Afton Canyon

Name: Afton Canyon

Location: From Barstow, take I-15 east for 35 miles. Take the Afton exit south three miles on graded dirt road to parking area.

Comments: One of the few places where the Mojave River flows above ground all year round. More than 180 species of birds have been spotted, including the vermillion flycatcher, summer tanager, Great blue herons, snowy egrets and white-faced ibises. More than 85 species of migrating birds have made stopovers, including merlin, osprey, golden eagle, prairie falcon and Swainson's hawk. Besides birds, watch for rare bighorn sheep, kit fox, desert cottontail, American badger, mountain lion and bobcat. The surrounding desert is home to desert tortoises and many snakes and lizards, such as sidewinders, Mojave fringe-toed lizards, side-blotched lizards, and desert iguanas.