Wildlife Viewers

Distance: ½ mile

Facilities: None

Difficulty: Easy; barrier-free to the footbridge

Parking: Sunrise to sunset at designated trail-head only.

Access: From the Lakeside Ranger District office, travel southeast on White Mountain Blvd. 0.8 of a mile. At the traffic light, turn right onto Woodland Road. Proceed 0.6 of a mile and look for the unpaved parking area and trail-head kiosk on the left.

Trail Highlights: Several valuable habitat types important to wildlife can be viewed at Big Springs. The improved loop trail winds ½ mile through ponderosa pines along a riparian meadow, wetland, stream and springs. Watch for snags (standing dead pines) that offer homes, nests, resting sites and food caches for wildlife long after the tree has died.

Connector Trails: Hitching Post Loop Trail and Turkey Track Trail connect Big Springs to the Woodland Lake area, approximately 1 mile away.