Earning national recognition as a birding hotspot the “Lytle Ranch” is a destination for birders from across the nation and beyond. But that is only a portion of what this ranch offers to me or anyone else with an interest in nature. When I visit the ranch, located in the extreme Southwest corner of Utah I find myself at an elevation of 2,000 feet. in a riparian environment on the edge of the Beaver Dam River completely surrounded by hills carpeted with Joshua Trees that define the Mojave Desert. Fresh water running through this desert has given rise to an incredible diversity of life.
The Lytle ranch has an interesting history. It was originally homesteaded in 1870’s by the Dudley Leavitt family in a remote location Southwest of St. George to avoid prosecution for polygamy. In 1889, Dudley’s daughter, Hannah Louisa, the third wife of Thomas Terry took over the ranch. They cultivated hay, cattle, and various crops, including fruit trees. In 1912 Hanna left and her two sons, Ed and Jed Terry, continued to farm and retained ownership of the ranch. In 1928, John Eardley purchased 462 acres of that property. He and his family constructed a ranch house, reservoir, fences, ditches, and cultivated alfalfa, sorghum, melons, and various fruits. Talmage and Eleanor Marie Lytle acquired the ranch from the Eardley’s in 1952. They operated the ranch without modern utilities until 1979.
In 1983, The Nature Conservancy purchased the 462-acre property to preserve its unique natural features and wildlife. In 1985, Brigham Young University (BYU) acquired the ranch, committing to its use as a nature preserve dedicated to education and research.
Public access to Lytle Ranch property, restrooms, potable water make my visits here even more enjoyable. Reservations for primitive campsites can be made on BYU’s website. For many years I have enjoyed birding at the ranch, arriving with the expectation of being greeted by the resident Phainopeplas. During migration season it is not uncommon to identify 50+ species of birds in a day without leaving the ranch. I generally carry along my checklist of anticipated birds, downloaded from the Bean Life Science Museum website at BYU. The list was created by a friend, Merrill Webb. His incredible contributions to the ranch are memorialized with his name on benches around the ranch.
If the birds were the only attraction here it would be well worth my time. but the river and the property surrounding this riparian portion of the ranch provides a home for a wonderful array of unique flora and fauna not typically seen outside Washington County, at least in the state of Utah. There are at least 38 species of reptiles and amphibians on or near the property. My personal life list in this area includes Mojave Desert tortoise, Gila Monster, Chuckwalla, Western Banded Gecko, Desert Iguana, Mojave Rattlesnake, Speckled Rattlesnake, Desert Sidewinder, Western Lyre Snake, Western Blind Snake and Western Ground Snake, Canyon Tree Frog, Pacific Chorus Frog and Tiger Salamander, to name just a few.
I have also encountered several species of fish in the river, most notably the endangered Virgin River Chub. The stream through the Mojave Desert attracts a number of mammals, such as Beaver, Mule Deer, Desert Bighorn Sheep, Cougars, Bobcats, Jack Rabbits, Cottontails, Racoons, and Ringtail Cats. Porcupines also, as well as a number, and a variety of rodents.
Every time I visit the ranch, I’m reminded of how few places there are in the state of Utah where one could go and experience such tremendous biodiversity. The diversity of both plant and animal life here is unparalleled. As I enjoy another day wandering in this special place my thoughts turn to the Leavitt’s, Terrys, Eardley’s, and Lytle’s who toiled to eke out a living here. I wonder if they appreciated or even understood how unique the biodiversity on this property was. Somehow it doesn’t seem fair that they may not have enjoyed the biodiversity here as much as I do.
I’m Wild about Lytle Ranch and Utah.
This is Professor Marshall Topham of Utah Tech University.
Credits:
Images Courtesy & Copyright Marshall Topham, Photographer
Featured Audio: Courtesy and Copyright Dr. Kevin Colver, WildSanctuary, Soundscapes, https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com/collections/special-collections
Text: Marshall Topham, https://ees.utahtech.edu/faculty-staff/
Additional Reading: Lyle Bingham, https://bridgerlandaudubon.org/
Additional Reading
Wild About Utah pieces by Marshall Topham https://wildaboututah.org/author/marshall-topham/
Lytle Nature Preserve, Brigham Young University, https://lytle.byu.edu/
Lytle Ranch Preserve, Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, https://lsm.byu.edu/lytle-preserve [Locate Merrill Webb Lytle Ranch Bird List on this page]