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

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	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	l	4		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9	23
0.00	b	5		pineland buckwheat	Eriogonum molestum	20 / 5	2
0.00	l	6	~	Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch	Astragalus douglasii var. parishii	5 / 2	5
0.00	l	7		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	10 / 3	4
0.00	l	8	ssp	squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	30 / 9
0.00	r	9		bur-ragweed	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	5 / 2	18
0.00	r	10		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	5 / 1	10
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	l	11		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	99 / 9	54
0.00	l	12		mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	30 / 9	6
0.01	b	13		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	99 / 9	2
0.01	r	14		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9	24
0.01	l	15		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	30 / 9	46
0.01	l			Sign: "3E17 (left-right)"
0.01	r	16	ssp	blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus	30 / 9
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	l	17		goldenrod	Solidago californica	99 / 9	39
0.04	l	18		seedling California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	99 / 9	13
0.05	r			(Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri)
0.05	r	19		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	50 / 9	17
0.05	l	20		southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	99 / 3	12
0.06	l	21		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	20 / 9	41
0.06	l			bigger California black oak, Quercus kelloggii
0.07	l	22		rush blue grass	Poa secunda ssp. juncifolia	99 / 9	6
0.08	b	23		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	20 / 1	29
0.08	r			(Indian milkweed, Asclepias eriocarpa)
0.09	l	24		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	50 / 9	58
0.09	l	25		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	99 / 9	7
0.10	l			(interior live oak, Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens)
0.11	l	26		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	50 / 9	15
0.11	l	27		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	10 / 9	16
0.12	r			(Cleveland's horkelia, Horkelia clevelandii; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa)
0.12				Cross small drainage with culvert; switchback left
0.12	l			(California fuchsia, Epilobium canum)
0.12	l	28		mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	99 / 9	7
0.12	l	29		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	30 / 9	22
0.13	b	30		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii	10 / 3	7
0.15	r	31		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	50 / 1	18
0.15	r	32		Pacific rush	Juncus effusus var. pacificus	10 / 1	5
0.16	r	33	sp	poa with big spreading infl	Poa sp.	10 / 1
0.16	l	34		California coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica+	10 / 9	3
0.17	r	35	sp	arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	5 / 1	37
0.17	r	36		giant red paintbrush	Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata	3 / 1	6
0.19	l	37		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	20 / 3	20
0.20	l			Jct. use trail from parking area
0.22	r			Ten wood posts blocking off road
0.22	l	38		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	l	39		slender everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale	20 / 9	3
0.26	r	40		slender bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum	20 / 9	2
0.27				Trail turns right
0.29	b	41		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	50 / 9	9
0.30	b	42		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	50 / 9	12
0.31				Trail turns right
0.33				Switchback left
0.33	r	43		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	10 / 3	20
0.37				Trail curves right
0.39	r	44		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	30 / 9	26
0.42	r	45	~	goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	3 / 1	14
0.42				Cross small drainage
0.42	b	46	ssp	small fescue	Vulpia microstachys	10 / 1
0.44	l	47		mustang mint	Monardella lanceolata	10 / 1	8
0.44				Trail curves right
0.46	r	48		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	20 / 2	15
0.46				Cross small drainage
0.47	b	49		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum	50 / 9	16
0.47	l	50		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa	20 / 5	11
0.47				Trail turns right 90°
0.49				Trail gradually curves left
0.52				Trail curves left
0.54				Switchback left
0.56				Switchback right
0.57				Switchback left
0.57	r	51		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	3 / 3	45
0.58				Trail curves right
0.61				Cross small drainage; trail curves left
0.65	r	52		whorledleaf penstemon	Keckiella ternata var. ternata	10 / 2	6
0.66				Switchback right
0.66	l	53		scarlet bugler	Penstemon centranthifolius	1 / 1	9
0.66	l	54		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	55		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	3 / 1	32
0.69				Switchback left
0.73	l			Check for snow-plant
0.74				Switchback right
0.74				Switchback left; sign: "Mount San Jacinto State Park Wilderness"
0.79				Switchback right
0.81	l			(white fir, Abies concolor)
0.81	l	56		changeable phacelia	Phacelia mutabilis	30 / 9	7
0.82				Switchback left; jct. use trail to viewpoint 0.02 miles distant
0.84				Local high point on trail
0.85	l	57		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata+	1 / 1	7
0.87				Local low point on trail
0.93				Cross small drainage; trail curves right
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	58	~	California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	1 / 1	12
1.13	b	59		broad-leaved lotus	Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius	20 / 2	7
1.15	r	60		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	20 / 9	4
1.16				Trail curves right
1.17				Switchback left
1.19	l	61		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	99 / 9	13
1.21	l	62	~	fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	10 / 3	9
1.21	l	63		plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	3 / 3	11
1.21	l	64		white fir	Abies concolor	50 / 9	22
1.21	l	65	~	spear-leaved mountain dandelion	Agoseris retrorsa	1 / 1	12
1.22	l	66		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3	8
1.24	b	67		western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	50 / 5	4
1.24	r	68		woodland strawberry	Fragaria vesca	1 / 1	3
1.24	r	69		little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii	3 / 1	4
1.24	b			(thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus)
1.25				Switchback left
1.26				Switchback right
1.26	l	70	sp	cespitose rush	Juncus sp.	1 / 1
1.27				Switchback left
1.28				Switchback right
1.28	l	71		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	20 / 9	4
	r			(Check id of tall plants in creek bed)
1.29	r			Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, hit by lightning. Many trees here have been struck by lightning.
1.32				Cross small drainage; trail curves right
1.33				Trail turns left 90°; enter Mistletoe Row
1.46	l	72	~	beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	5 / 2	14
1.50				(incense-cedar mistletoe, Phoradendron libocedri, at top of tree in distance)
1.52	b	73		mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	50 / 3	7
1.53	l	74	~	rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	10 / 2	17
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	75		lemon lily	Lilium parryi	5 / 2	6
1.55				Switchback right
1.58	r			Second location of pineland buckwheat, Eriogonum molestum
1.62				Switchback left
1.65				Switchback right
1.68	l			Field of southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum
1.72	r			Check for different rush, Juncus sp.
1.73	r			Cross small drainage; check for the mystery Carex
1.81				Switchback left
1.81		76	sp	Dead annuals, probably Nevin's bird's beak or splendid gilia	Cordylanthus nevinii or Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	/
1.88				Cross small drainage
1.92				Trail turns right 90°
1.93				Switchback right
1.96	r	77		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	2 / 1	8
2.00				Cross small drainage
2.00				Switchback left
2.02	b	78	sp	perennial monardella	Monardella australis or M. nana	2 / 1
2.04				Cross small drainage
2.13	b	79		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	20 / 2	9
2.14	r	80		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	10 / 2	13
2.16	l	81		woodland spurge	Euphorbia palmeri	1 / 1	4
2.21	b	82		sapphire woolly-star	Eriastrum sapphirinum	10 / 1	8
2.21	l	83		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	99 / 9	5
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	84		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	85		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	1 / 1	2
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	86		fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	1 / 1	11
3.13				Switchback left
3.20				Long switchback right at ridge
3.32	b	87		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
3.89	l	88		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	2 / 1	9
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"
4.09	r	89		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	5 / 1	5
4.19	r	90		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	91		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	92		glaucus willowherb	Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum	10 / 2	2
4.42	r	93		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	17
4.43				Cross drainage
4.43	l	94	?	knotweed?	Polygonum sp.?	3 / 1
4.43	l	95		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	2 / 1	6
4.45	l			(Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
4.45	r			(Check for different plant similar to lemon lily)
4.45	r	96		tinker's penny	Hypericum anagalloides	5 / 1	2
4.45	r		~	(brittle bladder fern, Cystopteris fragilis)
4.47				Cross flowing creek
4.47	b	97		streambank lotus	Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius	5 / 1	3
4.50				Switchback right
4.50	l	98		San Jacinto Mtns. bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. jacinticum	20 / 2	1
4.50	l	99	~	swamp sedge	Carex senta	20 / 2	7
4.52				Switchback left
4.54				Switchback right
4.54	l	100	~	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	101		California corn lily	Veratrum californicum var. californicum	10 / 1	4
4.88	b	102		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	10 / 1	7
4.88	b	103	sp	sedge like Carex alma	Carex sp.	20 / 2
4.88	b	104		musk monkeyflower	Mimulus moschatus	5 / 1	5
4.90	l			Boulder with lots of eroded concavities and some convex protrusions
4.98	r	105		bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	50 / 9	7
5.04				Local low point on trail; elevation ~8320 feet (2535 m)
5.05	r	106		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	107		thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	10 / 1	3
5.42				Switchback right
5.49	r	108		Richardson's geranium	Geranium richardsonii	5 / 3	7
5.51	r	109		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	110	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			Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii+	20 / 3	9
2.31	l	84		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	10 / 5	17
2.37	r			(Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
2.51	l	85		Parish's lupine	Lupinus latifolius var. parishii	3 / 1	5
2.51	r		?	(Parish's yampah?, Perideridia parishii?)
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	l	86	~	swamp sedge	Carex senta	5 / 1	7
2.76	l			(subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum; western columbine, Aquilegia formosa)
2.76		87		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	17
2.76		88		glaucus willowherb	Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum	1 / 1	2
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	89		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	2 / 1	2
3.23	r	90		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	5 / 1	9
3.25				Cross saddle
3.27				Switchback left
3.33	l			(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
3.38	b	91		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	30 / 1	5
3.38	b			Perhaps the best field of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus, on the mountain
3.42	l	92		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum	5 / 1	15
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

http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/deer_springs.html
Updated 23 October 2006.