The Hole from Bing Birds Eye View

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Description:
If you've ever driven to Chepeta Lake int he High Uinta's, you've drive through "The Hole".  Growing up I would often hike here with my family, and learned quite a bit about birds in these hills.  At the pull off to The Hole, a small creek meanders at the bottom of the ravine, under towering conifers and aspen.  The habitat in the hole down stream (east) from this spot is mostly aspen with some conifer mixed in. Sagebrush covered hillsides directly to the south lead to another large patch of aspen directly south of the parking area.  To the north the hill is steep as the road above switchbacks before heading higher up the mountain.  From where the pull off is, directly west across the road is a gate and and old  logging road.  From here you can hike about a mile up the mountain into large open meadows, and beautiful aspen covered hillsides.  At least 7 springs dot these hillsides providing ample water sources for wildlife. Elk Spring, Rock Spring, Mugwump Spring, Grits Spring, Ray Spring, Center Fork Spring, and Lightning Killed Bull Spring form a border about 1.5 miles wide and a top to bottom on the mountain.  These hills rarely if never see birders and are a great getaway from people to enjoy nature by yourself.

Birding:
By the time eBird came around I didn't spend as much time in this area, and only have one checklist int he past decade.  But the birding here is your typical Uinta Mountain birding, and it's some of my favorite.  Hiking up the trail across the road you're going to find AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKERS and have the possibility of both RUFFED and DUSKY GROUSE.  PINE GROSBEAK and CASSIN'S FINCHES are often found along the trail here.  STELLER'S JAY are common while occasionally CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS will fly overhead.  WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH can be found here with the more common RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.  Along the creek by the parking area MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and HERMIT THRUSH are usually present.  Although you might never find yourself in The Hole, it's one of those places that if you visit, you'll want to go back to!

Directions:
From US-40 on the east Side of Roosevelt, turn left onto 5750 East.  Go north staying on this road for 10.1 miles.  Here is will turn into White Rocks Highway for the next 4 miles, before becoming Farm Creek Road for another 6.4 miles. At this point the pavement ends and you need to take the immediate left onto FR-117.  Follow this for 5.4 miles until you reach the pull off on your right--this is "The Hole".