Visitor Center
The actions of a few dedicated conservationists, inspired President Truman to protect the Devils Hole pupfish and declaring Devils Hole as part of Death Valley National Park. This important historical event led the way to Ash Meadows becoming a refuge in 1984. The refuge was established, and is managed today, to protect threatened or endangered plants and animals; and their habitats. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was named after the galleries of ash trees described in expedition notes from 1893.
Crystal Spring
The 24,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert uplands is so unique that it is recognized as an wetland of international importance. The refuge area provides habitat for at least 24 plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Four fishes and one plant are currently listed as endangered. This concentration of indigenous life distinguishes Ash Meadows NWR as having a greater concentration of endemic species than any other local area in the United States, and the second greatest in all of North America.
Crystal Springs Boardwalk
Crystal Springs boardwalk wanders through a typical desert salt plain to a beautiful caribbean-blue spring pool. The water is blue in all of the springs due to dissolved limestone. This spring produces 2,800 gallons of water a minute, is approximately 15 feet deep and the water stays a consistent 87° (F) 30° (C). The length of the boardwalk is approximately 0.9 miles round-trip (1,430 meters) and there are benches, viewing area complete with scopes and colorful informational panels along the way.
Crystal Reservoir
The 2,800 gallons of water a minute from Crystal spring wanders around the meadow a bit before ending up in the Crystal Reservoir. Crystal Reservoir is a remarkably clear reservoir with a surface area of about 70 acres. The area surrounding the dam is a good place for bug, bird and flower hunting. Unfortunately, the reservoir is polluted with non-native, introduced species such as largemouth bass, mosquitofish, sailfin mollie, bullfrog, and crayfish which are being removed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as they are harmful to the native fishes through competition for the same limited resources.
Devil's Hole Pupfish
Devils Hole, a disjunct portion of Death Valley National Park, is a water-filled, geothermal cave system and the only natural habitat for the highly endangered Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis). The calm, carbonate-rich and oxygen-poor water of Devils Hole is a constant 33.5–34°C (93°F) in the deeper reaches of the cave and is often even warmer in the shallows. This combination creates a challenging environment for the tiny blue Devils Hole pupfish! These fish subsist on algae, invertebrates, and other micro-organisms found on a shallow rock shelf within the pool.
Point of Rocks
Point of Rocks Boardwalk is a short trail consisting of a 0.6 mile round trip over a wooden boardwalk area that passes by limestone springs and a shaded viewpoint within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The boardwalk winds over a small wetlands area, passing by King’s spring with a bench, before climbing about 100 feet in elevation to reach a shade gazebo with another bench and a couple telescopes where visitors can look into the surrounding desert landscape. There is only King’s Pool, since the other springs flow from the hillside and run directly into streams.
