Nature

View from Big Fill Walking Trail looking to the East

NPS Photo

Natural Landscape

At Golden Spike National Historical Park, the land itself tells part of the story.

The location of archaeological sites, railroad grades, and historic resources is closely tied to the park’s rugged geology. The terrain shaped where crews built, how trains operated, and how the landscape has changed since 1869.

Today, visitors experience a high-desert environment of:

• Arid and semi-arid shrublands

• Native grasslands

• Pockets of woodland

• Perennial stream habitat

This is a place where natural systems and cultural history remain deeply connected.

Elevation & Climate

The park’s hillsides, mountains, and plains rise from 4,360 to 5,280 feet (1,329–1,609 meters) above sea level. This elevation contributes to a climate defined by wide seasonal extremes.

• Annual precipitation: 8–12 inches (203–305 mm), much of it falling as winter snow

• Winter temperatures: Often near 20°F

• Summer temperatures: Occasionally reaching 104°F

Except for Blue Creek, which flows across the park’s northeastern boundary, there are no permanent streams or springs within the park.

These dry conditions shaped railroad construction and continue to influence preservation efforts today.

Protecting Natural & Cultural Resources

Resource management at Golden Spike protects both the historic railroad landscape and the natural environment that surrounds it.

Fire & Vegetation Management

The park’s fire management program works to restore more historically accurate vegetation communities. In 1869, sagebrush covered significantly less ground than it does today. Over time, dense sagebrush growth has contributed to the degradation of cultural features, including railroad grades and archaeological sites.

Erosion & Runoff Control

Preserving the historic railroad grades does more than protect history—it also helps regulate stormwater runoff. Stable grades:

• Reduce erosion

• Prevent natural deterioration of historic features

• Protect surrounding vegetation and root systems

By caring for the land, the park preserves both the story of the transcontinental railroad and the ecosystem that supports it.

 

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

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Golden Spike National Historical Park

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Species attribute definitions

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