (This junction is about 1.7 miles past the River Road turnoff to #D-16.)
BIRDING: Drive south on Hi Mountain Road. Be aware that this road is narrow and has a dirt / gravel surface. It is bumpy, eroded, rather
steep and rocky in places. Drive with care. Travel on the road is not recommended when it is wet. In 1.0 miles one fords a small river
(Salinas River). This crossing is very short and has a gravel bottom and is OK unless flooded. This is private land, but one could check the
willows briefly for breeding birds or migrants. In another 2.7 miles there is a fork in the road. (The left fork goes south down a slope,
through 4 or 5 creek crossings [dry in summer; flowing water and often impassable in winter], becomes paved in 6-7 miles, and goes to Lopez
Lake and Arroyo Grande.) Take the right fork (Hi Mountain Road). (It is steep but no worse than the first part of Hi Mountain Road.)
Bird along the road at any areas where it is safe to stop. The first quarter mile or so is good for BREEDING and MIGRANT PASSERINES.
In 1.1 miles there is a small National Forest campground (restrooms). Except on weekends, this campground is generally all but empty
and makes a good place to bird in the dense oak habitat. In another 2.6 miles the road tees into the Hi Mountain ridge (3060 ft). If the
gate to the left (south) is open one can drive about 0.3 miles up this side road to the top of Hi Mountain (3198 ft) http://www.condorlookout.org/ The historic fire lookout tower on the top is now the Hi Mountain Condor Lookout,
where CONDORS are tracked via telemetry as they move between CONDOR breeding area north and south of there. Do not expect to see a CONDOR
from there; sightings are rare. The chaparral along the side of this side road and all along the ridge road there are “BELL’S” SAGE SPARROWS
(resident), COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRDS (summer) and, where the vegetation is thinner, BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS (summer). From fall through late
spring there are HERMIT THRUSHES and large numbers of FOX SPARROWS (of at least 3 subspecies groups). The scenery is spectacular, with
panoramic views from the Sierras to the ocean! The ridge road can be walked or driven north for many miles: 0.8 miles to a junction where
the left turn is the main road (straight dead-ends); 4.3 miles to a Water tank on the right and water trough on the left; 4.5 miles to the
junction with the Rinconada Trail (see #D-15) on the right (east) and trail to the Little Falls area (near Lopez Lake) to the left (west).
The habitat for BLACK-CHINNED SPARROWS generally gets better as one goes north along the ridge.
D-19 POZO ROAD (SOUTH / POZO PASS AREA):
DIRECTIONS: (MAP) From Pozo (the junction of Pozo Road and Hi Mountain Road; see #D-18 directions)
drive east on Pozo Road. Pozo Road makes several right-angled turns along this area. In 1.4 miles Pozo Road makes an abrupt angle to
the right (east; Parkhill Road goes staight). From the Parkhill Road junction: in a mile or so, near the National Forest boundary, Pozo
Road turns to dirt / gravel (now called forest Road 29 S 01). It winds up the side of a ridge for another 5 miles or so to an obvious
summit (2590 ft); Pozo Pass. The road then descends several miles to the base of the ridge where it junctions with Forest Road S 29 02.
From this junction one can go left (generally north) for 3.8 miles on Forest Road 29 S 02 to Rte 58, or right (east) on Forest Road 29 S
01 for about 7.9 miles to Rte 58. The latter route crosses a low pass (La Panza Summit; 2497 ft), and shortly becomes a paved surface.
(Use a great deal of care, especially on weekends, since off road vehicles use these roads even where prohibited. The roads can be
slippery or impassible when wet.)
BIRDING: This is all chaparral of various maturity levels; generally the same birds as would be found on Hi Mountain Ridge. Look also for
RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS.
