This hotspot includes all of Hatton Canyon from Carmel Valley Road on the south to Canyon Drive on the north. This piece is 1.5 miles one way. You can also include the bike path between Rio Road on the south to Carmel Valley Road on the north.

Western Bluebirds sit on the telephone wires along the open field of the bike path. White-crowned and Golden-crowned sparrows form flocks in the winter.

Walk north on the path to enter the canyon through the tunnel under Carmel Valley Road. The habitat at the start is primarily willows. Eventually you will see oaks on the west slope. Farther up you will see pines on both slopes. There is an open meadow close to the halfway point. Beyond the meadow there is open chaparral on the east side.

The elevation rise is gentle until the hairpin turn that goes up to Canyon Drive.

On a spring day, it’s not hard to set a goal for 30 species. California Thrasher is resident here. They like to sit up on the bushes to sing and are not shy about running across the trail in front of you.

The best parking is in The Barnyard shopping center. There are also public restrooms here. The trail is paved at the south end, and northwards through the tunnel, but then turns to gravel and later rutted dirt, becoming inaccessible to wheelchairs. Coyotes and bobcats live in the canyon. They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them. This is a good place for butterflies and dragonflies in non-drought years.