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Page Revised: 2/14/05 |
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Available Sites Circle X Ranch |
Date of Review 2/12/05 & 2/4/05 &
1/22/05 & 1/14/05 |
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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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Recent 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: 2/12/05 |
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This trail, running from the
Sandstone Peak trailhead to the campgrounds passes through several ecosystems
and consequently often has a wide variety of flowers represented. The trail
drains well and is mostly dry and pleasant going even a few hours after a
heavy rain, although the grass is now getting high enough in places to get
shoes wet if done immediately after a rain. Crossing a rock-bottomed creek
and running above the West Fork of the Arroyo Sequit it is frequently
serenaded by the sound of running and falling water. Be sure to take a quick
side trip of a few hundred yards and walk part way down the Grotto trail just
below the small falls. This short “flower alley” is worth any
flower watcher’s time. My personal highlights include masses
of Blue Dicks, a large patch of Globe Gila, a small but dense patch of
Skullcap, California Peony, frequent scatterings of Wishbone Bush, many Wild
Cucumber, the wonderfully scented Hollyleaf Cherry, masses of Greenbark
Ceanothus, what my wife and I call the Valley of the Blue Curls, a nice spray
of Virgin's Bower, Shooting Stars, both Purple and White Nightshade, both
Succulent and Stinging Lupine, some Blue Larkspur, several Collarless
California Poppy, a few Owl Clover, and a single Parry's Phacelia. It is
always fun to see a new flower for the first time and for me it was the
Twining Snapdragon. Completing the list we saw Wild
Morning Glory, Common Fiddleneck, Popcorn Flower, Mule Fat, Miners Lettuce,
Black Sage, Common Groundsel, Black Mustard, Woolly Aster, Henbit, Eucrypta,
California Black Walnut, California Laurel, Mustard Evening Primrose,
Narrow-leaved Fringe-pod, Golden Yarrow, Yellow Monkey Flower, Chaparral
Current, Hollyleaf Redberry, California Saxifrage, Pineapple Weed, Mountain
Mahogany, Elderberry, Western Sycamore, Deerweed, Pacific Sanicle, Telegraph
Weed, Small Evening Primrose, California Buckwheat, one of the small yellow
Lotus, both Bush and Canyon Sunflower, both Yellow Sweet and Bur Clover, both
Red-stem and White-stem Filaree, both Shiny and Woolly Lomatium, Felt-leaved,
California, and Two-toned Everlasting, and Narrow-leaved, Climbing and Annual
Bedstraw. We also saw several examples of Poison Oak in bloom -- a good
reason to stay safe by staying on the trail. All told a count of 65 different
species in bloom but since many have not yet really hit their stride we can't
give as high a rating as we otherwise might. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 2/4/05 |
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The trail is dry except for a few muddy
patches that are easy to avoid. Getting to the grotto itself is a little
different than a month ago because the stream bed has shifted a bit and a few
sections are still flooded. We counted forty three different
species in bloom but most are only lightly represented. Highlights include
many Greenbark Ceanothus, Purple Nightshade, and Wild Cucumber. In the reds
the California Peony is well along while the Crimson Pitcher Sage is just
beginning. Chaparral Currant, Milkmaids, scatterings of Wild Sweet Pea and a
few Winter Vetch blossoms add pink to the landscape. In the blues a large
patch of Stinging Lupine is close to the almost open buds of the Wishbone
Bush. Near the first waterfall several Blue Larkspur are open with a promise
of many more to come. Blue Dicks were plentiful in the grassy meadow. For
yellows we have along the lower trail both Bush Sunflower and Canyon
Sunflower with Telegraph Weed and Deerweed near the upper end. The whites
were well represented by Wild Cucumber, Wild Morning Glory, Virgin's Bower,
White Nightshade, and Popcorn Flower. Also in bloom along this trail were
California Everlasting, Two-tone Everlasting, Felt-leaf Everlasting,
California Buckwheat, Red-stem Filaree, Redberry, Bur-clover, Woolly Aster,
Elderberry, Yellow Sweet Clover, Pineapple Weed, Poison Oak, Mountain
Mahogany, Mule Fat, Miner’s Lettuce, Narrow-leaved Bedstraw, Black
Sage, Oxalis, Southern Tauschia, Arroyo Willow, Common Groundsel, and Black
Mustard. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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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. (RMW) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Zuma loop trail from
Bush trailhead |
Date: 1/29/05 |
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Encelia
californica Helianthus annuus Paeonia
californica Calystegia macrostegia Solanum
xantii Mara macrocarpus Lathyrus
laetiflorus Ceanothus spinosus Castilleja affinis. (AS) |
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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. (RMW) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below
Triunfo Peak |
Date: 1/22/05 |
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This Hike ran from the Eastern intersection
of the Backbone trail with Yerba Buena Road to the Sandstone Peak trailhead,
a distance of about 5.5 miles. We are now seeing new flowers every trip out
and counted twenty-four species in bloom (including the weedy ones like black
Mustard and Common Groundsel). Ceanothus were represented by Bigpod,
Greenbark and the beginnings of a few Hairy-leaved Ceanothus. Bush Sunflower,
Hollyleaf Redberry, Wild Cucumber and Chaparral Current were plentiful in
spots as were Woolly Lomatium and Purple Nightshade. The diminutive Bur
Clover, Small Evening Primrose and Popcorn Flower were only seen in only a
few scattered locations and required a sharp eye. Black Sage and Deerweed had
begun to bloom in several locations and although already blooming elsewhere I
saw my first Morning Glory, Wild Peony and Yellow Monkey Flower blooming here
at Circle X this day. Just below the Mishe Mokwa trail we encountered a
good-sized field of Shooting Stars. Scattered holdouts from the last blooming
season included a few Twiggy Wreath Plants, some Coyote Brush, and even a
Rock Rose. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Point Mugu State Park |
La Jolla and Loop
Trails |
Date: 1/18/05 |
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We got back on the trail again on a beautiful
warm and dry weekday morning. The trails of choice were the La Jolla and Loop
Trails on Jan. 18, 2005. During the hike of about 5.5 miles we encountered 39
different species exhibiting blooms. Starting right from the trail head we
spotted bush sunflower, giant coreopsis, bladder pod, bush mallow, mulefat, deer weed and morning glory. There were spots of
coast paintbrush throughout the hike with red-stem filaree, black sage,
fountain grass and Calif. everlasting also seen. Blue dicks were seen sporadically
all along the trails and some mustard was already showing color. The lemonade
berry bush was starting to bloom as well as a single chaparral yucca and
several bush monkey flowers. A single coast wallflower was found and a lot of
Southern Tauchia and wild sweetpea.
Amongst the usual pink and white sweetpeas was one
plant with all pure white blooms. A few wild blackberries were present and
purple nightshade as well as one white nightshade plant. Several Fuchsia
flowered goose berries were in bloom as well as a lot of chaparral current.
Only a few bigpod ceanothus and greenbark ceanothus were flowering. A few
sweet fennel and Calif. sagebrush showed their flowers as did the two-toned
everlasting and purple sage. Several lupines were seen that may have been of
the foothill variety. Snakeroot, poison oak and common groundsel was seen ,
but the special treat was a large group of shooting stars. The large pond at
the trail campsite was full and overflowing, but muddy as could be. The last
time we had been here the pond was completely dry. The two waterfalls on the
La Jolla Trail were flowing with copious quantities of water and the little
pond at the foot of the upper fall was full and inviting. (This pond was also
dry during our last visit). The trails were mostly dry, but were
like small river beds full of rocks from the water flow during the heavy
rains. Rating for blooms is a fair approaching good with lots of promise for
the weeks ahead. (RMW) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa garden |
Date: 1/15/05 |
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Satwiwa garden has nice early spring
blooms in a very small space. Many golden currants are in bloom along with a
few hummingbird sage plants. There is one small yellow monkeyflower
along with one or two fuchsia flowered gooseberry with multiple flowers. Both
of these are great plants for home gardens. Several blooming sugarbushes make a nice backdrop for the garden. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa and
Sandstone Peak Trails |
Date: 1/14/05 |
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A very brief update to the report on
1/1/05: The trail condition is generally good but there are muddy patches and
there is one place where you have to pass a large rock completely covering
the trail. The stream crossing at Split Rock will require balancing on the
rocks in the streambed to keep your feet dry. The flower situation is
essentially the same as on 1/1/05. (TV) |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa and
Sandstone Peak Trails |
Date: 1/1/05 |
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This hike is an annual New
Year’s Day event with the Conejo Group of the Sierra Club. The hike consists
of a counterclockwise loop, beginning up the Mishe Mokwa Trail and coming
back down the Sandstone Peak Trail, using the connector trail to get back to
the starting point; a distance of about 6 miles. This year the emergence of the usual
flowers is much later due to colder fall weather. Today a thick overcast
barely cleared Sandstone Peak. There are still a lot of Big Pod Ceanothus
blooming, but many are now forming seedpods. Without the sun, the Red Stem
Filaree flowers refused to open. The Chaparral Current is still quite
beautiful, in shades of red to light pink. A single Pearly Everlasting was
just beginning to bloom and Bay Laurel is budding. There is a fair amount of
mud in places on the trail. A few hours of sunshine would probably dry it
out. The sound of running water is everywhere. The stream crossing at Split
Rock is 8 to 10 feet wide. Side streams cross the trail on the way down from
the hillsides. About a tenth of a mile beyond Split Rock, on the right, is a
huge Chalk Live-Forever. I expected to find Silk Tassel in bloom in the area
of Split Rock, as in years past, but could only find dried tassels from last
season. There are Shooting Stars and Black Mustard coloring some of the
grassy areas. Many Bigberry Manzanita are blooming. After checking the flower
book I have come up with a good way to remember the difference between the
Bigberry and the Eastwood Manzanita:
the Eastwood variety is hairy, the Bigberry is not. Clint Eastwood
played Dirty Harry in the movies. (BE) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Contact
Information: 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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