Places to Bird - Tintic Loop

Birding the Tintics by Margaret T. Sanchez ©Margaret T. Sanchez

Directions: From Elberta go west 3.5 miles on US 6 and bear left onto a small asphalt road. This is the beginning of the loop. If you are birding in the evening, the light might be better if you start at the other end. (In that case, proceed toward Eureka another 5.3 mile and turn left -- if you make it to Eureka you've gone 0.2 miles too far -- then make the stops in reverse order of the list below).

Suggested Stops: Six specific stopping places are suggested below (with species you might see in the spring): Listen and watch for birds between these points. Good birds could show up anywhere along the way..

After leaving the main highway, go about 1 1/2 miles to some elm trees on the right side of the road. This is a good place for Juniper Titmice (they have been know to nest in the elm trees), Bewick's Wren as well as other Pinyon-Juniper specialties.
Go another 0.8 miles and turn left on the worn asphalt road (the road going right reconnects to the highway about a half a mile away). Continue 0.9 miles to Dividend (the old mining town -- see photo #1 & #1a ) where there is a spacious parking area. Look for Bushtits, Mountain Bluebirds, Brewer's Sparrows, swallows and raptors.
Continue another 1/2 mile where the road goes up a ravine (see photo #2). It's good to walk along this stretch of the road where the Maple, Pinyon and Juniper trees, Squaw Bushes, Sage Brush and Rabbit Brush provide a good habitat for warblers and vireos and the rocky north side provides good habitat for Rock Wren and towhees.
Proceed a little more than a mile to a "horseshoe turn" (see photo #3) going around a steep draw with a good accumulation of trees. This is a good place for Black-throated Gray Warblers, and Gray Flycatcher in appropriate habitat.
Continue up and over the hill about a half mile to where two dirt roads take off to the left, (see photo #4) (one is a short, very steep one going straight up the hill). Check the maple and chokecherry trees along the main road as well as the southern-most dirt road (you'll need to walk up this one) for warblers, vireos, Green-tailed and Spotted Towhees, and Dusky Flycatchers. (This is where a Golden-winged Warbler was seen on 16 Jun 2001)
Go down the road another half mile to an open more flat area, near the highway, with some rocks poking up (stop maybe 0.2 mile before you get to the highway). If you haven't seen a Green-tailed Towhee, Sage Thrasher, Say's Phoebe, or Mountain Bluebird at this point, this is a good place for a last try.

Specialty Birds: (Spring) Bushtit, Juniper Titmouse, Brewer's Sparrow, Rock Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird, and Say's Phoebe (Chukar, Black-throated Sparrow and the second Golden-winged Warbler for Utah have also been seen).

eBird Data: | Dividend Road | East Tintic Mountains |

Field Trip Reports: | 26 May 2009 | 9 Jul 2005 |

Photo #1 - Dividend - After the Mining Boom by Margaret T. Sanchez ©Margaret T. Sanchez

Photo #1a - Dividend - an old deserted mining town by Staff Photographer ©utahbirds.org