Price Canyon Recreation Area photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
The Price Canyon Recreation Area, which is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), offers visitors a chance to enjoy cooler temperatures and the shade of large ponderosa pine trees during the summer.  The recreation area is located on a ridge high above Price Canyon.  The entrance road, a scenic overlook accessible by automobile, and a hiking trail, provide excellent views of rugged canyon country. Amenities include large, well-spaced campsites are available.  Facilities at the campground include picnic tables, fire pits, vault toilets, trash receptacles, and parking spaces. The Price Canyon Recreation Area is a U.S. Fee Area.  A nominal fee of $8 is charge for overnight camping and reservation of the group picnic areas. As a side note, lightning frequently strikes the ridge tops near the campground.  Avoid open, exposed areas when lightning is a possibility. The road is closed in the winter. The dry hillsides here and canyon walls are accentuated by mixed oak woodland and conifer forest dominated by Ponderosa pines and a small mix of juniper woodlands.

Birding:
Birding along the road to the top passing through the forest you should be able to track down birds like DUSKY FLYCATCHER, PLUMBEOUS and WARBLER VIREO, both RED-BREASTED and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, ORANGE-CROWNED, VIRGINIA'S, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and both SPOTTED and GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE.  One of the specialty species here is GRACE'S WARBLER which is probably a regular breeder, but goes unnoticed since birders don't visit that often.  I have a feeling GRAY VIREO is probably also regularly occurring, and PYGMY NUTHATCH probably are found int he general vicinity as well. Spending some time looking here and all 3 of these might actually be regular breeders. As you get higher in the forest things like WESTERN TANAGER, CASSIN'S FINCH, RED CROSSBILL, and CLARK'S NUTCRACKER can all be found.

Directions:
From the on ramp at Exit 240 on US-191/6 in Price, head north on US-191 for 15.7 miles till you reach the turn off to Price Canyon Recreation Area Road on your left.  Turn here and you can follow the road 3.1 miles to the top and several parking areas, camping sites, and picnic tables.

Horse Canyon Road looking west photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Horse Canyon Road passes through descent shrubsteppe and a great patch of juniper woodland and is easily accessible from US-191 via the Horse Canyon Road Rest Stop turn off.  The dirt road is graded and easy to drive out to Horse Canyon and back--its about 10 miles round trip.  I prefer to bird it as part of the loop starting on SR-123 to the north coming out of Wellington and birding the Sage Flats, the East Carbon WTP, Sunnyside Park, and the foothills and junipers along SR-124 before heading back to US-191 on Horse Canyon Road.  You shouldn't see a ton of vehicles out here and can bird along the road, or even in the habitat off road or via side roads.  With a backdrop of the Book Cliffs to the east and a good patch of trees here, it might be worth a check if passing by to do a little exploring.

Birding:
Keeping this one short--the junipers along the road are the reason to visit this site.  Since it can be included as part of the loop mentioned above, its worth a few minutes stop to look around.  JUNIPER TITMOUSE and BEWICK'S WREN can be found here, while in the breeding season MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, CHIPPING SPARROW, and a host of other species are possible.  Since this location has generally not been birded in the past the actual species distribution knowledge here is limited.  I suspect SCOTT'S ORIOLE, GRAY VIREO, GRAY FLYCATCHER, and PINYON JAY among other may be found.   During migration 100's of DARK-EYED JUNCO might be seen passing through the habitat which despite being dry is surrounded by barren desert making it the lesser of two evils.

Directions:
The most direct way to get here is from the on ramp at Exit 243 on US-191/6 in Price head south on US-191 for 24.4 miles till you reach a turn on your left for Horse Canyon Road.  Turn here and you are on Horse Canyon Road for 4.9 miles till it intersects with SR-124. Alternatively if you are driving the loop from US-191 out to East Carbon and back you will hit Horse Canyon Road after driving 7.9 miles along the foothills on SR-124 from East Carbon.

Ucolo Road from Google Street View

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Description:
Ucolo Road almost straddles the Utah-Colorado border, but it's about a 1/4 mile into Utah.  For 10 miles south to north the road passes through mostly shrubsteppe, disturbed grasslands, farms, and some patches of juniper.  The windswept landscape is usually birded in conjunction with a loop starting on Hickman Flats,coming down Ucolo Road, then driving back to Monticello via Old Highway. You can pull off the road in various spots to scan trees and fields for birds, as well as just look for birds as you drive.  Very few cars use the road except for locals, so you might be the only people in the area.

Birding:
Making the loop back towards Old Highway from Hickman Flats, Ucolo Road will give you more shots at species typical of the juniper in the area, like: JUNIPER TITMOUSE, BEWICK'S WREN, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.  The patches of sagebrush in between are good for LARK, VESPER, and BREWER'S SPARROW, while keeping an eye to the sky you might see SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER'S, or RED-TAILED HAWK.  Much like Old Highway this area is rarely visited by birders so the information on status and distribution of species here is quite limited.

Directions:
From the intersection Main and Center Streets in Monticello, head east on Center Street for 5.3 miles.  Turn left onto Hallers for .3 miles at which point you will turn right onto Old Highway.  Go 9.8 miles and the road will turn to the north into Ucolo Road, which continues north for 10.7 miles.

Old Highway from Google Street View

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Description:
From Ucolo Road, driving back to Monticello on the loop from Hickman Flats you will take Old Highway which parallels US-491 just to the south for about 10 miles east to west.  Old Highway goes through shrubsteppe, disturbed grassland, farmland, and fragmented mixed juniper and oak woodlands.  This road seldom sees traffic except for locals, and you will probably have the drive to yourself.  You can stop and go as you'd like, making sure not to wander off the road as most of the land around is private property.  Luckily the birding form the road is fantastic.

Birding:
The Old Highway drive back to Monticello from Ucolo Road makes for some nice late morning birding after spending a morning on Hickman Flats.  In the past LEWIS'S WOODPECKER have been seen along this route amongst the more common NORTHERN FLICKER.  A real surprise find here in April 2013 was a WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER.  The patches of juniper ware excellent for finding JUNIPER TITMOUSE, and in the spring DUSKY FLYCATCHER are usually present.  BEWICK'S WREN, CHIPPING SPARROW, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD can be seen while a couple more unexpected finds include: RED CROSSBILL, NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE.  Since this location doesn't get really any birders, its worth checking out to see what you might find.


Directions:
From the intersection Main and Center Streets in Monticello, head east on Center Street for 5.3 miles.  Turn left onto Hallers for .3 miles at which point you will turn right onto Old Highway.  From here Old Highway continues 9.8 miles till it turns north into Ucolo Road.

Upper Yellow Fork Canyon from Google Maps User

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Description:
To access this area, start in Yellow Fork Canyon and walk about a mile through mixed oak and juniper habitat. You will eventually come to a white gate and see a trail running up a steep hill to the right (north). Take this or make your own trail and climb to the ridge line that runs in between Yellow Fork and Butterfield Canyon. Follow the ridge line trail, which will lead you into mid elevation conifer and mixed aspen forest and give you a different set of birds.

Birding:
Birding here is always best during the spring, summer, and fall months. Winter tends to be quite slow and access to the ridge line trail is made difficult by snow. During spring and fall migration, the warbler list can be quite impressive: VIRGINIA'S, YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED, MACGILLIVRAY'S, BLACK-THROATED GRAY, NASHVILLE, and TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS are found here without much difficulty.

Flycatcher species in the lower portions of the hike include Willow (along the stream) and GRAY FLYCATCHER. OLIVE-SIDED, HAMMOND'S and CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHERS are usually found in the higher elevations, while DUSKY FLYCATCHER and WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE are found throughout the whole area. I usually make my own trails and hike the Juniper covered hillsides on the north side of the Yellow Fork trail and then make my way up the ridge between the two canyons. While in the Juniper habitat I almost always see BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, GRAY FLYCATCHER, JUNIPER TITMOUSE, and MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD as well as some of the other more common species.

Other common birds in the lower area include: PLUMBEOUS and WARBLING VIREO, BUSHTIT, GREEN-TAILED and SPOTTED TOWHEE, WESTERN TANAGER, and BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK.  Once on the ridge line trail, you have an open view of both sides of each canyon. Hawks and vultures are soaring above you (sometimes at eye level) looking for prey.
RED-TAILED, SWAINSON'S SHARP-CHINNED, and COOPER'S HAWK have been seen here along with GOLDEN EAGLE and TURKEY VULTURE. Besides the raptors, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW are also seen in good numbers above the canyons.

Habitat along the first part of this trail is mostly sagebrush. VESPER, CHIPPING, and BREWER'S SPARROW can be seen all along here. On the Butterfield side, look and listen for OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER perched on the tops of tall dead trees.  Keep walking the trail until you reach the Pine and Aspen habitat. In this area you can see many high elevation birds such as
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, STELLER'S JAY, RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, HAIRY WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN CREEPER, both SWAINSON'S and HERMIT THRUSH, and HAMMOND'S, CORDILLERAN, and OLIVE-SIDED FLYATCHER.

The most notable sighting I have had here was a flock of 65+ PINYON JAYS that flew over me heading south just before I got onto the ridge.

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 291 at 12300 south in Draper head west for 6.3 miles as the road becomes 12600 south.  Turn Left on to Main Street in Herriman and follow it as it heads southwest for 2 miles. Turn Left on to 6400 West/Rose Canyon Road for 1 mile.  Turn right--this is a continuation of Rose Canyon Road.  After .8 miles you will arrive at a pond to your left at "The Cove At Herriman Springs". From here the road continues 2.6 miles till the trailhead at Yellow Fork Canyon is on your right. From here it is a mile hike up the trail to the upper canyon section.

Thanks to Kendall Watkins for this location submission.

Mouth of Yellow Fork Canyon from Google Street View

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Description:
Yellow Fork Canyon is the end destination for most ravelers on Rose Canyon Road.  This trail closes to vehicles is a quick way to lose the noise of the road, and enjoy the best birding in the area quickly.  The habitat is a continuation of what's in Rose Canyon, with mixed oak and juniper woodlands being the predominant habitat type. A small creek lends some riparian habitat with willow and other shrubs present as well.  Rocky hillsides with some cliff habitat can be found, as well as some shrubsteppe on rolling hills.  The lower section of the canyon is an easy hike from the trailhead and you can quickly find yourself off trail following birds through the woods. The upper portion of the trail is about a 30 minute hike from the bottom, and this is where the habitat becomes more montane.  There is another hot spot for this location called "Yellow Fork Canyon -- Upper", and it is recommended that checklists for the upper canyon are split from the lower canyon given the differing habitats.

Birding:
The first time I came to Rose Canyon was in High School, and it was to look for JUNIPER TITMOUSE.  This was known as the closest reliable spot for this species from Salt Lake City--and it still is--after birding in Rose Canyon I continued in the less travelled Yellow Fork.  The juniper woodlands here are prime habitat and this species can be found year round along with WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, and COMMON RAVEN here.  During the breeding season BLACK-THROATED GRAY, VIRGINIA'S, YELLOW, and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, join PLUMBEOUS VIREO, DUSKY and GRAY FLYCATCHER here.  BUSHTIT are reported infrequently, and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH have been found here.  The bird list is essentially going to be similar to Rose Canyon, but the birding is easier and the land is public.  There are definitely more birds and a wider array here, but the specialty species remain the same.  The current list definitely has species found in the upper portion of the canyon as there is overlap in species that wouldn't normally be found in oak or juniper.  But bird both the lower and upper canyon, and create a list for both to help split things out in the future!

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 291 at 12300 south in Draper head west for 6.3 miles as the road becomes 12600 south.  Turn Left on to Main Street in Herriman and follow it as it heads southwest for 2 miles. Turn Left on to 6400 West/Rose Canyon Road for 1 mile.  Turn right--this is a continuation of Rose Canyon Road.  After .8 miles you will arrive at a pond to your left at "The Cove At Herriman Springs". From here the road continues 2.6 miles till the trailhead at Yellow Fork Canyon is on your right.

Rose Canyon Road from Google Street View

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Description:
Rose Canyon Road takes you from Herriman into Rose Canyon and the trailhead to Yellow Fork Canyon.  Rose Canyon Road actually continues to the left of Yellow Fork into the Oquirrh Mountains.  In the lower portions of the canyon the land is mostly private, with some farms, shrubsteppe, mixed oak and juniper woodlands. As you continue towards Yellow Fork the hillsides predominantly become mixed oak and juniper woodlands--some of the best tracts of juniper habitat in Salt Lake County are found here.  There are various side roads and shoot offs that are all marked as private.  Usually birders aren't bothered when using these roads, but please tread lightly so as not to cause problems for other birders in the future.  A small intermittent creek runs down the canyon with light riparian habitat present as well.  Most birding on Rose Canyon Road is en route to Yellow Fork, and I'm not sure the extent of what the road or habitat up canyon is like.

Birding:
The first time I came to Rose Canyon was in High School, and it was to look for JUNIPER TITMOUSE.  This was known as the closest reliable spot for this species from Salt Lake City--and it still is.  The juniper woodlands here are prime habitat and this species can be found year round along with WESTERN SCRUB-JAY, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, and COMMON RAVEN here.  CALIFORNIA QUAIL and WILD TURKEY are occasionally reported from the canyon year round as well.  During the breeding season BLACK-THROATED GRAY, VIRGINIA'S, and MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, join PLUMBEOUS VIREO, DUSKY and GRAY FLYCATCHER as you get closer to Yellow Fork.  In the lower reaches it's not uncommon to see MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and WESTERN KINGBIRD in the summer--while LARK and BREWER'S SPARROW can usually be tracked down too.  BUSHTIT are reported infrequently, and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH as well as BEWICK'S WREN have been found here.  Birding can be hard here due to the private property issues, as well as the sheer volume of traffic here nowadays.  Back in the 90's and early 2000's it wasn't nearly as busy.  Housing developments have reached the mouth of the canyon, and lots of people living out here now head here for recreation.  Your best bet is early on Sunday mornings and during the week.  Saturday's in the summer are a mad house!

Directions:
From I-15 Exit 291 at 12300 south in Draper head west for 6.3 miles as the road becomes 12600 south.  Turn Left on to Main Street in Herriman and follow it as it heads southwest for 2 miles. Turn Left on to 6400 West/Rose Canyon Road for 1 mile.  Turn right--this is a continuation of Rose Canyon Road.  After .8 miles you will arrive at a pond to your left at "The Cove At Herriman Springs". This is usually where birding for Rose Canyon Road begins as the road continues 2.6 miles till the trailhead at Yellow Fork Canyon.

Dalton Springs from Bing Birds Eye View

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Description:
Sitting at 8,200' Dalton Springs  provides the closest direct access to mid elevation conifer and mixed aspen forest outside Monticello, Utah.  The best birding can be done form the road here where a pull out provides parking and a wide berth to scan the forest edges form and proceed into the forest via game trails.  The habitat is very mixed between conifer and aspen, with a heavy Gambel's Oak component,  creating a great habitat for all montane species.  A National Forest Service campground lies to the south of the road here and has 16 spaces that can be used for $10 a night.  There is in fact a spring here and some very wet riparian habitat. Continuing up the road into the mountains the habitat remains the same and provides more birding opportunities along the road and in the forest.

Birding:
The birding here is vastly different from the birding just 5 miles east on the high desert plains of the Hickman Flats.  When you're in Monticello and need a fix for montane birding this is the quickest way to fill your needs.  Birding just from the parking area on the side of the road across from the campground you can easily see 15 to 20 species in a short period of time.  Birding is best here form late spring through fall when there is no snow.  Often late April is when things start to pick up. CASSIN'S FINCH, RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER, MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE, STELLER'S JAY, and PINE SISKIN are all common here. Both WHITE-BREASTED and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH can usually be added in a short period of time, while its not uncommon to come across WILD TURKEY here as well.  Keep an eye to the sky for accipiters and other hawks that are often seen cruising here. Other montane species you might pick up include RED CROSSBILL, BROWN CREEPER, CLARK'S NUTCRACKER, and TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE.  The breeding season will bring warblers, vireos, and flycatchers to the higher elevations here and the relative lack of exploration form birders really leaves this location open to some discovery.  The actual distribution of species in this area is poorly known so any visit to the area is worth a quick stop to see what you might find!

Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Center Streets in Monticello head west on Center Street .2 miles taking a left onto 200 West. Go . 2 miles before turning right onto 200 south. After about 250' take the flight left onto Abajo Drive. Abajo will turn into N Creek Road (route 101). Follow this for 4.8 miles till you reach the pullout on your right. Park here.

Looking towards Oak Grove photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Oak Grove Campground is as its name suggest a campground with a "grove", or several groves.  The general habitat in the area is mixed Gambel's Oak woodland, but one of the main birding features here is actually a "grove" of Ponderosa Pine at the campground.  A small road goes through the campgorund, with a short loop to camp sites.  There is a trail head heading up into the hills form the parking area.  There is a day use and picnic area as well.   The road to the campground is dirt for over 6 miles and climbs up through mixed Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands and Oak woodlands, as well as riparian and arid desert habitats.

Birding:
The small campground is an easy place to get a good number of specialty birds.  Several of the highlights here include all 3 western nuthatches--RED-BREASTED, WHITE-BREASTED, and PYGMY NUTHATCH.  All 3 nest here and can be picked up fairly easily.  During hte breeding season GRACE'S, VIRGINIA'S, YELLOW-RUMPED, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER can all be seen here.  DUSKY and CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER can both be found around the campground, while WARBLING and PLUMBEOUS VIREO are present as well.  WESTERN TANAGER, HAIRY WOODPECKER, CHIPPING SPARROW, and SPOTTED TOWHEE are all common breeders as well.   During fall migration this is one of the few locations in Utah where HERMIT WARBLER is recorded. The road is closed in the winter when there is too much snow, and has been closed in the summer due to fires.

Directions:
From I-15 North of Leeds, take Exit 23 and turn right onto Silver Reef Road.  From I-15 south of leads take exit 22 onto Main Street through the town of Leeds.  Follow the signs to I-15 north bound, at Silver Reef Road.  Turn left onto Silver Reef and go straight. From here continue for 1.1 miles. Continue onto Oak Grove Road for .5 miles before turning right onto FR-32.  After 1.5 miles continue to the right on FR-32 for another 5.5 miles to the campground entrance.

Lloyd's Lake photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
Lloyd's Lake is a small reservoir southwest of the town of Monticello.  It is surrounded by mixed Pinyon-Juniper and Gambel's Oak Woodlands on all sides.  The inlet in the southwest corner of the lake comes form a small canyon/ravine that is packed full of Cottonwoods and other deciduous trees and brush.

Birding:
You can scope the lake from the north end near the dam as well as several spots along the road on the west side of the lake. Various diving birds and waterfowl can be seen here during spring and fall migration.  COMMON LOON are seen here from time to time.  JUNIPER TITMOUSE is common in the mixed woodlands around the lake.  At the inlet WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH is very reliable.

Directions:
From Hwy 191 in Monticello, go west on 200 South.  After 2 blocks the road Y's--take the left hand road that forks to slightly to the south.  This turns into Abajo Drive and goes for about 4 blocks to the edge of town.  Here the road turns into North Creek Road.  After the last house on the left the next road on the left is South Creek Road, which is .9 miles from Hwy 191 where you started.  Turn left on to South Creek Road and follow it to the Reservoir which will be on your left.  If you continue along this road you'll eventually hit the inlet, before the road veers sharply to the left.