Plant Guide to Deer Springs / Suicide Rock Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to Deer Springs / Suicide Rock Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides
Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

Guide is updated from 1 June 2009 fieldwork, but nothing else on this page has been updated from that work.
The Deer Springs Trail begins immediately north of the entrance to Idyllwild County Park, on SR243 one mile north of downtown Idyllwild. The Suicide Rock Trail branches off the Deer Springs Trail at mile 2.25; that branch is also included in this guide as a separate section at the bottom. The Deer Springs Trail continues past the Suicide Trail Junction to Strawberry Junction at mile 4.05 where it meets the PCT. The trails merge heading north to the junction with the Marion Mountain Trail at mile 6.01, which is the terminus of this Guide.
A free wilderness permit is required for day use, available either from the Forest Service office at 54270 Pinecrest, which is just east of SR243 in downtown Idyllwild, or from the San Jacinto State Park headquarters on Highway 243 just north of the Forest Service office. The permit is not available at the trailhead, and there are often rangers at the trailhead or along the trail checking permits on heavy use days. I have personally run into rangers checking permits on several different days.
Parking is extremely limited in the area. There are perhaps 10 spaces on the shoulder of SR243 immediately at the trailhead, and designated parking for perhaps another 10 cars at the signed parking area just west of the trailhead. Parking for the trail is no longer permitted at Idyllwild County Park, despite the presence of a fairly large usually-empty lot just south of the trailhead.
There is a shortcut trail on the northeast corner of the parking area; if you take that unsigned trail, you will miss the first 0.20 miles of this Guide.
The official Trail, the Parking Area, and the Shortcut Use Trail are shown in the following map (base map from Google Maps accessed on 25 June 2009):

The first ~0.25 miles of this trail, along with the entire Idyllwild County Park, are very depressing sites to any botanically-knowledgeable person. Due to the hysteria over fire safety, the area has mostly been nuked of all native plants, with many shrubs butchered into pathetic stick figures. Worse, the butchered parts have been shredded and spread as mulch to discourage the return of anything resembling a native landscape, disrupting the native soil seriously.
Worse yet, we don't think that there is any scientific evidence at all that this vandalization of the native landscape actually reduces the fire danger to the nearby homes or businesses. If anyone knows of any such evidence, please let us know.
Fortunately, the wilderness area has not yet been so vandalized, although we have seen tags with the same name as the organization that vandalized the lower part of the trail.
Highlights of This Trail

The botanical highlights of this trail are:

Number of Unique Taxa On This Trail

This section not updated from the 4/30/07 and 10/18/07 fieldwork.
The following histogram gives the number of trails in my database that contain each taxon on this trail. We had 94 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 6 of those trails, including this one, are in this area of San Jacinto Mountain. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database; numbers of "6" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area of San Jacinto Mountain.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 1 1%
2 7 7%
3 6 6%
4 8 8%
5 6 6%

1-5 28 27%
6-10 30 29%
11-15 19 18%
16-20 11 11%
21-25 5 5%
26-30 2 2%
31-35 1 1%
36-40 2 2%
41-45 2 2%
46-50 1 1%
51-55 1 1%
56-60 1 1%
Total Taxa 103 100%

We found 9 additional species not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ? or sp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time

This section not updated from the 4/30/07 and 10/18/07 fieldwork.
The following table gives the dates the trail was walked and taxa recorded. After each visit, the table gives the total number of taxa on the list and the breakdown of the taxa without positive identification. See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides to understand the symbols below.

Visit Date Visit # # taxa # "?" # "sp" # "~" # "ssp"
9/29/2006 1 57 2 6 9 6
10/5/2006 2 60 1 2 3 3
10/5/2006 2 90 2 5 7 3
10/10/2006 3 91 1 5 8 4
10/10/2006 3 102 2 5 10 4
10/21/2006 4 106 2 6 12 3
10/21/2006 4 112 2 7 12 3

The Suicide Trail is included in the above table. Since some of the species on it are also found later in the Deer Springs Trail, the number of unique species, given in the table above, is fewer than the combined numbers in the guide. For example, after the fieldwork on 10/10/06, there were 98 taxa found on the Deer Springs Trail proper, and 9 taxa found on the Suicide Trail. Of those 9 taxa, 5 of them were also found on the Deer Springs Trail past the Suicide Jct., and hence the Suicide Trail added 4 taxa to the total taxa on both trails, for a total of 102 taxa.
The fieldwork on 9/29/06 was only to mile 1.17. The fieldwork on 10/5/06 was to Suicide Rock. There are two entries for that date; the first gives the numbers up to mile 1.17 for comparison with 9/29/06; the second gives the complete survey. The fieldwork on 10/10/06 was to mile 4.88. The first time the entire route was covered was on 10/21/06.
Similarly, there are two entries for 10/10/06 and 10/21/06; for 10/10/06, the first gives the numbers up to mile 2.25, including the trail to Suicide Rock; the second gives the survey up to mile 4.88.
We thank Jim Adams for help with the initial reconnaissance of the first 0.20 miles of the trail on 9/29/06.
Botanical Trip Reports

The Plant Guide

The mileages in the guide have been fit to GPS data up to mile 1.17 and should be accurate to ~0.01-0.02 miles. Mileages after 1.17, up to Strawberry Junction, are pedometer mileages adjusted to the claimed mileage, and hence have a higher uncertainty. Mileages after Strawberry Junction are pedometer mileages. The total mileage of 1.96 by pedometer is significantly shorter than the 2.3 miles on the Tom Harrison San Jacinto Wilderness Trail Map, and it is hard to believe that segment of trail is actually 2.3 miles long. Measurements using Topo! are only 1.71 miles, which is undoubtedly too low.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (10 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (3 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin at trailhead (road entrance blocked by huge log); elevation 5620 feet (1710 m). The area here has been nuked of most native plants and the area mulched to prevent their regrowth. (:-(
0.00 r 1 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi⁺ 99 / 9 23
0.00 l (splendid gilia, Gilia splendens ssp. splendens; green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis)
0.00 l 2 pine dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium campylopodum⁺ 1 / 1 2
0.00 b 3 pink-bracted manzanita Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea 99 / 9 3
0.00 r 4 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum 99 / 9 2
0.00 l 5 *downy brome Bromus tectorum 99 / 9 23
0.00 b 6 pineland buckwheat Eriogonum molestum 20 / 5 2
0.00 r 7 San Jacinto buckwheat Eriogonum apiculatum 50 / 9 5
0.00 l 8 Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch Astragalus douglasii var. parishii 5 / 2 5
0.00 l 9 spear-leaved mountain dandelion Agoseris retrorsa 10 / 5 12
0.00 l 10 beautiful hulsea Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha 10 / 3 4
0.00 l 11 ssp squirreltail Elymus elymoides 99 / 9 36
0.00 b 12 coastal gilia Gilia diegensis 20 / 3 2
0.00 b 13 bajada lupine Lupinus concinnus 99 / 9 28
0.00 b 14 strigose lotus Lotus strigosus 99 / 9 51
0.00 l 15 purple-root cryptantha Cryptantha micrantha 99 / 9 14
0.00 b 16 pinegrove groundsmoke Gayophytum oligospermum 30 / 3 10
0.00 r 17 bur-ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa 5 / 2 18
0.00 r (scarlet bugler, Penstemon centranthifolius; slender everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale)
0.00 l (California black oak, Quercus kelloggii; incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
0.00 b 18 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 99 / 9 54
0.00 l 19 mountain grape-soda lupine Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus 50 / 9 6
0.01 r 20 canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis 99 / 9 24
0.01 l 21 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 50 / 9 46
0.01 l Sign: "3E17 (left-right)"
0.01 r 22 Jepson's blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii 30 / 9 34
0.02 r Display Board: "Deer Springs Trail..."; trail turns left 90°
0.02 Trail is now lined with pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
0.03 r (Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri)
0.03 l 23 goldenrod Solidago californica 99 / 9 39
0.03 r Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, cones
Check for Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa
0.04 r (slender bedstraw, Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum)
0.04 l 24 seedling California black oak Quercus kelloggii 99 / 9 13
0.05 r 25 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 50 / 9 17
0.05 l 26 southern mountain woolly-star Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum 99 / 3 12
0.05 l 27 young chaparral whitethorn Ceanothus leucodermis 10 / 9 16
0.06 l 28 slender bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum 30 / 9 2
0.06 b 29 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 20 / 9 41
0.06 l bigger California black oak, Quercus kelloggii
0.07 l 30 beautiful rock-cress Arabis pulchra 20 / 5 6
0.07 r mature chaparral whitethorn Ceanothus leucodermis /
0.07 r 31 whisker-brush Linanthus ciliatus 99 / 5 8
0.07 r (California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica)
0.08 b 32 bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 20 / 1 29
0.08 r (Indian milkweed, Asclepias eriocarpa)
0.09 r 33 California coffeeberry Rhamnus californica⁺ 10 / 9 3
0.09 b 34 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 99 / 9 58
0.09 l 35 Lemmon's linanthus Linanthus lemmonii 20 / 2 1
0.09 b 36 Sierra Nevada lotus Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis 99 / 9 7
0.09 l (Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; check for Tauschia parishii)
0.10 l (interior live oak, Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens)
0.11 l 37 incense-cedar Calocedrus decurrens 50 / 9 15
0.12 b (Cleveland's horkelia, Horkelia clevelandii; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa; California fuchsia, Epilobium canum)
0.12 r (tree clover, Trifolium ciliolatum; mountain carpet clover, Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum; June grass, Koeleria macrantha; rattail fescue, Vulpia myuros; blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum; yarrow, Achillea millefolium; dense-flowered rein orchid, Piperia elongata)
0.12 Cross small drainage with culvert; switchback left
0.12 b 38 ~ Hall's brome Bromus orcuttianus var. hallii 30 / 9 4
0.12 l 39 mountain mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta 99 / 9 7
0.12 l 40 deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens 30 / 9 22
0.13 r 41 small-head field clover Trifolium microcephalum 30 / 3 12
0.13 r 42 tomcat clover Trifolium willdenovii 50 / 3 19
0.13 43 confusing fescue Vulpia microstachys var. confusa 10 / 2 3
0.13 b 44 Cleveland's horkelia Horkelia clevelandii 10 / 3 7
0.14 l 45 ? June grass Koeleria macrantha / 10
0.15 l (prickly cryptantha, Cryptantha muricata)
0.15 l 46 splendid gilia Gilia splendens ssp. splendens 50 / 9 16
0.15 r 47 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 50 / 1 18
0.15 r 48 Pacific rush Juncus effusus var. pacificus 10 / 1 5
0.15 r 49 yarrow Achillea millefolium 20 / 3 15
0.16 r 50 Kentucky blue grass Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis 10 / 1 22
0.16 r 51 swamp sedge Carex senta 20 / 3 7
0.16 l 52 volcanic gilia Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis 20 / 3 5
0.17 r 53 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 5 / 1 37
0.17 r 54 ~ giant red paintbrush Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata 3 / 1 6
0.17 r 55 ? flat-leaved rush or blue-eyed grass Juncus sp. or Sisyrinchium bellum 10 / 1
0.17 r (snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea; slender everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale)
0.19 l 56 Indian milkweed Asclepias eriocarpa 50 / 5 20
0.20 r 57 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 10 / 1 77
0.20 l Jct. use trail from parking area
0.22 r Ten wood posts blocking off road
0.22 l 58 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana 50 / 9 14
0.22 Trail curves right
0.25 Trail turns right 90°; do not continue ahead on road
0.25 l Sign: "No dogs beyond this point; wilderness permit required 1/4 mile ahead"; end nuking of landscape
0.25 b 59 slender everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale 20 / 9 3
0.25 l 60 San Bernardino sun-cup Camissonia confusa 40 / 9 6
0.27 Trail turns right
0.27 r (thread plant, Nemacladus longiflorus var. longiflorus)
0.29 b 61 interior live oak Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens 50 / 9 9
0.30 b 62 Coulter pine Pinus coulteri 50 / 9 12
0.31 l 63 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata 99 / 9 23
0.32 l 64 Parish's tauschia Tauschia parishii 5 / 1 12
0.33 Switchback left
0.33 r 65 coast-range melic Melica imperfecta / 57
0.33 r definite beautiful rock-cress Arabis pulchra /
0.34 r ? (California chicory?, Rafinesquia californica?)
0.37 Trail curves right
0.41 l 66 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 50 / 9 60
0.42 r 67 ~ goldenstar Bloomeria crocea 3 / 1 14
0.42 Cross small drainage
0.42 r 68 Martin's paintbrush Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii 10 / 6 37
0.44 l 69 mustang mint Monardella lanceolata 10 / 2 8
0.44 l 70 Fremont's monkeyflower Mimulus fremontii 50 / 5 2
0.46 b 71 sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa 30 / 5 11
0.46 Cross small drainage
0.47 b 72 California fuchsia Epilobium canum 50 / 9 16
0.47 Trail turns right 90°
0.49 Trail gradually curves left
0.54 Switchback left
0.56 Switchback right
0.57 Switchback left
0.57 r (Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum)
0.57 r 73 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 3 / 3 45
0.61 Cross small drainage; trail curves left
0.65 b 74 whorledleaf penstemon Keckiella ternata var. ternata 20 / 2 6
0.66 Switchback right
0.66 l 75 scarlet bugler Penstemon centranthifolius 2 / 1 9
0.66 l 76 birch-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides 2 / 2 20
0.67 r Boulder with scooped-out "seat"
0.68 Trail curves left at ridge
0.68 b 77 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei 3 / 1 32
0.69 Switchback left
0.72 l 78 hybrid manzanita Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea 4 / 3 4
0.74 Switchback right
0.74 Switchback left; sign: "Mount San Jacinto State Park Wilderness"
0.74 r 79 diamond-petaled clarkia Clarkia rhomboidea 10 / 3 8
0.74 r 80 forest sedge Carex multicaulis 10 / 5 7
0.75 r 81 imbricate phacelia Phacelia imbricata ssp. patula 30 / 9 18
0.76 r 82 snow-plant Sarcodes sanguinea 10 / 5 8
0.79 Switchback right
0.81 l (white fir, Abies concolor)
0.82 Switchback left; jct. use trail to viewpoint 0.02 miles distant
0.84 Local high point on trail
0.85 l 83 twiggy wreath plant Stephanomeria virgata⁺ 8 / 3 7
0.87 Local low point on trail
0.87 r (purple nightshade, Solanum xanti)
0.93 Cross small drainage; trail curves right
0.94 l 84 white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota 10 / 2 13
0.94 l 85 wide-throated yellow monkeyflower Mimulus brevipes 1 / 1 16
0.97 Switchback left
0.97 Switchback right
1.00 This area has some really old specimens of chaparral whitethorn, Ceanothus leucodermis, and pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
1.01 Long switchback left
1.02 Switchback right
1.04 Switchback left
1.07 r View of Tahquitz Lookout
1.10 Local high point on trail, followed quickly by local low point
1.12 l 86 California thistle Cirsium occidentale var. californicum 2 / 1 12
1.13 b 87 broad-leaved lotus Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius 20 / 2 7
1.15 r 88 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 30 / 5 26
1.15 r 89 oak mistletoe Phoradendron villosum 20 / 9 4
1.16 Trail curves right
1.17 Switchback left
1.18 b 90 western morning-glory Calystegia occidentalis ssp. fulcrata 5 / 2 19
1.19 l 91 bracken Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens 99 / 9 13
1.21 l 92 plain mariposa lily Calochortus invenustus 30 / 3 11
1.21 l 93 white fir Abies concolor 50 / 9 22
1.22 l 94 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 5 / 3 8
1.24 b 95 western azalea Rhododendron occidentale 50 / 5 4
1.24 b 96 woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca 20 / 2 3
1.24 r 97 little prince's pine Chimaphila menziesii 3 / 1 4
1.24 b (thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus; lemon lily, Lilium parryi; Durango root, Datisca glomerata; mountain pink currant, Ribes nevadense; western columbine, Aquilegia formosa; glaucus willowherb, Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum)
1.25 Switchback left
1.26 Switchback right
1.27 Switchback left
1.28 Switchback right
1.28 l 98 naked buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum 20 / 9 4
1.29 r Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, hit by lightning. Many trees here have been struck by lightning.
1.32 Cross small drainage where trail curves right
1.33 Trail turns left 90°; enter Mistletoe Row
1.46 l 99 ~ beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus 5 / 2 14
1.48 r 100 San Jacinto lupine Lupinus hyacinthinus 99 / 5 5
1.50 (incense-cedar mistletoe, Phoradendron libocedri, at top of tree in distance)
1.51 r (California wild rose, Rosa californica; Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
1.52 b 101 mountain pink currant Ribes nevadense 50 / 3 7
1.52 l 102 fragile sheath sedge Carex fracta / 36
1.53 l 103 ~ rigid hedge-nettle Stachys ajugoides var. rigida 10 / 2 17
1.53 r 104 western columbine Aquilegia formosa 2 / 1 6
1.53 Cross the main drainage we've been hiking along, elevation 6480 feet (1975 m); lots of western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale, here
1.53 b 105 lemon lily Lilium parryi 10 / 2 6
1.53 l 106 Parish's lupine Lupinus latifolius var. parishii 10 / 3 5
1.53 Switchback right
1.62 Switchback left
1.65 Switchback right
1.68 l Field of southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum
1.73 r Cross small drainage
1.81 Switchback left
1.88 Cross small drainage
1.92 Trail turns right 90° at ridge
1.93 Trail turns right 90° again
2.00 Cross small drainage
2.01 Switchback left
2.01 b 107 short-flowered monardella Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora 20 / 2 29
2.02 l 108 granite prickly phlox Leptodactylon pungens 3 / 2 9
2.04 Cross small drainage
2.12 Cross small saddle on ridge
2.13 b 109 San Gabriel beardtongue Penstemon labrosus 20 / 2 9
2.14 r 110 western wallflower Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum 5 / 1 20
2.16 l 111 woodland spurge Euphorbia palmeri 1 / 1 4
2.21 b 112 sapphire woolly-star Eriastrum sapphirinum 10 / 1 8
2.25 Jct. trail to Suicide Rock; elevation ~6900 feet (2105 m). Sign: "(r): Suicide Rock 1 mi; (back): Highway 243 2.3 mi; (ahead) Strawberry Jct. 1.8 mi, Little Round Valley 5.5 mi, San Jacinto Peak 7.0 mi". Guide to the Suicide Rock Trail is at the bottom of this Guide

2.25 Continue on Deer Springs Trail
2.26 Switchback right
2.27 Trail turns left 90° and then curves right
2.34 Switchback left
2.36 r 113 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 99 / 9 17
2.37 Switchback right; trail soon zags right and then curves left
2.42 l (rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.43 Switchback right
2.45 Switchback left
2.47 Switchback right
2.48 Switchback left
2.48 l Another hybrid manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea
2.52 Switchback right
2.58 Switchback left
2.61 Switchback right
2.65 Switchback left
2.67 (fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum, ahead in distance)
2.76 Switchback left
2.80 Switchback right at ridge
2.87 Switchback left
2.90 r Switchback right; view of Tahquitz Peak and top of Suicide Rock
2.94 Switchback left
2.98 Switchback right
3.01 Switchback left
3.08 r 114 fir mistletoe Phoradendron pauciflorum 1 / 1 11
3.13 Switchback left
3.20 Long switchback right at ridge
3.32 b 115 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 30 / 9 14
3.32 Switchback left
3.33 Switchback right
3.41 Trail zigzags right then left
3.45 r canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, with weird galls of two kinds: terminal galls like a chinquapin male inflorescence, and stem galls like acorns
3.46 l (Idaho bentgrass, Agrostis idahoensis)
3.49 r Nice patch of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus
3.49 r Check these plants to make sure they are western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum
3.51 Trail zigzags right then left
3.51 l spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata
3.63 l Four honking incense-cedars, Calocedrus decurrens, struck by lightning, with 3 still alive
3.67 Switchback right
3.68 Switchback left
3.83 Long switchback left
3.85 Switchback right
3.98 l Check for different Monardella
4.01 Switchback left
4.05 Strawberry Jct., elevation ~8030 feet (2450 m); sign: "(back) Suicide Trail 1.8 mi, Banning Highway 4.3 mi, Idyllwild 4.8 mi; (ahead) Deer Springs (Camp) 2.3 mi, Little Round Valley 3.8 mi, San Jacinto Peak 5.5 mi; (right) Strawberry Cienega 1.5 mi, Wellman Trail 2.3 mi, Round Valley 4.3 mi, Strawberry Camp 100 yards"
4.19 r 116 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 5 / 2 11
4.25 Trail curves right at ridge; now hiking through wonderland of rocks, with lots of big boulders on flat ground
4.27 l (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
4.38 b 117 Idaho bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis 30 / 2 4
4.39 Highest elevation deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens
4.42 l (Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
4.42 Enter meadowy area
4.42 r 118 glaucus willowherb Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum 10 / 2 2
4.42 r 119 scarlet monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis 5 / 1 17
4.43 Cross drainage
4.43 l 120 ? knotweed? Polygonum sp.? 3 / 1
4.43 l
4.45 r (Check for different plant similar to lemon lily)
4.45 r 121 tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides 5 / 1 2
4.45 r ~ (brittle bladder fern, Cystopteris fragilis)
4.47 Cross flowing creek
4.47 b 122 streambank lotus Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius 5 / 1 3
4.50 Switchback right
4.50 l 123 San Jacinto Mtns. bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. jacinticum 20 / 2 1
4.52 Switchback left
4.54 Switchback right
4.54 l 124 ~ Sierra gooseberry Ribes roezlii var. roezlii 1 / 1 11
4.55 Switchback left
4.56 Switchback right
4.57 Switchback left
4.59 Switchback right at ridge
4.62 Switchback right
4.65 Switchback left
4.73 Switchback right
4.79 Local high point on trail; elevation ~8360 feet (2550 m)
4.81 Cross small moist drainage
4.86 ~ (bitter cherry, Prunus emarginata)
4.87 l (wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
4.88 b 125 California corn lily Veratrum californicum var. californicum 10 / 1 4
4.88 b 126 larger mountain monkeyflower Mimulus tilingii 10 / 1 7
4.88 b 127 sp sedge like Carex alma Carex sp. 20 / 2
4.88 b 128 musk monkeyflower Mimulus moschatus 5 / 1 5
4.90 l Boulder with lots of eroded concavities and some convex protrusions
4.98 r 129 bitter cherry Prunus emarginata 50 / 9 7
5.04 Local low point on trail; elevation ~8320 feet (2535 m)
5.05 r 130 floriferous monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus 20 / 1 9
5.32 Switchback right
5.33 Switchback left
5.35 Switchback right
5.37 Switchback left
5.39 r 131 thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus 10 / 1 3
5.42 Switchback right
5.49 r 132 California geranium Geranium californicum 5 / 3 7
5.51 r 133 spotted coralroot Corallorhiza maculata 1 / 1 6
5.57 Now directly west of Marion Mountain Peak, which is 1800 feet of elevation above this point
5.61 Cross moist drainage
5.61 r 134 sp spreading brown-headed rush? Juncus phaeocephalus var. paniculatus? /
5.67 Switchback right
5.69 Switchback left and trail curves right
5.74 Switchback left
5.76 Local high point on trail; elevation ~8700 feet (2652 m)
6.01 Jct. Marion Mountain Trail; elevation ~8690 feet (2649 m). End Guide

2.25 Suicide Rock Trail: Turn right on trail to Suicide Rock; species numbering is continued from lower portion of trail
2.29 l 113 Nevin's bird's beak Cordylanthus nevinii⁺ 20 / 3 9
2.31 l 114 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 10 / 5 17
2.31 Cross small drainage
2.37 r (Largest stand at SnJt of Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
2.51 l 115 sp mystery sedge Carex sp. 1 / 1
2.52 l (rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.65 l (Beautiful hanging garden of rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.69 r (Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
2.69 Cross small drainage
2.76 b (subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum)
2.76 r ssp (streambank lotus, Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius; willowherb, Epilobium ciliatum)
2.76 l (maidenhair fern, Adiantum aleuticum; Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii)
2.76 116 scarlet monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis 5 / 1 17
2.76 Cross Marion Creek, with flowing water, elevation ~7080 feet (2160 m)
2.80 r Sign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"; honking Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, and incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, trees here
2.94 Switchback left
2.96 Switchback right
2.97 Switchback left
3.02 Cross small drainage
3.09 Trail turns left 90°
3.17 r Last two plants of hybrid manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea on trail
3.22 b 117 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 5 / 1 33
3.27 Switchback left
3.33 l (fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
3.38 b Field of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus
3.43 End trail on top of the white cliffsides of Suicide Rock, elevation 7440 feet (2268 m); Suicide Rock itself is ~90 feet above you. Return to jct. with Deer Springs Trail

Comments On Specific Species

Arceuthobium campylopodum. This is growing on a young 3-needle pine.
Rhamnus californica. The subspecies are not distinct in this area, so none are given. See Note in Devils Slide Trail Guide.
Stephanomeria virgata. It isn't clear to me that the subspecies exist, so none are given. See Stephanomeria virgata.
Cordylanthus nevinii. This species isn't numbered, since it is likely that the dead annuals found previously on the trail are this species.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	1	1%
2	7	7%
3	6	6%
4	8	8%
5	6	6%

1-5	28	27%
6-10	30	29%
11-15	19	18%
16-20	11	11%
21-25	5	5%
26-30	2	2%
31-35	1	1%
36-40	2	2%
41-45	2	2%
46-50	1	1%
51-55	1	1%
56-60	1	1%
Total Taxa	103	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
9/29/2006	1	57	2	6	9	6
10/5/2006	2	60	1	2	3	3
10/5/2006	2	90	2	5	7	3
10/10/2006	3	91	1	5	8	4
10/10/2006	3	102	2	5	10	4
10/21/2006	4	106	2	6	12	3
10/21/2006	4	112	2	7	12	3

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin at trailhead (road entrance blocked by huge log); elevation 5620 feet (1710 m). The area here has been nuked of most native plants and the area mulched to prevent their regrowth. (:-(
0.00	r	1		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi⁺	99 / 9	23
0.00	l			(splendid gilia, Gilia splendens ssp. splendens; green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis)
0.00	l	2		pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum⁺	1 / 1	2
0.00	b	3		pink-bracted manzanita	Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea	99 / 9	3
0.00	r	4		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	99 / 9	2
0.00	l	5		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9	23
0.00	b	6		pineland buckwheat	Eriogonum molestum	20 / 5	2
0.00	r	7		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	50 / 9	5
0.00	l	8		Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch	Astragalus douglasii var. parishii	5 / 2	5
0.00	l	9		spear-leaved mountain dandelion	Agoseris retrorsa	10 / 5	12
0.00	l	10		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	10 / 3	4
0.00	l	11	ssp	squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	99 / 9	36
0.00	b	12		coastal gilia	Gilia diegensis	20 / 3	2
0.00	b	13		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	99 / 9	28
0.00	b	14		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	99 / 9	51
0.00	l	15		purple-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha	99 / 9	14
0.00	b	16		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	30 / 3	10
0.00	r	17		bur-ragweed	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	5 / 2	18
0.00	r			(scarlet bugler, Penstemon centranthifolius; slender everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale)
0.00	l			(California black oak, Quercus kelloggii; incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
0.00	b	18		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	99 / 9	54
0.00	l	19		mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	50 / 9	6
0.01	r	20		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9	24
0.01	l	21		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	50 / 9	46
0.01	l			Sign: "3E17 (left-right)"
0.01	r	22		Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	30 / 9	34
0.02	r			Display Board: "Deer Springs Trail..."; trail turns left 90°
0.02				Trail is now lined with pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
0.03	r			(Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri)
0.03	l	23		goldenrod	Solidago californica	99 / 9	39
0.03	r			Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, cones
				Check for Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa
0.04	r			(slender bedstraw, Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum)
0.04	l	24		seedling California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	99 / 9	13
0.05	r	25		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	50 / 9	17
0.05	l	26		southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	99 / 3	12
0.05	l	27		young chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	10 / 9	16
0.06	l	28		slender bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum	30 / 9	2
0.06	b	29		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	20 / 9	41
0.06	l			bigger California black oak, Quercus kelloggii
0.07	l	30		beautiful rock-cress	Arabis pulchra	20 / 5	6
0.07	r			mature chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	/
0.07	r	31		whisker-brush	Linanthus ciliatus	99 / 5	8
0.07	r			(California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica)
0.08	b	32		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	20 / 1	29
0.08	r			(Indian milkweed, Asclepias eriocarpa)
0.09	r	33		California coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica⁺	10 / 9	3
0.09	b	34		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	99 / 9	58
0.09	l	35		Lemmon's linanthus	Linanthus lemmonii	20 / 2	1
0.09	b	36		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	99 / 9	7
0.09	l			(Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; check for Tauschia parishii)
0.10	l			(interior live oak, Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens)
0.11	l	37		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	50 / 9	15
0.12	b			(Cleveland's horkelia, Horkelia clevelandii; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa; California fuchsia, Epilobium canum)
0.12	r			(tree clover, Trifolium ciliolatum; mountain carpet clover, Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum; June grass, Koeleria macrantha; rattail fescue, Vulpia myuros; blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum; yarrow, Achillea millefolium; dense-flowered rein orchid, Piperia elongata)
0.12				Cross small drainage with culvert; switchback left
0.12	b	38	~	Hall's brome	Bromus orcuttianus var. hallii	30 / 9	4
0.12	l	39		mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	99 / 9	7
0.12	l	40		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	30 / 9	22
0.13	r	41		small-head field clover	Trifolium microcephalum	30 / 3	12
0.13	r	42		tomcat clover	Trifolium willdenovii	50 / 3	19
0.13		43		confusing fescue	Vulpia microstachys var. confusa	10 / 2	3
0.13	b	44		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii	10 / 3	7
0.14	l	45	?	June grass	Koeleria macrantha	/	10
0.15	l			(prickly cryptantha, Cryptantha muricata)
0.15	l	46		splendid gilia	Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	50 / 9	16
0.15	r	47		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	50 / 1	18
0.15	r	48		Pacific rush	Juncus effusus var. pacificus	10 / 1	5
0.15	r	49		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	20 / 3	15
0.16	r	50		Kentucky blue grass	Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis	10 / 1	22
0.16	r	51		swamp sedge	Carex senta	20 / 3	7
0.16	l	52		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis	20 / 3	5
0.17	r	53		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	5 / 1	37
0.17	r	54	~	giant red paintbrush	Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata	3 / 1	6
0.17	r	55	?	flat-leaved rush or blue-eyed grass	Juncus sp. or Sisyrinchium bellum	10 / 1
0.17	r			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea; slender everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale)
0.19	l	56		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	50 / 5	20
0.20	r	57		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	10 / 1	77
0.20	l			Jct. use trail from parking area
0.22	r			Ten wood posts blocking off road
0.22	l	58		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	50 / 9	14
0.22				Trail curves right
0.25				Trail turns right 90°; do not continue ahead on road
0.25	l			Sign: "No dogs beyond this point; wilderness permit required 1/4 mile ahead"; end nuking of landscape
0.25	b	59		slender everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale	20 / 9	3
0.25	l	60		San Bernardino sun-cup	Camissonia confusa	40 / 9	6
0.27				Trail turns right
0.27	r			(thread plant, Nemacladus longiflorus var. longiflorus)
0.29	b	61		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	50 / 9	9
0.30	b	62		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	50 / 9	12
0.31	l	63		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata	99 / 9	23
0.32	l	64		Parish's tauschia	Tauschia parishii	5 / 1	12
0.33				Switchback left
0.33	r	65		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	/	57
0.33	r			definite beautiful rock-cress	Arabis pulchra	/
0.34	r		?	(California chicory?, Rafinesquia californica?)
0.37				Trail curves right
0.41	l	66		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	50 / 9	60
0.42	r	67	~	goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	3 / 1	14
0.42				Cross small drainage
0.42	r	68		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii	10 / 6	37
0.44	l	69		mustang mint	Monardella lanceolata	10 / 2	8
0.44	l	70		Fremont's monkeyflower	Mimulus fremontii	50 / 5	2
0.46	b	71		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa	30 / 5	11
0.46				Cross small drainage
0.47	b	72		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum	50 / 9	16
0.47				Trail turns right 90°
0.49				Trail gradually curves left
0.54				Switchback left
0.56				Switchback right
0.57				Switchback left
0.57	r			(Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum)
0.57	r	73		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	3 / 3	45
0.61				Cross small drainage; trail curves left
0.65	b	74		whorledleaf penstemon	Keckiella ternata var. ternata	20 / 2	6
0.66				Switchback right
0.66	l	75		scarlet bugler	Penstemon centranthifolius	2 / 1	9
0.66	l	76		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	2 / 2	20
0.67	r			Boulder with scooped-out "seat"
0.68				Trail curves left at ridge
0.68	b	77		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	3 / 1	32
0.69				Switchback left
0.72	l	78		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	4 / 3	4
0.74				Switchback right
0.74				Switchback left; sign: "Mount San Jacinto State Park Wilderness"
0.74	r	79		diamond-petaled clarkia	Clarkia rhomboidea	10 / 3	8
0.74	r	80		forest sedge	Carex multicaulis	10 / 5	7
0.75	r	81		imbricate phacelia	Phacelia imbricata ssp. patula	30 / 9	18
0.76	r	82		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	10 / 5	8
0.79				Switchback right
0.81	l			(white fir, Abies concolor)
0.82				Switchback left; jct. use trail to viewpoint 0.02 miles distant
0.84				Local high point on trail
0.85	l	83		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata⁺	8 / 3	7
0.87				Local low point on trail
0.87	r			(purple nightshade, Solanum xanti)
0.93				Cross small drainage; trail curves right
0.94	l	84		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	10 / 2	13
0.94	l	85		wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	Mimulus brevipes	1 / 1	16
0.97				Switchback left
0.97				Switchback right
1.00				This area has some really old specimens of chaparral whitethorn, Ceanothus leucodermis, and pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
1.01				Long switchback left
1.02				Switchback right
1.04				Switchback left
1.07	r			View of Tahquitz Lookout
1.10				Local high point on trail, followed quickly by local low point
1.12	l	86		California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	2 / 1	12
1.13	b	87		broad-leaved lotus	Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius	20 / 2	7
1.15	r	88		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	30 / 5	26
1.15	r	89		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	20 / 9	4
1.16				Trail curves right
1.17				Switchback left
1.18	b	90		western morning-glory	Calystegia occidentalis ssp. fulcrata	5 / 2	19
1.19	l	91		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	99 / 9	13
1.21	l	92		plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	30 / 3	11
1.21	l	93		white fir	Abies concolor	50 / 9	22
1.22	l	94		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3	8
1.24	b	95		western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	50 / 5	4
1.24	b	96		woodland strawberry	Fragaria vesca	20 / 2	3
1.24	r	97		little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii	3 / 1	4
1.24	b			(thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus; lemon lily, Lilium parryi; Durango root, Datisca glomerata; mountain pink currant, Ribes nevadense; western columbine, Aquilegia formosa; glaucus willowherb, Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum)
1.25				Switchback left
1.26				Switchback right
1.27				Switchback left
1.28				Switchback right
1.28	l	98		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	20 / 9	4
1.29	r			Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, hit by lightning. Many trees here have been struck by lightning.
1.32				Cross small drainage where trail curves right
1.33				Trail turns left 90°; enter Mistletoe Row
1.46	l	99	~	beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	5 / 2	14
1.48	r	100		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	99 / 5	5
1.50				(incense-cedar mistletoe, Phoradendron libocedri, at top of tree in distance)
1.51	r			(California wild rose, Rosa californica; Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
1.52	b	101		mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	50 / 3	7
1.52	l	102		fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	/	36
1.53	l	103	~	rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	10 / 2	17
1.53	r	104		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	2 / 1	6
1.53				Cross the main drainage we've been hiking along, elevation 6480 feet (1975 m); lots of western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale, here
1.53	b	105		lemon lily	Lilium parryi	10 / 2	6
1.53	l	106		Parish's lupine	Lupinus latifolius var. parishii	10 / 3	5
1.53				Switchback right
1.62				Switchback left
1.65				Switchback right
1.68	l			Field of southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum
1.73	r			Cross small drainage
1.81				Switchback left
1.88				Cross small drainage
1.92				Trail turns right 90° at ridge
1.93				Trail turns right 90° again
2.00				Cross small drainage
2.01				Switchback left
2.01	b	107		short-flowered monardella	Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora	20 / 2	29
2.02	l	108		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	3 / 2	9
2.04				Cross small drainage
2.12				Cross small saddle on ridge
2.13	b	109		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	20 / 2	9
2.14	r	110		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	5 / 1	20
2.16	l	111		woodland spurge	Euphorbia palmeri	1 / 1	4
2.21	b	112		sapphire woolly-star	Eriastrum sapphirinum	10 / 1	8
2.25				Jct. trail to Suicide Rock; elevation ~6900 feet (2105 m). Sign: "(r): Suicide Rock 1 mi; (back): Highway 243 2.3 mi; (ahead) Strawberry Jct. 1.8 mi, Little Round Valley 5.5 mi, San Jacinto Peak 7.0 mi". Guide to the Suicide Rock Trail is at the bottom of this Guide

2.25				Continue on Deer Springs Trail
2.26				Switchback right
2.27				Trail turns left 90° and then curves right
2.34				Switchback left
2.36	r	113		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	99 / 9	17
2.37				Switchback right; trail soon zags right and then curves left
2.42	l			(rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.43				Switchback right
2.45				Switchback left
2.47				Switchback right
2.48				Switchback left
2.48	l			Another hybrid manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea
2.52				Switchback right
2.58				Switchback left
2.61				Switchback right
2.65				Switchback left
2.67				(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum, ahead in distance)
2.76				Switchback left
2.80				Switchback right at ridge
2.87				Switchback left
2.90	r			Switchback right; view of Tahquitz Peak and top of Suicide Rock
2.94				Switchback left
2.98				Switchback right
3.01				Switchback left
3.08	r	114		fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	1 / 1	11
3.13				Switchback left
3.20				Long switchback right at ridge
3.32	b	115		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	30 / 9	14
3.32				Switchback left
3.33				Switchback right
3.41				Trail zigzags right then left
3.45	r			canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, with weird galls of two kinds: terminal galls like a chinquapin male inflorescence, and stem galls like acorns
3.46	l			(Idaho bentgrass, Agrostis idahoensis)
3.49	r			Nice patch of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus
3.49	r			Check these plants to make sure they are western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum
3.51				Trail zigzags right then left
3.51	l			spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata
3.63	l			Four honking incense-cedars, Calocedrus decurrens, struck by lightning, with 3 still alive
3.67				Switchback right
3.68				Switchback left
3.83				Long switchback left
3.85				Switchback right
3.98	l			Check for different Monardella
4.01				Switchback left
4.05				Strawberry Jct., elevation ~8030 feet (2450 m); sign: "(back) Suicide Trail 1.8 mi, Banning Highway 4.3 mi, Idyllwild 4.8 mi; (ahead) Deer Springs (Camp) 2.3 mi, Little Round Valley 3.8 mi, San Jacinto Peak 5.5 mi; (right) Strawberry Cienega 1.5 mi, Wellman Trail 2.3 mi, Round Valley 4.3 mi, Strawberry Camp 100 yards"
4.19	r	116		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	5 / 2	11
4.25				Trail curves right at ridge; now hiking through wonderland of rocks, with lots of big boulders on flat ground
4.27	l			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
4.38	b	117		Idaho bentgrass	Agrostis idahoensis	30 / 2	4
4.39				Highest elevation deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens
4.42	l			(Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
4.42				Enter meadowy area
4.42	r	118		glaucus willowherb	Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum	10 / 2	2
4.42	r	119		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	17
4.43				Cross drainage
4.43	l	120	?	knotweed?	Polygonum sp.?	3 / 1
4.43	l
4.45	r			(Check for different plant similar to lemon lily)
4.45	r	121		tinker's penny	Hypericum anagalloides	5 / 1	2
4.45	r		~	(brittle bladder fern, Cystopteris fragilis)
4.47				Cross flowing creek
4.47	b	122		streambank lotus	Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius	5 / 1	3
4.50				Switchback right
4.50	l	123		San Jacinto Mtns. bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. jacinticum	20 / 2	1
4.52				Switchback left
4.54				Switchback right
4.54	l	124	~	Sierra gooseberry	Ribes roezlii var. roezlii	1 / 1	11
4.55				Switchback left
4.56				Switchback right
4.57				Switchback left
4.59				Switchback right at ridge
4.62				Switchback right
4.65				Switchback left
4.73				Switchback right
4.79				Local high point on trail; elevation ~8360 feet (2550 m)
4.81				Cross small moist drainage
4.86			~	(bitter cherry, Prunus emarginata)
4.87	l			(wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
4.88	b	125		California corn lily	Veratrum californicum var. californicum	10 / 1	4
4.88	b	126		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	10 / 1	7
4.88	b	127	sp	sedge like Carex alma	Carex sp.	20 / 2
4.88	b	128		musk monkeyflower	Mimulus moschatus	5 / 1	5
4.90	l			Boulder with lots of eroded concavities and some convex protrusions
4.98	r	129		bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	50 / 9	7
5.04				Local low point on trail; elevation ~8320 feet (2535 m)
5.05	r	130		floriferous monkeyflower	Mimulus floribundus	20 / 1	9
5.32				Switchback right
5.33				Switchback left
5.35				Switchback right
5.37				Switchback left
5.39	r	131		thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	10 / 1	3
5.42				Switchback right
5.49	r	132		California geranium	Geranium californicum	5 / 3	7
5.51	r	133		spotted coralroot	Corallorhiza maculata	1 / 1	6
5.57				Now directly west of Marion Mountain Peak, which is 1800 feet of elevation above this point
5.61				Cross moist drainage
5.61	r	134	sp	spreading brown-headed rush?	Juncus phaeocephalus var. paniculatus?	/
5.67				Switchback right
5.69				Switchback left and trail curves right
5.74				Switchback left
5.76				Local high point on trail; elevation ~8700 feet (2652 m)
6.01				Jct. Marion Mountain Trail; elevation ~8690 feet (2649 m). End Guide

2.25				Suicide Rock Trail: Turn right on trail to Suicide Rock; species numbering is continued from lower portion of trail
2.29	l	113		Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii⁺	20 / 3	9
2.31	l	114		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	10 / 5	17
2.31				Cross small drainage
2.37	r			(Largest stand at SnJt of Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
2.51	l	115	sp	mystery sedge	Carex sp.	1 / 1
2.52	l			(rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.65	l			(Beautiful hanging garden of rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.69	r			(Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
2.69				Cross small drainage
2.76	b			(subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum)
2.76	r		ssp	(streambank lotus, Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius; willowherb, Epilobium ciliatum)
2.76	l			(maidenhair fern, Adiantum aleuticum; Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii)
2.76		116		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	17
2.76				Cross Marion Creek, with flowing water, elevation ~7080 feet (2160 m)
2.80	r			Sign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"; honking Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, and incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, trees here
2.94				Switchback left
2.96				Switchback right
2.97				Switchback left
3.02				Cross small drainage
3.09				Trail turns left 90°
3.17	r			Last two plants of hybrid manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea on trail
3.22	b	117		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	5 / 1	33
3.27				Switchback left
3.33	l			(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
3.38	b			Field of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus
3.43				End trail on top of the white cliffsides of Suicide Rock, elevation 7440 feet (2268 m); Suicide Rock itself is ~90 feet above you. Return to jct. with Deer Springs Trail

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Plants With Voucher Records for San Jacinto Mountain in Calflora
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2006-2010 by Tom Chester and Dave Stith.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/deer_springs.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 28 August 2010.