Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Clear springs and wetlands sustain species found nowhere else, while boardwalks reveal how groundwater creates an oasis in the Mojave Desert.
Artwork inspired by Betty Willis
Ash Meadows exists because groundwater reaches the surface in an otherwise arid basin. Each spring has its own chemistry, flow, plants, and small geographic world; endangered pupfish and other endemic species demonstrate how isolation can produce remarkable biological specialization.
A useful visit compares more than one spring rather than racing between blue pools. Boardwalk and road projects can temporarily remove a stop, so check refuge alerts and use another developed spring when necessary. Stay on designated roads and boardwalks: swimming, boating, camping, and travel into undeveloped areas are prohibited.
- Habitat
- Groundwater-fed desert springs
- Entry
- Free
- Visit
- Two hours to a full day
Quick guide
- Compare
- Crystal Spring with Longstreet Spring
- Before driving
- Check current boardwalk and road closures
Read each spring as its own habitat
- Visitor center
- Begin with the aquifer and endemic-species story before driving the unpaved refuge roads.
- Crystal Spring
- Use the 0.9-mile round trip to compare clear water, spring vegetation, and surrounding desert.
- Longstreet
- Add a second spring so differences in flow, habitat, and human history become visible.
- Protection
- Remain on public roads and boardwalks; do not swim or move into undeveloped spring habitat.
Good to know
Point of Rocks is not available during the current project even if an older map shows it open. Crystal Spring and Longstreet remain alternatives; leashed dogs are allowed on boardwalks, bicycles are not, and swimming is prohibited.
Notice these
- Crystal Spring
- Endemic pupfish
- Groundwater oasis