Plant Guide to Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park

Mile	S	#	id?	FAM	(*)Common Name	Scientific Name	#Plants
0.00				Begin guide at signed Trailhead north of West Rim Drive bus stop, north of the mule corral; CP "S. Rim", elevation 6845 feet (2086 m), in Kaibab Limestone, thickness 350 feet here
0.00	b	1		PIN	two-needle pinyon pine	Pinus edulis	50 / 9
0.00	b	2	sp	GRO	trumpet or desert gooseberry	Ribes leptanthum (berries black) or R. velutinum (berries yellow)	99 / 9
0.00	b	3	ssp	GRO	wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	40 / 9
0.00	b	4		AST	hoary-aster	Machaeranthera canescens	50 / 9
0.00	b	5		BRA	Wright's thelypody	Thelypodium wrightii	10 / 3
0.00	r	6		MAL	*common mallow	Malva neglecta	10 / 2
0.00	r	7	~	POA	*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9
0.00	r	8		FAG	Gambel oak	Quercus gambelii	50 / 9
0.00	r	9		NYC	smooth spreading four o'clock	Mirabilis oxybaphoides	50 / 9
0.00	r	10		POL	*knotweed	Polygonum arenastrum	1 / 1
0.00	r	11	sp	BRA	peppergrass	Lepidium sp.	5 / 1
0.00	r	12	~	CAP	snowberry	Symphoricarpos oreophilus	99 / 9
0.00	b	13		AMA	Powell's amaranth	Amaranthus powellii	20 / 2
0.00	r	14		ROS	Utah service-berry	Amelanchier utahensis	50 / 9
0.00	l	15		CUP	Utah juniper	Juniperus osteosperma	20 / 9
0.01	r			Sign: "Mesozoic Rock Formation / Kaibab Limestone"
0.01	r	16		BRA	smooth western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. glabra	20 / 3
0.02	b	17		AST	threadleaf common rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila	50 / 9
0.02	b	18		CHE	*tumbling oracle	Atriplex rosea	/
0.02	l	19		LAM	*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	20 / 5
0.03	l	20		ROS	fern bush	Chamaebatiaria millefolium	10 / 9
0.04	r			Jct. path from Kolb Studio
0.04	l	21		AST	California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	99 / 9
0.05	l	22	~	AMA	*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus	5 / 2
0.05	r	23		LAM	*catnip	Nepeta cataria	20 / 3
0.05	r	24	?	unk rosette like wallflower, Erysimum capitatum
0.05	r	25	ssp	AST	silver wormwood	Artemisia ludoviciana (ssp. albula?)	30 / 5
0.05	r	26		VIT	Virginia creeper	Parthenocissus vitacea	1 / 1
0.05	r			Sign: "Bright Angel Trail and Grand Canyon Information"
0.05				Switchback left
0.06	r	27		BRA	*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	10 / 3
0.08	r			Sign: "When mules pass"
0.09	l	28		AST	Grand Canyon rock-daisy	Perityle congesta	50 / 9
0.12	l	29		AST	matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae	50 / 9
0.12	l			(AST Arizona thistle, Cirsium arizonicum var. nidulum)
0.15				First Tunnel
0.16	r	30		AST	big sagebrush	Artemisia tridentata	30 / 9
0.16	b	31		AST	white prairie daisy	Symphyotrichum falcatum (=Virgulus falcatus)	99 / 9
0.16	l	32		POA	*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum	20 / 2
0.16	l	33		RAN	Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri	10 / 9
0.18	r			(RUT pallid hoptree, Ptelea trifoliata ssp. pallida var. pallida)
0.20	l	34		AST	fragrant snakeroot	Ageratina herbacea	30 / 5
0.21	r			(CAC prickly pear, Opuntia sp.)
0.23	r			Sign: "Do not attempt to hike to the bottom and back in one day..."
0.23				Switchback left at ridge
0.28	r			(ROS Apache plume, Fallugia paradoxa)
0.28	r	35	~	POA	slender wheatgrass	Elymus trachycaulus	50 / 9
0.29	l			(Check if this grass with longer awns is still Hordeum murinum, or if this was a young flower of Elymus elymoides)
0.29	b		sp	(SCR penstemon with orange/red flowers, Penstemon sp.; Penstemon barbatus?; check for different grass species)
0.29				Cross Bright Angel Fault onto Toroweap Redbeds, thickness 250 feet here
0.33	r		~	(POA, Indian ricegrass, Achnatherum hymenoides)
0.33	l	36		MAL	littleleaf globe mallow	Sphaeralcea parvifolia	10 / 3
0.33	r	37		POL	Simpson's buckwheat	Eriogonum microthecum var. simpsonii	50 / 9
0.34	r		~	(banana yucca, Yucca baccata)
0.34	r	38		EPH	green ephedra	Ephedra viridis	30 / 9
0.36	l	39		ROS	cliffrose	Purshia stansburiana	1 / 1
0.36	l	40		POA	*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	5 / 1
0.39	r	41	~	POA	Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides	5 / 1
0.40				Switchback right; CP #1, elevation 6630 feet (2021 m)
0.40	b	42		CHE	*Russian thistle	Salsola tragus	10 / 1
0.41	b	43	sp	POA	Achnatherum sp.?	grass like needlegrass	/
0.43	l	44	sp	POA	unk grass	?	3 / 1
0.43	l	45	~	AGA	banana yucca	Yucca baccata	10 / 9
0.43	r	46		BER	Fremont barberry	Mahonia fremontii	5 / 5
0.43	l	47		CHE	Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	10 / 2
0.50				Cross Bright Angel Fault back onto Kaibab Limestone
0.53	l			(AST Colorado rubberweed, Hymenoxys richardsonii var. floribunda)
0.54	r	48		ROS	shrubby cream bush	Holodiscus dumosus	5 / 1
0.55	r			Contact between the Kaibab and Toroweap Formations
0.58	r	49		SAX	coral bells	Heuchera rubescens var. versicolor	3 / 3
0.59				(RHA birchleaf buckthorn, Frangula betulifolia (=Rhamnus b.) ssp. obovata)
0.59	r	50	sp	RUB	bedstraw	Galium sp.	1 / 1
0.63	r	51	~	AST	Arizona thistle	Cirsium arizonicum var. nidulum	10 / 9
0.64	r	52	~	SCR	Palmer's penstemon	Penstemon palmeri	10 / 2
0.64	r	53	~	POL	southern mountain phlox	Phlox austromontana ssp. austromontana	2 / 2
0.68	b	54		PIN	Rocky Mountain Douglas fir	Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca	10 / 3
0.69	l			Jct. use path
0.70	l	55		HYD SAX	Fendler bush	Fendlera rupicola	40 / 9
0.70	r	56		POA	*smooth brome	Bromus inermis	30 / 5
0.71	l			Jct. use path
0.72	r	57		POA	squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	30 / 9
0.72	r			Kolb Seep Springs
0.72	r		sp	(CAR sedge, Carex sp.)
0.73				Switchback left; CP #2, elevation 6364 feet (1940 m)
0.76	r	58		RUT	pallid hoptree	Ptelea trifoliata ssp. pallida var. pallida	40 / 9
0.79	l			Check to make sure this is the same orange/red penstemon as earlier
0.87				Second Tunnel, through hardened Bright Angel Fault, CP "Tunnel (#2)", elevation 6248 feet (1904 m). Cross into Coconino Sandstone, thickness 350 feet here
0.89	l			Grand Canyon rock-daisy, Perityle congesta, with ovate leaves (earlier plants had narrowly-elliptic leaves)
0.90				Switchback right; CP #3, elevation 6218 feet (1895 m). Begin series of short switchbacks
0.90	l		~	(RAN virgin's bower, Clematis ligusticifolia)
0.94	l	59	~	BET	Knowlton hop hornbeam	Ostrya knowltonii	30 / 9
0.96				Switchback left
0.98				Switchback right; CP #4, elevation 6153 feet (1875 m)
0.98	l			(AGA Kaibab century plant, Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis)
	r	60		BRA	shepherd's purse	Capsella bursa-pastoris	1 / 1
1.01				Trail curves right 90°.
1.05				Switchback left
1.08				Switchback right; CP #5, elevation 6073 feet (1851 m); cross into Hermit Shale, thickness 300 feet here, just below this point
1.12				Switchback left
1.16				Switchback right; CP #6, elevation 6007 feet (1831 m)
1.20				Switchback left.
1.20	l	61	~	BER	creeping barberry	Mahonia repens	10 / 2
1.24				Switchback right; CP #7, elevation 5946 feet (1812 m)
1.27				Cross drainage
1.30				Switchback left; CP #8, elevation 5900 feet (1798 m)
1.30	r			Jct. use path
1.31				Switchback right.
1.35	r			Jct. use path
1.35	r	62		RAN	virgin's bower	Clematis ligusticifolia	2 / 1
1.35	r	63	ssp	AST	silver wormwood	Artemisia ludoviciana (ssp. mexicana?)	5 / 1
1.36	r	64	~	RUB	desert bedstraw	Galium stellatum ssp. eremicum	5 / 5
1.45	r	65		OLE	fragrant ash	Fraxinus cuspidata	20 / 5
1.48				Trail bends right 90°; CP #9, elevation 5780 feet (1762 m)
1.49	r	66	~	POA	mutton grass	Poa fendleriana	30 / 9
1.51	r	67	~	MAL	gooseberryleaf globemallow	Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia	10 / 3
1.53	l			(AGA closest Kaibab century plant, Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis)
1.55				Trail curves right at ridge
	r			Check for small Asteraceae plant with scabrous stems
				Check for Argemone arizonica "above and below trail here"
1.58				1.5 mile Resthouse; CP "(1.5 mile) resthouse", elevation 5714 feet (1742 m)
1.59	r			(SCR common mullein, Verbascum thapsus)
1.62	r			Jct. short trail to the 1.5 mile restrooms; switchback left; CP #10, elevation 5692 feet (1735 m)
1.64	l	68		SCR	common mullein	Verbascum thapsus	2 / 1
1.67	l		~	(CRO spiny greasebush, Glossopetalon spinescens var. aridum)
1.68				Cross into Supai Group, thickness 950 feet here
1.70				Trail curves left 90°; CP #11, elevation 5644 feet (1720 m)
1.71	r	69		AST	longleaf brickellbush	Brickellia longifolia	99 / 9
1.75	l		?	(unk species similar to penstemon but with leaves almost entirely basal)
1.75	r			Check for different prickly-pear
1.77				"Shade View" - overhanging boulders giving shade with a great view.
1.80				Trail curves left 90°; CP #12, elevation 5582 feet (1701 m)
1.91				Long switchback right at main drainage; CP #13, elevation 5518 feet (1682 m)
1.95	l	70		AST	greenstem paperflower	Psilostrophe sparsiflora	5 / 2
1.98	l	71		AST	sticky snakeweed	Gutierrezia microcephala	5 / 2
2.00	l	72		POA	*red brome	Bromus rubens	10 / 1
2.01				Switchback right at 2 mile corner; CP #14, elevation 5443 feet (1659 m)
2.04	r	73	~	OLE	single-leaf ash	Fraxinus anomala	1 / 1
2.04	r	74		POA	*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	30 / 9
2.10				Long switchback left at red amphitheater in main drainage; CP #15, elevation 5407 feet (1648 m)
2.13	r	75	?		unk species similar to penstemon but with leaves almost entirely basal (same as off-trail plants at mile 1.75)	?	5 / 1
2.20	r	76	?		unk herb resembling Epilobium in CA, similar to Comandra umbellata ssp. pallida but with clasping leaves	?	10 / 1
2.25				Switchback left; CP #16, elevation 5305 feet (1617 m)
2.25	r			Jct. with what looks like a previous segment of the Bright Angel Trail
2.30	r	77		CAC	prickly-pear	Opuntia sp.	/
2.33				Switchback right; CP #17, elevation 5244 feet (1598 m)
2.39				Switchback left; CP #18, elevation 5197 feet (1584 m)
2.42	r	78		AGA	Kaibab century plant	Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis	1 / 1
2.43				Switchback right; CP #19, elevation 5165 feet (1574 m)
2.48				Switchback left; CP #20, elevation 5133 feet (1565 m)
2.52				Switchback right; CP #21, 5097 feet (1554 m)
2.58				Trail curves left 90° at side drainage; CP #22, 5056 feet (1541 m)
2.64	l	79		FAG	shrub live oak	Quercus turbinella	20 / 2
2.68				Switchback left, CP #23, elevation 4978 feet (1517 m)
2.70	r	80		AST	Colorado rubberweed	Hymenoxys richardsonii var. floribunda	5 / 1
2.71				Switchback right; CP #24, elevation 4955 feet (1510 m)
2.75				Curve left 90°.
2.77				Curve right 90°.
2.78				Switchback left, CP #25, elevation 4897 feet (1493 m)
2.84				Switchback right; CP #26, elevation 4855 feet (1480 m)
				Check for Argemone munita vouchered from "4800 feet" here
2.90				Curve left 90°.
2.95				Curve right 90°.
3.01				Jct. short path to 3 mile Resthouse; CP "(3 mile) Resthouse", elevation 4733 feet (1443 m)
3.03				Switchback left.
3.09	l			(SEL spike-moss, Selaginella mutica)
3.09				Switchback right; CP #27, elevation 4663 feet (1422 m); enter Redwall Limestone, thickness 450 feet here
3.13				Switchback left.
3.15				Switchback right.
3.16				Switchback left.
3.21				Switchback right.
3.22				Curve right 90°.
3.23				Switchback left.
3.26				Curve left 90°.
3.26	l	81		RHA	birchleaf buckthorn	Frangula betulifolia (=Rhamnus b.) ssp. obovata	1 / 1
3.26	l	82		AST	spiny brickellbush	Brickellia atractyloides	20 / 9
3.28	l	83	?		unk tall shrub with terminal infl, similar in appearance to lonicera but with alt shallowly-toothed leaves	?	5 / 2
3.29				Switchback right at the closest part of the trail to the "Petrified Snow" (caused by falling rocks chipping off the red coat on the Redwall Limestone due to the Supai Group above, exposing the natural gray/white color). CP #28, 4512 feet (1375 m)
3.29		84	sp	NYC	four o'clock	Allionia incarnata or Mirabilis sp.	10 / 2
3.32				Curve right 90°.
3.34				Switchback left.
3.36				Curve left 90°.
3.38				Switchback right.
3.40				Curve right 90°.
3.41				Switchback left.
3.44				Switchback right; CP #29, elevation 4396 feet (1340 m)
3.45				Trail curves left 90° and crosses small drainage
3.50				Enter Temple Butte Limestone; thickness 35 feet here
3.52	l	85		POA	side-oats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	50 / 9
3.55	r	86		ANA	simple-leaved basketbush	Rhus trilobata var. simplicifolia	2 / 2
3.62				Switchback right; CP #30, elevation 4255 feet (1297 m)
3.62	r	87	~	AST	resin brittlebush	Encelia resinifera ssp. resinifera	20 / 5
3.65	r	88	~	AST	rush rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. juncea	/
3.65	l	89	~	EUP	western bernardia	Bernardia incana	3 / 2
3.69				Long switchback left, cross good-sized side drainage; CP #31, elevation 4208 feet (1283 m); enter Muav Limestone, thickness 375 feet here. Below here, the trail is mostly on alluvial deposits, and the Muav Limestone and the Bright Angel Shale, thickness 350 feet, are not evident.
3.69	l			(Check for different needlegrass, Achnatherum sp.)
3.69	l	90		PAP	Roaring Springs prickly-poppy	Argemone arizonica	1 / 1
3.70	l			Check these plants to see if they are young fourwing saltbush, same as the next species
3.73	r	91		CHE	fourwing saltbush	Atriplex canescens	1 / 1
3.73	r	92	sp	POA	needlegrass?	Achnatherum (scribneri?)	5 / 1
3.73	r	93		POL	desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	3 / 1
				End plant trail guide; following are just landmarks to Indian Gardens
3.92				Cross creekbed, with high-pressure water pipe elevated on left; CP #32, elevation 4093 feet (1248 m)
4.09				Curve left 90°, cross streambed, then turn right 90°; CP #33, elevation 4029 feet (1228 m)
4.12				Switchback right (only ~90°)
4.36				Cross creekbed; CP #34, elevation 3884 feet (1184 m)
4.40				Sign: "Indian Gardens" (arrow pointing downhill)
4.41				Sign: "The plants you see here are the living desert. They grow by the inch and die by the foot".
				Additional species from a plant list for Upper Bright Angel Trail provided by Lori Makarick:
				AST	tidy fleabane	Erigeron concinnus	/
				GRO	trumpet gooseberry	Ribes leptanthum	/
				GRO	desert gooseberry	Ribes velutinum	/
				NYC	giant four o'clock	Mirabilis multiflora	/
				PAP	prickly poppy	Argemone munita	/
				POL		Phlox longifolia	/
				RAN	barestem larkspur	Delphinium scaposum	/
				ROS	interior rose	Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana	/
				RUB	Munz's bedstraw	Galium munzii	/
				SCR	Eaton's penstemon	Penstemon eatonii	/