Vista del Camino Park

Fast Flight Facts

Target Species: Waterbirds

Elevation: 1180'

Habitat: City park with two ponds/lakes with tall surrounding trees

Overall Birding Rating: 2

Difficulty: 1 (Easy)

Birding Type: Simple Walk

Facilities: Parking, restrooms

Fees/Ownership: None/City of Scottsdale

Closest Town or City/How far from Phoenix: Scottsdale /9.3 miles east of Phoenix

Getting there: Parking area is reached near the northwest side of McKellips and Hayden Roads

Overview: Vista del Camino Park is one of the many productive areas in Indian Bend Wash. It is home to McKellips Lake, and is a great park to check for wintering waterfowl. Two different ponds/lakes are in this park and they both have potential to carry waterfowl or any other waterbirds in the right seasons. The south lake in the park which is closer to the parking lot is bigger than the lake to the north. The two water bodies are likely to look inviting to any waterbirds passing over the area. Besides the feature of having two lakes in the park, the southwest side of the park has an attractive line of pine trees which migrants would highly favor during the migration seasons.

Birding Tip: The park is easy to bird. Views of the lake are for the most part easy enough to view without a scope. Of course a scope is still helpful! Bird both ponds north of the parking lot. Check the line of pine trees for other interesting birds at the southwest corner of the park.

Directions: Vista del Camino Park is located just northwest of the intersections of Hayden and McKellips Roads in Scottsdale. It can easily be reached by taking exits from the 101 or 202 Freeways. From the Loop 101 (Pima Freeway), take the McKellips Road exit and head west on McKellips Road for 1.2 miles. Pass Hayden Road shortly west (south of here Hayden becomes McClintock Drive), where the park will be on the north side of McKellips. If wanting to access the park from the Loop 202 (Red Mountain Freeway), take the McClintock Drive exit. Head north on McClintock for one mile. McClintock becomes Hayden Road after one mile, which is right where McKellips Road intersects with Hayden/McClintock. Turn left (west) on McKellips at this point, where the park is a short distance west an on the north side of McKellips.

Pages:

Vista del Camino Park Maps

Vista del Camino Park eBird Data

Scenes and Sights from Vista del Camino Park: