Fish Hatchery Park and Bolt Mt. Trail
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(County Park Fee $4 per day, can get a yearly pass for $30) From the intersection of Hwy. 199 and 238 in Grants Pass, proceed on Hwy. 238 towards Murphy. Continue on Hwy. 238 towards Murphy for 1.5 miles then turn right onto New Hope Road. In 3.2 miles, turn right onto Fish Hatchery Road. Just before the bridge over the Appelgate River, turn right onto Wetherbee St. which ends in the parking lot for Fish Hatchery Park and Bolt Mt. Fish Hatchery Park Brochure The trail to the top of Bolt Mountain can be accessed at the northwest end of the parking lot. The trail is 3.2 miles long and ends at the top of Bolt Mountain (elevation 2180 ft.).
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Open water, riparian areas, grassland, ceanothusmanzanita brush, oak savannah, oak woodland, and mixed conifer forests can be found at this location. Like most of the local “river parks” this one can be good for migrating birds in the spring and fall and waterfowl associated with the river. Check the large trees in the park and the riverfront areas for birds attracted to the river. Possibilities include Great Egret, Green Heron, Wood Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded and Common Mergansers, Red-shouldered Hawk, Mountain Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Great Horned Owl, Vaux’s Swift, Anna’s Hummingbird, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Hutton’s Vireo, Clark’s Nutcracker, Pygmy Nuthatch, Wrentit, Nashville Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, California Towhee, Lark Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting, Bullock’s Oriole, and Evening Grosbeak.
The mountain trail offers a whole other set of birding opportunities. This trail runs through a wide variety of habitats and ends at the top of Bolt Mountain. This is a good place to look for Mountain Quail. (Source: OFO Publication No. 19, Guide to Birds of the Rogue Valley, Massey & Vroman.)
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