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Page Revised: 3/30/05 |
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Available Sites Circle X Ranch Cold Creek Area |
Date of Review 3/27/05 & 3/23/05
3/21/05 & 3/12/05 |
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See the photo gallery of
What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
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This season’s heavy
rains have damaged some of the Rec Area’s trails. If you are not up to
mud, stream crossings, and climbing into and out of washouts you might want
to call the park office to check on trail conditions. |
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Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 3/27/05 |
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The Canyon View Trail is really one
of the best for flowers. Right off the
bat there is chamise, blue dicks, California buckwheat and black sage in
bloom. In the frequent exposed rocky
places there is an array of yellow monkey flower, larkspur, parry's phacelia,
mustard evening primrose, popcorn flower and chia. There are big patches of globe gilia along
the trail. In one spot there are
caterpiller, big flower and parry's phacelia all growing together. There is golden yarrow, sticky monkey
flower, deerweed, stinging lupine, purple nightshade and woolly blue curls.
There are more star lilies this year than I have ever seen before. There are several lovely groups of mariposa
lilis. There are creeks which are
frequently dry that are now flowing with water. By these creeks red-skinned onion and
annual paintbrush are blooming. There
are many clumps of rock rose. . (DS) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very Good
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Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 3/27/05 |
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This easy-to-moderate trail goes
downhill about 1.5 miles through riparian, grassland, and chaparral habitats,
in shade and sun, with dramatic views of Boney Ridge and a few waterfalls.
This time of year, the wildflowers are always good and over 60 species were
viewed—though it’s not yet peaking. The standouts included
Parry’s phacelia, golden yarrow, microseris, stinging lupine, mariposa
lilies, spring vetch, canyon sunflower, blue-eyed grass, and mustard evening
primrose. Just past the first waterfall, look for the rocky seep with moss,
ferns, blue larkspur, California saxifrage, creek monkey flowers, and bunches
of Chinese houses. After crossing the creek at the bottom of the hill,
you’ll find a late-blooming fuschia-flowered gooseberry, lots of blue
dicks, and some giant star lilies. With spring in full swing, you might also
notice the singing birds: purple finches, ruby-crowned kinglets, thrashers,
house and canyon wrens, Hutton’s vireos, wrentits, woodpeckers,
orange-crowned warblers, flycatchers—even an oriole and black-headed
grosbeak near the trailhead. Birds, blooms, and lots of water for another
month or two—catch it while you can. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good
to Very Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below
Triunfo Peak |
Date: 3/23/05 |
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This trail is one of the newest
sections of the Backbone Trail has been crafted with much care (when the trail
was new someone did a good chunk of it in a wheelchair). As the trail has
aged grass is taking over in places and displacing the pioneering
wildflowers. The recent heavy rains have exposed rocks and caused several
slides including one place were it is necessary to leave the trail to get
around several massive boulders. The gentle slope of the trail encourages
water to pool on the trail making mud a frequent acquaintance after a
rain. The trail itself runs about six miles
from the Mishe Mokwa trailhead to Yerba Buena Road at about mile 9.10. I decided to come back on Yerba Buena and
make a loop of it, adding another two miles (and about ten flowers to the
count). Be careful if you choose to do
this since Yerba Buena has very little shoulder in some places. On the weekends the heavier, often fast
traffic might make this not a good idea.
Including the road, 96 different flowers were seen blooming. However, much of the trail is not heavily
flowered so I have only given this trail a “good” rating. Highlights include many Hollyleaf
Cherry, the deep blue Hairy-leaved Ceanothus, several different species of
Lupines, Prickly Phlox, Wild Morning Glory, masses of Blue Dicks, many Star
Lilies, Chia, frequent encounters with Parry's Phacelia, a beautiful
Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, several areas with Twining Snapdragon, Catalina
Mariposa Lily (along the road), some Blue Larkspur, Chocolate Lily, Chinese
Houses, Bush Monkey Flower, and a small creek surrounded by Red-skinned
Onion. Also seen blooming were Annual Cat's
Ear, Popcorn Flower, California Buckwheat, Wild Cucumber Golden Yarrow,
Red-stem Filaree, White-stem Filaree, Annual Bedstraw, Narrow-leaved
Bedstraw, California Filago, Eucrypta, Mountain Mahogany, Hollyleaf Redberry,
Miner's Lettuce, Black Sage, Black Mustard (and three other unidentified
mustards), Elderberry, Scrub Oak, Coast Live Oak, Purple Nightshade, Sow
Thistle, Prickly Sow Thistle, Common Groundsel, Chamise, Greenbark Ceanothus,
Bigpod Ceanothus, Hedge Nettle, Fiesta Flower, Two-tone Everlasting,
California Everlasting, Canyon Sunflower, Bush Sunflower, Pacific Sanicle,
Southern Tauschia, Yellow Monkey Flower, Creek Monkey Flower, Narrow-leaved
Fringe-Pod, Pigmy Weed, Deerweed, Strigose Lotus, Coastal Lotus, Coulter's
Lupine, Stinging Lupine, Bush Lupine, Collar Lupine, Henbit, Windmill Pink,
Silver Puffs, Rock rose, Mustard Evening Primrose, Small Evening Primrose,
Woolly Blue-curls, Bleeding Heart, Wishbone Bush, Horehound, Spanish Broom, Bigberry
Manzanita, Bur Clover, Virgin's Bower, Skullcap, Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus pusillus),
Owl Clover, Shooting Stars, Yellow Pincushion, Coast Goldfields, Poison Oak,
Pineapple Weed, California Plantain, Woolly Lomatium, Field Clover,
California Poppy, Chaparral Current, Turkey pea, Wild Radish, Cheeseweed,
White Sweet Clover, Yellow Sweet Clover, and Blow Wives. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa and
Sandstone Peak Trails |
Date: 3/21/05 |
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This six mile loop is quite popular, and
while it often lags the nearby Canyon View trail in flower diversity, it more
than makes up for it in grandeur of views. If you don't want to do the whole
six mile loop and are mostly interested in flowers then the section from the
trailhead to split rock usually shows three-quarters of the flowers of the
whole loop. The trail is still muddy in places because of persistent springs
along the trail, but most of the mud is shallow or avoidable. On 3/21/05 we hiked
the Mishe Mokwa Trail primarily to view the chocolate lilies before they were
done for the season. We were not disappointed,
perhaps a dozen were blooming in the usual section along the trail. I noticed
that quite a few of the plants exhibited the cut stems where a lily should
have been. The trail was muddy is places, but readily traversed. Including
the grasses some 69 species were found in bloom almost all in good
quantities. A rating of good is assigned for this display. White and yellow
flowers made up two thirds of the blooms. The whites included chamise, Calif.
buckwheat, Catalina Mariposa lily, big pod ceanothus and lots of popcorn
flower. A single cliff aster but a fair amount of wooly lomatium and miner's
lettuce was seen. The usual morning glory, holly leaf red berry, eucrypta,
wild cucumber, and two-tone everlasting were also present. A very unusual
white bloom was found among a stand of Parry's phacelia, exhibiting the same
leaves and large exserted white anthers of the typical deep purple Parry's
phacelia. Perhaps this was Parry's ghost. Lace pod, holly leaf cherry,
virgin's bower, poison oak, Calif. saxifrage, Calif. everlasting, and sandbar
willow made up the rest of the white shaded blooms. The yellow/golden
colors were represented by bur clover, deerweed, golden yarrow, sow thistle,
strigose lotus, silver puff and a small evening primrose tentatively
identified as yellow sun cup. Also in this group were common groundsel,
yellow monkey flower, slender bedstraw, southern tauschia, snakeroot, Calif.
collarless poppy and bush monkey flower. Rounding off this list were both mustard and miniature evening primrose, canyon
sunflower, coast goldfield, and American winter cress. The red tinged colors
were represented only by wild sweet pea, owl's clover and chaparral current. The
violet/blue/purple color group contributed red stem filaree, black sage, blue
dick, wooly blue curl and chia. Also seen were stinging lupine, purple night
shade, chocolate lily, Parry's phacelia, and both dove and collar lupines. A
violet snapdragon, some globe gilia, hairy leaf ceanothus and blue larkspur
were also contributors. A strange green gall was found in several locations
on a hoary leaf ceanothus. Also an unusual sight was the mass of what is believed
to be spore cells rising above the thick moss with their little round green
capsule supported on a 1/4 to 1/2 inch stalk. Grasses are
plentiful and they included slender oats, Madrid brome, foxtail barley,
golden top, red brome, blue grass, soft brome, and broom sedge grass. Some
less frequently seen bird's foot fern was also seen. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Charmlee Wilderness
Park |
Fire Trail |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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Good wildflowers are blooming here,
but you’ll need to find your own way around the park. There are no maps
available and signage is very poor. As you cross from the bathrooms into the
picnic area, take the trail to the left. This trail takes you into the area
where the burn was two years ago. While flowers are fair at first, once you
get into the burn area, you’ll find patches ranging from good to very
good. We counted more than 50 species in bloom. There are lots of variety and
good coverage. Highlights are fields of long beaked storks bill (non native,
but very nice), along with fire followers like violet (twining) snapdragon,
branching, caterpillar and Parry’s phacelias. We went to the cistern, then retraced our steps.
(SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good
to very good |
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Nicholas Flat |
Decker School Rd Trail
to Pond |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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In a rainy year, this short, shady
trail reminds you more of central and northern California with its dense
greenery and profusion of miner’s lettuce, canyon sunflower, bedstraw,
hummingbird sage, and snakeroot. But most was yet to bloom—give it a
few more weeks. Once the trail opened out into hillside meadows, blue-eyed
grass was hiding in the tall annual grass, and a few chocolate lilies and
shooting stars lingered. Other notables among the 25 flowering species
included clumps of coast paintbrush, fiddlenecks, golden yarrow, greenbark
ceanothus, cucumber, and windmill pinks. With the pond brimming, two pairs of
sharp ring-necked ducks dabbled among the water plants, soon to be heading
north. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Leo Carrillo State
Beach |
Loop Trail to Ocean
Overlook |
Date: 3/17/05 |
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This 2-mile trail is always a surprise
especially if you hit it at peak season—which is starting right now. 60
species were counted with many profuse, yet often seen in just small pockets over a
short distance. Since the trail provides good elevation gain and slopes face
many sun angles, micro-habitats are provided for plants with special needs.
Of particular note was the high percentage of native bunch grasses along the
whole trail, mostly nassella pulchra (needlegrass). Also continuous were bush
sunflowers, morning glory, deerweed, mustard evening primrose, popcorn,
sticky monkey flower, black sage, narrow-leaved bedstraw, wishbone bush,
Parry’s phacelia, blue dicks, coast paintbrush, and locoweed. Those
seen in pockets included mariposa lilies (along the first half-mile), scarlet
buglers (middle-mile), 5 lupines—bush, bajada, collar, foothill, and
stinging (in pockets), chia sage, bladder pod, prostrate spurge, coast lotus,
Indian pinks, and CA plantain. A GREAT mix—get on
out there. It should be good through early April. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good-Excellent |
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Cold Creek Area |
Upper Stunt High Trail |
Date: 3/14/05 |
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Watch for the trailhead for this
obscure trail on Stunt Road at the equestrian crossing road sign. Views of
surrounding rocks are excellent as you descend the one mile trail. Although
the manzanitas blooms are just about finished, there are still some in bloom
plus about a dozen other species such as chamise and wooly blue curls which
make the walk worthwhile. As you finish, cross Stunt Road and continue down
the road a short distance to the Stunt Ranch area to continue your walk onto
the Stunt High Trail. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Cold Creek Area |
Stunt High Trail |
Date: 3/14/05 |
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Parking for this trailhead is on
Stunt Road about 1 mile in from Mulholland Highway. Across the street is the
entrance to the Calabasas Fire Road. We parked here and drove another car up
Stunt Road where this trailhead starts at the telephone pole at the upper end
of Stunt Ranch, UCLA Reserve parking. The two mile trail descends through the
Stunt Ranch property to the creek where we turned right to continue along the
creek back to the lower parking lot. Lots of flowers are in bloom here. We
counted 35 species spaced along the trail with a good variety, blue dicks,
eucrypta, wild cucumber, nightshade and mariposa lilies. By far the highlights of this walk were
the masses of red maids, fiddleneck and owl’s clover blooming in the
meadow in the center of the walk and the baby blue eyes blooming along the
bottom portion of the trail along the creek. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
The Backbone Trail |
Date: 3/12/05 |
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This hike was the fourth of the NPS
2004-2005 Backbone Trail Series. We will be hiking the entire Backbone Trail,
one part each month and reporting on the flowers seen. This hike was from the
Mulholland Trailhead near Circle X Ranch East to Kanan Road: a distance of
6.8 miles. The segments hiked included the newest section of the trail
running from Mulholland Highway to Encinal Canyon Road, Trancas Canyon Trail,
Edison Road to Yellow Gate on Encinal Canyon Road, Encinal Canyon Road to
Zuma Fire Road, and Zuma Fire Road to Upper Zuma Section to Kanan Road. The
weather started out with a low overcast, clearing off to sunny just as we got
to the greatest climb of the day. We recorded seeing 75 species in
bloom, with a couple additional ones in question. You probably have read in the newspaper
that many seldom seen flowers are appearing as a result of the extensive
rains. That was our experience, seeing Indian Warrior along the Upper Zuma
section and a Violet Snapdragon along the new section just below Mulholland
Highway. The flowers are more numerous this
year and generally larger in size. The normally shy Twining Snapdragon was
plentiful on the newest section of trail. The recently disturbed soil
encourages many of the fire follower species such as the Parry’s
Phacelia. At least four varieties of Lupine were blooming: Succulent, Bush,
Stinging and Dove. This new section of
trail was constructed through some old chaparral and the lichens are
spectacular, but that is another story. Eucrypta is plentiful in the damp,
shaded area. Descending into Trancas Canyon we saw many Milkmaids and Pacific
Sanicle, and as we climbed back up Mustard Evening Primrose and Small Flower
Evening Primrose were plentiful. California Poppies are spectacular along the
Zuma Fire Road. Prickly Phlox added to
the scene as we viewed the surprising volume of water at the Upper Zuma
Waterfall. About the midpoint of the Upper Zuma Canyon section we saw a
number of Indian Warrior. Nearing Kanan we saw a Western Redberry and an
awesome display of Bush Lupine. Almost at the end of the hike was a grouping
of delicate Lace Pod. Rating is very good. We have to leave
some rating room for even better displays in the next month or so. (BE and TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Peter Strauss Ranch |
Peter Strauss Trail |
Date: 3/11/05 |
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This small unit, with its short Peter
Strauss Trail, is perfect for a picnic and an afternoon stroll. It is also
more developed than many of the other units so there are more non-natives and
fewer examples of dramatic wildflower displays. There are, however, planted
gardens near the house and lawn which contain interesting examples of
cultivated flowers. Wildflower highlights include
Milkmaids, Wild Sweet Pea, Purple Nightshade, Crimson Pitcher Sage,
Buck-brush, and Angel's Gilia. Also seen blooming were Chickweed,
Pacific Sanicle, Annual Bedstraw, Celery, Miners Lettuce, Wild Cucumber,
Knotted Hedge Parsley, Hollyleaf Redberry, Bur Clover, both Red and
White-stem Filaree, Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry, Mountain Mahogany, Henbit,
Spring Vetch, and Weedy Oxalis. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Point Mugu State Park |
La Jolla Canyon Trail |
Date: 3/10/05 |
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On 10 March, 2005 we hiked the La Jolla
Canyon Trail from PCH to the pond and trail campsite in the valley. The
promise noted about two months ago is being fulfilled along this trail. We
identified 79 species, including the grasses, that
were in bloom with good quantities of most of them. I would rate this a very good and hope that it gets even better.
Immediately onto the trail we spotted bush monkey flower, cliff aster, giant
coreopsis, bush sunflower and bladder pod. Amongst
the many grasses noted were ripgut brome, Madrid brome, golden top, red
brome, slender oats, fountain grass, and Dallas grass. Proceeding along the
trail we encountered red-stem filaree, morning glory, S. Calif. locoweed,
sour clover, golden yarrow, sow thistle, and even poison oak displaying their
flowers. Bush mallow was seen as well as an unusual lavender datura. Tree
tobacco, mule fat, deerweed and bur clover were also present. Yucca was seen
on the hillsides and both two-tone and velvet leaf
everlasting were blooming. Coast paint brush provided the only red
color, but several lupines were present including hillside, dove, stinging
and Coulter. Blue dicks were plentiful and a few Calif. buckwheat. The
fern-leaf phacelia, mustard evening primrose, sweet fennel and pop corn
flower added to the trail side bouquets. Only a couple of Parry's phacelia
were out, but the wishbone bush was plentiful as was the hedge mustard and
wild sweet pea. We also saw Calif sagebrush, chaparral current, green bark
ceanothus and wild cucumber. A number of the Calif. walnut
were displaying their catkins and both annual and slender bedstraw
were blooming. A lot of the rigid hedge nettle were
in flower as well as the southern tauschia. Common groundsel, eucrypta,
purple nightshade, western wallflower, fiesta flower and canyon sun flower
were also present. The first Calif figwort was seen as was snake root,
miner's lettuce, fuchsia flowered gooseberry, big pod ceanothus, sticky
phacelia and lemonade berry bush. A couple of white nightshade plants were
blooming and western ragweed, scarlet pimpernel, chamise, and wooly aster
were also found. A single star lily and several Catalina Mariposa lilies and a faded
group of shooting stars were found near the pond at the turnaround point of
the hike. On the return trip horehound and ashy leafed buckwheat were spotted
that we had missed on the way up. Also seen on the return leg were cheese
weed, dandelion and London rocket.
(RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Very
Good |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Backbone Trail between
Latigo and Kanan |
Date: 3/10/05 |
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This short section of the Backbone
trail is only 2.3 miles and consequently is easily done as a there-and-back
hike. As the number of blooming flowers increases it become more difficult to
select highlights, but they would have to include Bush Poppy, Purple
Nightshade, Milkmaids, Indian Paintbrush, Bush Lupine, Wild Sweet Pea, Blue
Dicks, Globe Gilia, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Blue-eyed Grass, and both Parry's
and Sticky Phacelia. Also seen were at least four
additional species of Lupines including Dove, Collar, Succulent and Coulter's
Lupine, California Filago, Popcorn Flower, Black Mustard, Caterpillar
Phacelia, Chamise, both Bush and Canyon Sunflower, Golden Yarrow, both
Greenbark and Bigpod Ceanothus, Eucrypta, Miners Lettuce, Pacific Sanicle,
Wild Morning Glory, Wild Cucumber, Bush Monkey Flower, California Peony,
California Buckwheat, Elderberry, Greenbark Ceanothus, both Red and
White-stem Filaree, Shiny Lomatium, Scrub Oak, Annual and Climbing Bedstraw,
Hollyleaf Redberry, Poison Oak, Black Walnut, Bur-clover, Common Fiddleneck,
Common Groundsel, Deerweed, and Two-tone Everlasting. All told about 50
species in bloom. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Rocky Oaks |
Loop Trail to Grotto |
Date: 3/7/05 |
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We just had a quick go-round on the
southern-most trail to grotto area, but viewed some of the most robust CA
poppies and chocolate lilies ever. The lilies were tucked under some
chaparral in a soggy section, with 2-foot flower stalks and multiple wide
blooms. Some of the other dozen species included a less common lupine
(bajada?), canyon sunflower, milkmaids, popcorn and star lily. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa loop |
Date: 3/6/05 |
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The meadow areas of loop are
overgrown with mature, non-native grasses and grains and the usual mix of
mustard, radish and purple vetch flowers. However, the hillsides and upper part
of loop had a good selection of native blooms including the first-in-area
windmill and Indian pinks, chamise, blue-eyed grass, black sage and toyon.
Other notables included bevies of blue dicks, shooting stars, hedge nettle,
fiddlenecks and a patch of johnny-jump-ups (violets). All told,
about 30 species with more popping all the time. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Paramount Ranch |
Various Trails |
Date: 3/5/2005 |
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Coyote Trail (fair)
- Creek alongside trail is currently flowing, adding sound and beauty to the
first section of this short trail. Owls clover,
fiddleneck, and blue dicks are common at the beginning and a few wooly blue
curls, California poppies, and big pod ceanothus are blooming towards the
connection with the Hacienda Trail. Trail has ruts due to rain flowing down
the center of the trail. Lower Hacienda
Trail (good) - Trail is muddy with standing water in the center of the trail
but is passable. Small patches of Johnny Jump-ups, California poppies and
vetch are common. A couple varieties of lupine are just starting to bloom.
This trail gives an opportunity to see rolling hills of green grass, dotted
with patches of yellow and orange. Backdrop Trail (fair)
- Several variety of blue bloomers can be found,
chia, prickly lupine, blue dicks, greenbark ceanothus, Parry's phacelia, and
blue larkspur. Other species that can be discovered are windmill pink,
prickly phlox, and bigpod ceanothus. Trail has muddy sections. Note: This
trail connects to the Bwana Trail which has standing water on the trail and
is very muddy at this time. Flowers along the Bwana trail are poor. (KL) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair
to Good |
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Cold Creek Preserve
Area |
Various Trails |
Date: 3/3/05 |
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On March 3, 2005
we hiked along a couple of adjacent trails off Stunt Road. In the Cold Creek
Preserve. The 1 1\4 mile round trip trail along upper Cold Creek was first
explored and then the Calabasas Motorway to Calabasas Peak was traveled for
about 3 miles round trip. Including the grasses, 55 species were found to be
blooming rating a good. The trail along Cold Creek was muddy in a few places,
but readily traversable. The babbling of the brook was approaching a roar as
the volume of water flowing is still considerable. Seen along this trail was
red stem filaree, greenbark ceanothus, hedge mustard and several types and
sizes of toadstools and lots of lush moss. Golden yarrow, wild cucumber, blue
dicks, pineapple weed and bur clover were plentiful. Purple nightshade, a few
canyon sunflowers, and wild sweet peas were also in bloom. Numerous milkmaids
were present and a lot of snakeroot, but only a few in full bloom. Miner's lettuce was plentiful and lush and a few
baby blue eyes were spotted. Hairy leaved ceanothus was displaying its blue
flowers as was black sage. Some Venus hair fern was seen as was a fair amount
of two-tone everlasting. The usual morning glory was in bloom as was the less
commonly seen mustard evening primrose. The strigose lotus, windmill pink and
London rocket were also discovered. Some of the grasses displaying their new
inflorescences were slender oats, ripgut brome, wild oats, red brome and
Madrid brome. On the trail up to Calabasas Peak several
lupines were present: Coulter's, collared, dove, hillside and in profuse
quantity the beautiful red/purple stinging lupine. In several large stands
along the trail were popcorn flower and a few fiddlenecks. Amongst the
phacelias seen were the sticky phacelia, fern-leaf, and fiesta flower. A
number of wishbone bushes, bush sunflower and elderberry were also exhibiting
flowers. A few bush monkey flowers were present and a lot of Chilean clover.
A single collarless Calif. poppy and several prickly phlox were also in
bloom. The only red was a few brilliant coast paint brushes. The fragrant and
brilliant yellow of the Spanish broom was sprinkled along the way. Black
mustard, Calif. buckwheat, coast live oak, big-pod ceanothus, and sour clover
completed the floral bouquet for the day.
(RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Malibu Creek State Park |
High Road to Visitor
Center |
Date: 3/1/05 |
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Flowers are
starting to bloom nicely here, but you have to look carefully. Take the path
marked 'back country trails' (Crags Road) and see colorful displays of
wildflowers emerging from the grasses: small golden yellow bur clover
flowers, blue balls of globe gilia, baby blue eyes, reddish purple balls of
owl's clover and darker blue curls of phacelia mixed with the white stars of
wild cucumber vines and the occasional violet-purple whorls of chia. Highlights are the contrasting colors of
the flowers and the occasional willow trees covered with white fluff. Taking
the high road when the road splits (the low road is not
passable) brings you under the oaks to the bridge. Views of the creek
are excellent, in fact, Malibu Creek is so big it
seems more like Malibu River. Frogs are croaking, Sara's Orange Tip
butterflies are flying and swallows are swooping. Spring flowers are expected
to get better each week. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Rocky Oaks |
Various trails |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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Winter
storms have filled the pond at Rocky Oaks to the highest level seen in years.
The picnic table that was formerly beside the water is now in the water which
did not seem to bother the ducks floating on the pond. Most of the trails
were pretty muddy and only a few flowers were starting to bloom. The
highlights were seeing several large buckbrush (ceanothus cuneatus) in full
bloom and several giant chocolate lilies. These lily plants that are
generally less than a foot tall were two feet tall and just about to bloom.
The area will definitely be worth a trip back to see those blooms. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Bonsall Trailhead |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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The Bonsall Trailhead for Zuma Canyon
Trail was re-opened this week. A rough new trail now bypasses the washed out
section. We checked out the by pass and found many things already in full
bloom here. Chaparral sunflower has large burst of yellow flowers, a few
elderberry are starting as are deerweed, mustard, and wild cucumber. As soon
as the new section joins the old trail, the trail becomes very muddy. We
re-traced our steps and enjoyed good views of the new streambed and flowing
water. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Newton Trailhead |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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Most people are taking this trail to
see the Newton Waterfall, and as they walk down the trail beside the north
facing rock face, you can certainly hear the waterfall. You may also notice
the beautiful greenbark ceanothus bushes and wild cucumber vines, but unless
you make a point to look down, you will pass by some of the most interesting small
plants seen in some time. These small plants, mosses, lichens and ferns are
beautiful, delicate and well worth looking at. Little white flowers of
California lace pod and shepherd’s purse stand out against the
background of dark rock. Lichens, mosses, and ferns (goldback fern, bird’s
foot fern, and coastal wood fern) look like a tropical rain forest.
Interspersed among them are larkspurs (delphinium patens), miner’s
lettuce, saxifrage and small flowered meconella, a quite small white flower
with six petals that is a member of the poppy family. Virgin’s bower
and canyon sunflower are ready to bloom, but not out yet. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Leo Carrillo / Arroyo Sequit |
Nicholas Flat / Arroyo Sequit Loop
Trail |
Date: 2/3/05 |
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On 2/3/05 we hiked two areas just a
few miles apart, Nicholas Flat and Arroyo Sequit. We first entered the trail
off Decker School Road and made a clockwise loop around the Nicholas Flat
Area. We found the large pond to be full but extremely muddy, but with none
of the water plants yet revived. We did find purple nightshade, wild
cucumber, wild sweet peas and even some Vinca major blooming. Miner's lettuce
was plentiful and snake root was starting to flower. A few fuchsia-flowered
gooseberries, poison oak and hedge mustard also were in flower. Greenback
ceanothus, both white and blue blossomed were conspicuously positioned along
the way. In the grassy areas many fiddlenecks and some horehound were
blooming along with slender oats and Calif. everlasting. Red stem filaree and
blue dick were also present in the grasslands mostly. Some arroyo willow were sporting their catkins and the bur clover held
aloft its tiny yellow flower. Some hold-over Western ragweed was seen and the
canyon sunflower was starting to bloom. Scarlet pitcher sage, bush monkey
flower, black sage, deer weed, bush sunflowers and morning glory were also
encountered. The masses of shooting stars continue to delight as does the
coast paintbrush. Some hog fennel was spotted as well as popcorn flower,
dandelion, several yucca, chaparral current and
bigpod ceanothus and the tiny common groundsel. The trail was dry but deeply
rutted with loose stones from the recent rains, requiring more attention to
the trail than one would really like. This loop is about 3.5 miles and the
bloom rating is still fair with about 22 species found to be in bloom. The second part of the hike was over
the 1.5 mile loop at nearby Arroyo Sequit. Many of the same plants seen at
Nicholas Flat were also seen on this part of the hike, but additionally wooly
lomatium, holly-leaf redberry, Calif. peony, and Bermuda buttercup. Also seen
were gum plant, prickly phlox, chamise (budding), and shiny lomatium.
Two-tone everlasting and felt-leaf everlasting were found as were elderberry,
telegraph weed, and eucrypta. The prize, for me, was several Indian warriors,
the first that I have found. The bloom rating was fair and the two creek
crossings which had been washed out were found to be significant obstacles
since they were sheer eight foot banks that someone had hacked some foot
holds in to aid in descending and ascending. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Rancho Sierra Vista / |
Wendy and Upper
Sycamore Canyon Trails |
Date: 1/25/05 |
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On Jan. 25, 2005 we hiked down the
Wendy Trail and made a 5.5 mile loop around the area returning from the South
along the Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail with a stop at the Waterfall before
returning to the trail head on Portrero Canyon Rd. The weather was cool and comfortable, the trail dry in most places and the
flowering species observed numbered 54 warranting a good rating for the first
time this year. Across the grasslands the wild radish dominated with colors
of lavender, lavender and white, white, yellow and rose observed. The usual
hedge mustard was present, but the less frequently seen hog fennel and
Johnny-jump-ups were also seen. Blue dick, big-pod ceanothus, morning glory,
deerweed and a single rose in a large stand of wild rose were observed along
the way. Red stem filaree and quite a few shooting stars were on display as
well. Amongst the grasses in flower were both wild and slender oats and
foxtail barley. Bush lupine were seen as well as
stinging lupine. Several small stands of fiddleneck were in bloom as was the
arroyo willow. Other trees blooming were an
eucalyptus globulus, Calif. laurel and what appeared to be a domestic apricot
along the trail to the waterfall. Bush sunflower and canyon sunflower were
passed as were three of the everlasting: Calif., velvet leaf, and
two-toned. The ubiquitous telegraph
weed, common groundsel and some coyote bush and ragweed were still hanging
around from last year. Horehound and black sage were both starting to bloom
and the green-bark ceanothus was thick on the hillsides with a few adding
their bouquet along the trail. The first popcorn flower, wishbone bush, and
golden yarrow for this year were starting to bloom. The sow thistle and wild
cucumber were still blooming as well as a couple of wooly asters and purple
sage. There was a lot of wild sweet pea seen and a few scarlet pitcher sage blooming. Holly leaf redberry, and chaparral current
and poison oak displayed their blooms in various locations. Seen for the
first time this year was miner's lettuce and fiesta flower. Virgin's bower
was blooming wildly as it crawled over the adjacent chaparral. Milkmaid and
blue larkspur and eucrypta was spotted along the
trail to the waterfall. Also seen in passing were some bur clover and Calif. collarless
poppy. The water fall was pouring copious
quantities of water down its cascade and the babble of the running water in
the stream was a constant sound to be heard throughout the hike up the Upper
Sycamore Canyon trail. Even the accursed "macadam road" was a
pleasant walk since we chose to go down it and hike back up via the Upper
Sycamore Canyon Trail. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive Ph.
805-370-2301 web. www.nps.gov/samo |
Thank
you for your
contributions: Sheila
Braden |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
him at 310-457-6408 |
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