Local Directions
to
Birding Locations in Lubbock
and the LEAS Area
This page is separated into two sections: "City of Lubbock Birding Locations" and "LEAS Area Birding Locations," which covers the 15-county LEAS territory. There are many playas and parks located in Lubbock, TX. We have listed below directions to some that we hope will provide you with excellent viewing. We encourage you to report birds to us, letting us know what you were able (or not) to find. The quadrant of the city is listed in parentheses to help you create a better itinerary for your visit. Quadrants are bisected by Indiana Avenue and 34th Street. Maps can be found from the link above.
Buy your Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail Map now!
City of Lubbock Birding Locations
Andrews Park
(SW)
82nd Street and Memphis
Boles
Lake & Road (SE)
To Boles Road from East Loop 289, go east on 50th Street 1.2 miles. Turn north (left) on CR2800 (the road just west of the boat shop). Go 0.5 miles up this dirt road, and Boles "Lake" is on the left side.
(The field opposite Boles Road floods with increased precipitation).
Buffalo Springs Lake National Wildlife Refuge
/ LEAS Nature Trail (SE)
NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE SAME LOCATION AS Buffalo Lake
NWR
Go 3.5 miles east on 50th Street from Loop 289.
Turn south (right) on E835 Farm Road at the stop sign. Go 1.0 miles to the
Buffalo Springs Lake entrance on the east side of the road. This area offers a wide variety of habitats, which makes it a great place to pick up
many species in a single
day of birding. The Llano Estacado Society-sponsored Nature Trail, which
opened in 1983, is located here. The trail is a 4-mile
(round-trip) trail that begins at the top of a canyon and circles through some aquatic
habitat -- ask for a map of the trail at the front gate. There is a
$3.00 per adult / $2.00 per child fee at the gate. To get to the LEAS trail head, go down the entrance road to the right.
When it splits, take the right fork going across the lake and up the hillside.
The trailhead will be at the top on the right side next to a small house.
This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here. LEAS
Nature Trail map and a full interpretive guide.
LEAS Nature Trail (September 22, 2004
-- Llano Estacado Audubon Society). The Buffalo Springs Lake
Water Authority is in the process of cutting roads in
the nature trail area (in order, they say, to create
required vehicular access to various valves and other
aspects of dam infrastructure -- (it also looks,
however, as though they are preparing the ground for a
proposed motocross route) and some damage
has occurred to the trail. There is nothing we
can do to prevent this damage but I would like to advise
LEAS members to take care when walking the trail as we
are not in a position, financially or people-wise,
to continually monitor the trail for hazardous
conditions (broken steps, protruding pieces of rebar, deep
gouges in the trail, etc..) or to repair them in a
timely fashion. Hopefully, at some point in the near future,
the BSL folks will repair the damage to the steps and
to the trailbed. Bottom line: there are hazards on the
trail and it may be unsafe to walk portions of it until
the BSL folks are done doing what they have to do.
Please take care.
Nature Trail spillway area (left & middle).
From the top of the Nature Trail looking in the direction of the spillway
(right).
Buster Long (SW)
56th St. & Aberdeen. Playa/park north of South
Plains Mall. Area: 515,275 sq. ft.; Perimeter: 3,152 ft.
Canyon Lakes
System,
(Yellowhouse Canyon;
NE)
From Highway 27, go 1.3 miles east to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Turn south (right) onto MLK, and go 0.2 miles to Canyon Lake Drive. At this intersection, Lake 5
(also called Mae Simmons Park) will be on the west side (right) and Lake 6 will be on the east (left).
If you travel east on Canyon Lake Drive from this point and follow the road 1.4
miles to the turn at the spillway and railroad trestle, there is a railroad trestle.
There are 6 canyon lakes of the Yellowhouse Canyon system. Lake 6 provides
a particularly excellent area for birding.
Canyon
Lake 1, North Loop 289 south to dam #1. Area: 744,741 sq. ft.; Perimeter: 6,818
ft.
Canyon Lake 2, Dam #1 south to Avenue U. Area: 986,756 sq. ft.; Perimeter:
10,595 ft.
Canyon Lake 3, (Buddy Holly Park). According to the Feist Directory, you see it
when you cross the canyon on north University St. A small AM radio station
is right next to the lake.
Canyon Lake 4 (MacKenzie Park). MacKenzie Park is located east of I-27 and north of US
Hwy 82. Parkway Drive, which runs east-west, intersects the park. The park connects two of the Canyon Lakes.
From I-27, go east on Broadway 1.0 miles to Canyon Lake Drive. Go 0.4 miles north on Canyon Lake Drive to 19th Street. The entrance to MacKenzie Park is on the north side of 19th Street.
This very large park contains excellent stands of old, deciduous trees and has a stream flowing through it.
The park provides extensive habitat for migrating warblers and resident passerines.
There is also good habitat for waterfowl. This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Canyon Lake 5 (Mae Simmons Park). Drive north on MLK blvd and cross the bridge
where Lake 6 is on your right (east side).
This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Canyon Lake 6 (Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park). Special Features: Lake Six is a large lake created by the damming of the Double Mountain Fork of the
Brazos River, and is located on the east side of town between 25th and 19th
Streets on Martin Luther King Blvd. (SH114, US 62). Mesquite, oaks, elms, and grassland surround the lake, making it a great place to
view sparrows in the winter. Cattails, brush and trees provide cover for many species of birds around the
lake. Just below the dam, the creek provides a nice place to see warblers in the spring and fall.
Herons, wrens, and blackbirds also abound. Aside from many cattails, the train trestle area provides excellent habitat in the form of many deciduous trees and brushy
areas. Any season will have excellent viewing for birds at this location.
Canyon Lake 6 has been
placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here. Photos below of Lake 6 area: Lake 6, NE Draw, the
"uplands" above Lake 6, the spillway, and the train trestle just east
of the spillway.
Casey Park (SE)
66th St. & Ave. W
Cemetery, City of Lubbock (NE)
From Highway 27, go east on 19th Street 1.3 miles to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Turn south (right) on MLK, and go 0.9 miles to 31st
street (just south of Lake 6). There will be a green sign for the cemetery in the median. Turn east (left) on 31st St. and go 2 blocks to Teak Avenue. The entrance to the cemetery is on the east side of this intersection. The City Cemetery has good stands of trees that attract many species
(Gallardia, Euonymus, Dogwood and Camella). Owls are seen regularly in the park, and migrating warblers and vireos are attracted to the
locust trees. Although any season will provide good viewing, spring and fall migrants are the highlights here.
Watch for the signs directing you to the cemetery. Open sunrise to sunset.
The telephone number for the Cemetery is (806) 767-2270. This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Clapp Park and Municipal Garden Arts Center
and Arboretum (SE)
42nd Street and University (or approach from the
opposite corner at 46th & Avenue U): 4215 South University, Lubbock
TX 79413.
Special Features: The levee between playas provides a refuge, the thick evergreens hide birds well, and
the gardens of the arboretum provide nectar for many birds to drink. This park has two
playas surrounded by
elms, willows, and oak trees. The Garden and Arts center is located here, and this is where the Llano
Estacado Audubon Society meetings are held. A nice place to view waterfowl in the winter, warblers
and shorebirds in the
spring and fall, and our own Eurasian Collared-doves and Ringed Turtle-doves. The Garden Arts
Center telephone number is (806) 767-3724. From South Loop 289, go north on University 1.7 miles to 44th Street.
Clapp Park and the Garden Arts Center are on the northeast corner of this intersection.
This site has
been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
General meetings are
free and are held on the fourth Tuesday of January,
February, April, June, August, and October in the large Auditorium.
Dupree (also called George Dupree) Park (SW)
Take 55th Street west from Quaker. It will be on the
left side (or you can approach it from 59th Street and Toledo).
Earl Crow Park (SE)
91st St. and Belton, just west of University, behind
the big movie theater.
Elmore (also Leroy Elmore; also called the
Godeke Library playa) Park (SW)
66th St. & Quaker, behind Godeke Library at South Loop
289 & Quaker. This park has a large fountain. Area: 680,988 sq. ft.;
Perimeter: 4,536 ft.
Higinbotham (also Frank Higinbotham) Park
(NW)
A trout lake at 19th Street & Vicksburg (just east
of Slide). Area: 303,711 sq. ft.; 6.9 acres; Perimeter: 2,783 ft. Special
Features: Trees in the middle are a place to sit undisturbed by humans and other
animals.
Jack Stevens Park (SW)
75th Street & Slide Road. From South Loop 289, go 0.7 miles south on Slide Road to 75th Street.
Turn west (right) at PNB Bank. Jack Stevens Park/Playa is on the southwest corner.
Special Features:
The cattails along the side and in the middle provide food for fish and ducks, as
well as an excellent place to hide. The cattails also act as a filter for
sediment and
provide oxygen needed to support aquatic life. A good time to visit this park would be during the spring, fall, and winter seasons.
This site has
been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Leftwich Park (SE)
South of 60th St. & west of Elgin
Lubbock Lake Landmark (NW)
2401 Landmark Dr, Lubbock. Tues-Sat.
9a-5p, Sun 1-5, Closed Mon. Adults $2. Off Loop 289 near US 84 on the NW side of Lubbock.
Watch for signs on North Loop 289. Despite the name, there is actually no
lake here; the waterbed is dry. This historical site has a trail system through the grasslands area. It is different from the trail that goes around the archaeological sites.
The grasslands trail goes north from the Interpretive center along Berl Huffman Sports Complex
and by the golf course. This
site has placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Lubbock Land Application Site (LLAS or
"City Farm")
Why is the City of Lubbock killing prairie dogs?
1) Prairie dog. 2) Fresh prairie dog mound -- elevated entrance typical
of black-tailed prairie dogs.
3) Cattle grazing under pivots. 4) More cattle grazing. 5) Prairie
dog mounds near pivots (note lush vegetation).
6) Burrowing owl using vacated prairie dog hole.
From East Loop 289, go east on 50th Street about 2.1 miles near the right turn to Buffalo Springs Lake. The LLAS has used 6,000 acres east of town for the application of secondarily-treated municipal wastewater since approximately 1937. An estimated 40,000-60,000 Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, believed to be one of the largest colonies in Texas, currently occupy about 500 acres of LLAS. The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is a “keystone species” – defined as one whose presence and activities is critical to the entire ecosystem. The prairie dog is a critical food source for a number of animals, including several birds of prey. Since black-tailed prairie dogs are one of only a few rodents that do not hibernate in the winter, they are vitally important winter food sources for prairie predators. The following animals are reliant on them for survival: burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, golden eagle, horned lark, ferruginous hawk, and grasshopper mouse. Click here for more details.
Maxey Park (NW)
24th Street & Quaker (or 30th St.
& Nashville), behind St. Mary's hospital. Area: 1,001,569 sq. ft.;
Perimeter: 5691 
ft. From the Brownfield Highway, go south on Quaker 0.1
miles (2 blocks) to 24th Street. The park is on the east side. 
Special Features: The island in the middle is a
place to sit undisturbed by humans and other animals. A couple dead trees
on this island are a special favorite of the 
cormorants, that do not have the
oils that other birds do to keep their wings dry. The cormorants will sit
on the snags and hold their wings out to dry. This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
McAlister (NW)
Milwaukee & Brownfield HWY
Miller (also Bill & Ann
Miller)
Park (SW)
Outside the South Loop 289 between Indiana
and Memphis
Nursery near Ronald McDonald House
(NW)
Take 10th Street west from
Indiana into the Health Sciences Center/Medical Sciences Center complex.
You'll go past the Ronald McDonald House and take a left onto a road to the
recreation area (it is signed). Just follow that road until the road
starts getting rough and dead ends at a gate. The nursery is right there.
Prairie
Dog Town
Located inside Mackenzie Park off of 4th
Street and Interstate 27 overlooking Meadowbrook Golf Course
Ransom Canyon (NE)
Take 50th Street east out of town, and
pass under Loop 289. From the Loop, continue on 50th Street 5.9
miles. Pass the stop sign and the turn off to Buffalo Springs, and continue
east; this is where 50th Street becomes FR East 3523. The next right turn, a tree-lined drive, marks the entrance to Ransom Canyon.
A good place to bird is by the chapel.
To get here, from the entrance of Ransom Canyon, go 0.6 miles to the stop sign
on Ransom Road, and 0.3 miles to a hard left onto West Brookhollow. Go 0.3
miles on W. Brookhollow north to the Little Chapel of Brookhollow. There
is a short trail behind the chapel as well.
Ratliff, C. W. (SW)
50th Street & Chicago Ave
Reese Center (NW)
Take 19th Street west out of Lubbock
10 miles, and turn right at Quitsna. The golf course pond will be on the
left side of the road past the entrance to the golf course. Or you can
take 4th Street west, turn left at War Highway where 4th Street ends, and the
pond will be on your right side. If you enter the golf course gate, take
Perimeter Rd. west, then a left immediately after the chain link fence, there are two
good playas for shorebirds.
Ribble Park (SE)
62nd & Temple. Special Features:
Small island in center of playa.
Texas Tech University (NE)
Northern side bordered by Erskine
St. Southern side bordered by 19th Street. Eastern side bordered by
University Avenue, and western side bordered approximately by Toledo Ave.
TTU Rangelands (NE)
At the corner
of Quaker and Erskine here in town (north loop)
Twin Ponds (NE)
To Twin Ponds from East Loop 289, go east on 50th Street 1.9 miles. These are located on east 50th Street outside the loop before the turnoff to Buffalo Springs Lake.
The ponds are located on either side of the road (unfortunately, there are no
signs to mark them), and are a great place to view migrant shorebirds during spring and fall.
However, they are subject to rainfall amounts and some years the lakes are dry.
Both of the Twin Ponds are on private land, but excellent viewing can be had from the road.
LEAS Area Birding Locations
AK
Ranch, Bailey County
Just west of Muleshoe NWR.
This is private land; please contact the Muleshoe Chamber of Commerce for access. The land includes
a half-mile long stretch of creek/dam impoundments with a wide variety of riparian vegetation (from
reeds/sedges to massive willows) that prove to be quite a draw for migrants.
This site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Circle Dot Ranch, Floyd County.
This is a good site for migrations and summer birds, is
accessible daily. Contact (806) 983-3639 for more information. 
From
Plainview, take FM 2286 East to TX 207 North into South Plains. Go for 2.7 miles
North to County Road 60 East, and continue for about 6 miles to the ranch
entrance. The habitat and scenery on the ranch are superb. A canyon road
takes visitors down into beautiful wooded canyon bottom with a variety of trees
around the water. Bald Eagle occurs here in winter as do flocks of Mountain
Bluebird, and the owners will provide guided interpretive tours of both the
ranch and of the Caprock Canyon Trailway Park, which runs through the property.
Beavers on the property are modifying the hydrology and should result in even
greater diversity of birds on the ranch. Picnics and barbecues are
available. This site has been
placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Coyote Lake, Bailey County
Take Route 84 NW from Lubbock. At 3.6 miles after Sudan, go west (left) on 746, which will go west, north, then west again (21.8 mi).
Go south on 746 for approximately 2.3 miles and follow the signs for Coyote Lake.
~ 1 3/4 hr from Lubbock. Please note that this area is not accessible for
walking, only for viewing from the road. Additionally, there is no water
in the "lake," as it has been dry for some time.
Crosbyton Springs, Crosby County
Take Route 82 east from Lubbock for 36 miles.
Dickens Springs, Dickens County
Located on east side of town, take US 82 to Dickens. Turn-off into the springs is on the north side of the road past Silver Falls
and I believe there are signs on the road where to turn. They may still
have some type of Indian statue at the road into the springs. There is a metal tepee-like covered picnic table and stairs that go down into the springs area.
A trail from the springs follows the small creek through the trees. Additional trails branch off and go up on the plateau surrounding the springs and creek.
61 miles from Lubbock.
Brazos River in Dickens Co.
Lake Alan Henry, Garza County
Take US 84 south through Justiceburg, exit FM 2458, then east on FM 3519.
Ca. 60 miles from Lubbock. This site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Lake Alan Henry. Wildflowers.
Map.
Lorenzo Sewage Pond, Crosby County
Take Route 82 east from Lubbock approximately 16 miles.
Muleshoe National
Wildlife Refuge, Bailey County
Located approximately 65 miles northwest of Lubbock (20 miles south of Muleshoe), this is a great place to view sparrows and
Sandhill Cranes in the fall, as well as shorebirds in the spring and summer. There are several playas located on the refuge that are subject to seasonal rainfall
amounts. A small nature trail is also located on the property. This is
the location for one of three Christmas Bird Counts for our region, and provides
the opportunity for some great winter treats. From Lubbock, take highway 84 to Littlefield and then west on Highway 54. From 54, turn north on
SH 214 for about 3 miles. The refuge will be on your left. This
site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here.
Salt playa at Muleshoe NWR. Great Horned Owl
fledgling.
Ralls (including Sewage Ponds), Crosby
County
Take Route 82 east from Lubbock approximately 24 miles.
Vegetated playa in Crosby Co.
Silver Falls
This is a rest area between Crosbyton and Dickens on Highway 82.
The west entrance of the rest area has parking where you can walk down to a spring-fed area that has ferns, horsetails and non-typical plant life.
Remainder of the rest area has good trees and many birds found in them.
White River Lake, Crosbyton, Crosby County
Take State Highway 114 to east to Crosbyton, then south on FM 651 to FM 2794 (or
Highway 40
East from Lubbock will take you there). Approximately 1-1.25-hour drive from Lubbock. This site has been placed on the Panhandle
Plains Wildlife Birding Trail. Panhandle Plains Wildlife Trail maps
can be purchased here. Visitors need to purchase a $2.00 per person
permit at the Marina, which can be reached at 806-263-4244. This is the
location for one of three Christmas Bird Counts for our region, and usually
provides the highest species diversity. Photos:
looking west over part of the lake (right), curve-billed thrasher (bottom left),
great blue heron (bottom center), Red-tailed Hawk leaving a perch (bottom
right).
Other Panhandle Birding Locations
Please observe the
ABA Code of Birding Ethics
Regional Checklist: The seventh edition of the checklist titled
"Birds
of the South Plains" that covers all 15 LEAS counties may be
obtained for $1.00 ($1.60 with postage). This was published January 15,
2001. It is also available
for sale at our program meetings. You may also purchase our checklist via
credit card -- click here for more details.
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Updated 21 July 2006 .