Plant Guide to Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to Ernie Maxwell Scenic 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
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

The Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail is a beautiful and very popular trail from the bottom of Humber Park in Idyllwild to a rather unglorious end at the dusty non-scenic dirt road of Tahquitz View Drive just north of the turnoff to the South Ridge Trailhead.
The trail itself is indeed scenic, primarily for the views of the plants and rocks along the trail, but it also has a few views to the west that extend to the ocean. One might expect to see lots of views of the nearby homes all along the trail, but that doesn't happen; one feels surrounded by forest all the time. Most of the human traces along the way are large numbers of piles of twigs, branches, and cut-up dead trees stacked for burning in the wet season.
The trail is completely shaded for perhaps 80% or so of its length, with scattered regular shade in the remaining 20% of the trail. The openings in the forest have their own suite of delightful species; many of these areas must be absolutely beautiful with bloom in years when it rains.
The trail traverses a number of delightful drainages, but there is a bittersweet tinge to many of them that are probably only shadows of what they once were. Nearly every moist side drainage has a pipe carrying the precious water away from the plants and animals.
New species are encountered regularly along the trail, despite the trail staying in a fairly narrow range of elevation, and staying mostly with the same west-facing slope. This is very different from a similar trail at higher elevation, such as the PCT from Devils Slide to the South Ridge Trail, which is very depauperate in the total number of species. This difference is probably mainly due to the elevation, with the sunnier more open spots here having some chaparral species, whereas at higher elevation there is no chance of those chaparral species sneaking in there.
Many of the species found here are those also seen on the lower South Ridge Trail, which makes sense since the lower part of the two trails are only ~0.4 miles and ~900 feet of elevation apart. It is in fact quite interesting to be hiking directly below and almost parallel to that trail.
No permit is required to hike this trail, since it does not enter the San Jacinto Wilderness. An Adventure Pass is required to park within Humber Park, but parking spaces just outside Humber Park are about the same distance away from the upper trailhead, and do not require a Pass.
The trail is 2.3 miles one way, 4.6 miles round-trip, with ~750 feet of elevation gain and loss for the round-trip. (I computed 720 feet of gain and loss from all stretches with noticeable change in elevation, and rounded it up to 750 feet to include the imperceptible ups and downs on the trail.) The trail is nearly flat for the first 0.65 miles below Humber Park with an elevation change of only 100 feet, a rate of just 150 feet per mile. The trail then descends 220 feet to mile 1.06 at the rate of about 500 feet per mile. The trail is then again nearly flat to mile 1.5. The last 0.9 miles of the trail descends 380 feet at the rate of 430 feet per mile.
If you would like a shorter less-strenuous trip, hiking to mile 1.52 and back is 3.0 miles roundtrip, with just 350 feet of elevation gain and loss, and you'll only miss one of the on-trail (numbered) species on the trail, and six of the off-trail species.
Note that the two most popular guidebooks incorrectly state the elevation gain of this trail, which is hard to understand since the trail is clearly shown on the USGS topographic map. Robinson and Harris (2006) give 300 feet as the total gain for the one-way trip from the bottom to the top; the actual gain is a minimum of 700 feet.
Ferranti and Koenig (2000) apparently never give the actual elevation gain and loss along a trail in their guidebook, only the elevation difference between the bottom and top. This is a very unusual and misleading way to report it, especially since they call it the elevation gain. (I.e., if they reported their version of elevation gain for a hike from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon down to the bottom and then up the South Rim, they would report an elevation gain of zero feet, despite there being a true elevation gain of nearly one mile along that route!) They only give 300 feet for the elevation difference between the bottom and top; the actual difference is 6400 - 5720 = 680 feet.
Highlights of This Trail

The botanical highlights of this trail are:

Number of Unique Taxa On This Trail

The following histogram gives the number of trails in our database that contain each taxon on this trail (not including the taxa seen only off-trail given at the end of the guide). We had 116 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 17 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 "17" 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
2 1 2%
3 1 2%
4 0 0%
5 0 0%

1-5 2 4%
6-10 21 38%
11-15 11 20%
16-20 6 11%
21-25 5 9%
26-30 1 2%
31-35 2 4%
36-40 2 4%
41-45 0 0%
46-50 1 2%
51-55 3 5%
56-60 0 0%
60-65 1 2%
66-70 1 2%
Total Taxa 56 100%

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

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"
10/4/2007 1 65 4 7 7 6

The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (4 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (1 double-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
The mileages in the guide come from Topo! and a GPS recording of the trail made on 10/4/07, and should be accurate to ~0.01-0.02 miles.
See Explanation of Plant Trail Guides for an explanation of the column headers.

Mile S # id? FAM Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 r Beginning of trail at Ernie Maxwell sign; 6400 feet (1951 m) elevation.
0.00 r 1 CUP incense-cedar Calocedrus decurrens 99 / 9 21
0.00 r 2 PIN ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa 50 / 9 7
0.00 l 3 FAG California black oak Quercus kelloggii 99 / 9 18
0.01 l Jct. shortcut use trail from south end of parking area
0.01 l (CUP white fir, Abies concolor)
0.01 r (FAG canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.02 r (SCR bristly bird's beak, Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus)
0.02 r Jct. use trail to road
0.02 r (FAB broad-leaved lotus, Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius)
0.02 b 4 PIN white fir Abies concolor 30 / 9 34
0.03 r (CUP fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
0.04 l 5 FAG canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis 99 / 9 36
0.06 r 6 ERI western azalea Rhododendron occidentale 10 / 1 10
0.06 l (ERI pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.06 r 7 GRO mountain pink currant Ribes nevadense 20 / 5 13
0.07 r 8 BET white alder Alnus rhombifolia 2 / 2 12
0.07 l (ROS thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus)
0.07 l 9 ~ SEL bluish spike-moss Selaginella asprella 40 / 9 2
0.08 Cross moist creek, the drainage from most of the area south of Saddle Junction and north of Lily Rock / Tahquitz Peak
0.08 r 10 ROS thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus 10 / 2 8
0.08 l 11 PIN sugar pine Pinus lambertiana 40 / 9 23
0.10 r 12 ERI pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 4 / 1 15
0.14 l (SCR Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii; RHA mountain whitethorn, Ceanothus cordulatus)
0.14 b 13 SCR Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 10 / 2 24
0.15 r RHA dead mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus /
0.18 l Jct. use trail
0.18 l 14 ~ CYP forest sedge Carex multicaulis 10 / 7 3
0.28 l 15 ~ POA Fendler's blue grass Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula 50 / 9 6
0.29 r (ERI pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
0.29 b 16 POL San Jacinto buckwheat Eriogonum apiculatum 20 / 2 9
0.29 r (POL naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum)
0.30 l 17 sp FAB Sierra Nevada or chaparral lotus Lotus nevadensis or L. grandiflorus 10 / 9
0.30 r 18 RHA live mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 1 / 1 25
0.31 l 19 POL naked buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum 40 / 9 10
The location of the following species wasn't recorded:
20 SCR bristly bird's beak Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus 10 / 3 37
0.31 l 21 sp POL splendid gilia Gilia splendens ssp. splendens 40 / 9 9
0.31 l 22 sp LIL plain mariposa lily Calochortus invenustus 10 / 3 15
0.31 l Check for different herbaceous species
0.31 r (closer pink-bracted manzanita, ERI Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
0.32 l 23 ssp POA squirreltail Elymus elymoides 10 / 3 13
0.32 Cross very small drainage
0.34 Cross very small drainage
0.37 l (POL southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum)
0.38 l ~ (BRA western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.38 r 24 ERI pink-bracted manzanita Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea 30 / 9 9
0.41 b 25 FAB mountain grape-soda lupine Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus 10 / 5 9
0.41 b 26 POL Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum 40 / 9 9
0.41 FAB definite Sierra Nevada lotus Lotus nevadensis /
0.42 l 27 AST California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 40 / 9 62
0.42 r 28 ssp AST white mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula 10 / 1 7
0.42 r 29 CAR white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota 2 / 2 17
0.43 r 30 PIN Coulter pine (and probably earlier on trail) Pinus coulteri 30 / 9 16
0.44 l 31 ~ BRA perennial rock-cress Arabis perennans 10 / 5 9
0.46 l 32 ? AST prickly hawkweed? Hieracium horridum? 2 / 2
0.47 l 33 ssp FAB common Pacific pea Lathyrus vestitus 10 / 5
0.47 l 34 AST goldenrod Solidago californica 10 / 5 51
0.47 l 35 sp SCR beaked penstemon? Penstemon rostriflorus? 20 / 9
0.48 l 36 AST slender everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale 3 / 3 10
0.49 l 37 AST golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 99 / 9 66
0.51 Cross small drainage
0.52 b 38 VIS oak mistletoe Phoradendron villosum 30 / 3 12
0.52 l 39 POL southern mountain woolly-star Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum 30 / 5 16
0.60 Cross dry drainage from southwest side of Lily Rock
0.65 l 40 API Parish's tauschia Tauschia parishii 2 / 1 8
0.65 Trail begins to descend more steeply; elevation ~6300 feet (1920 m)
0.67 r Jct. trail probably leading to road just below; stay left
0.71 l 41 sp LAM monardella Monardella sp. 10 / 2
0.71 Enter forest of oak mistletoe, Phoradendron villosum, for 0.01 miles
0.72 l (AST San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus)
0.73 Leave dense continuous forest; forest now interspersed with sunny open areas
0.73 l 42 ssp RUB narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 10 / 4 55
0.77 b 43 FAG interior live oak Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens 30 / 5 15
0.81 r 44 AST leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 10 / 3 51
0.81 l 45 VIS pine dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium campylopodum 1 / 1 6
0.83 l (CAP southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.83 l 46 ? unk per with scroph or phacelia capsules ? 20 / 9
0.84 r 47 CAP southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 2 / 2 47
0.85 l 48 POL whisker-brush Linanthus ciliatus 30 / 2 7
0.93 l 49 FAB broad-leaved lotus Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius 10 / 2 12
0.97 Switchback left at ridge; elevation ~6100 feet (1859 m)
0.98 r 50 ONA mountain California-fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium 20 / 4 14
0.99 Cross moist drainage from Tahquitz Peak
1.01 l 51 ERI little prince's pine Chimaphila menziesii 2 / 1 8
1.04 b 52 APO spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium 20 / 1 6
1.06 Trail levels off; elevation ~6080 feet (1853 m)
1.19 Cross dry drainage
1.20 r 53 ssp POA small fescue Vulpia microstachys 20 / 2
1.26 l 54 AST California thistle Cirsium occidentale var. californicum 1 / 1 16
1.26 r (Large water tank)
1.26 r 55 POA *downy brome Bromus tectorum 30 / 3 32
1.27 l 56 VIS incense-cedar mistletoe Phoradendron libocedri 1 / 1 6
1.29 l 57 ~ AST spear-leaved mountain dandelion Agoseris retrorsa 1 / 1 16
1.34 b 58 DEN bracken Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens 2 / 1 21
1.34 Cross moist drainage coming from base of upper switchbacks on South Ridge Trail; minor local low point; elevation ~6080 feet (1853 m)
1.34 r (ROS California wild rose, Rosa californica)
1.39 r 59 sp SCR tall penstemon with clasping, non-connate leaves Penstemon sp. 5 / 1
1.39 60 RAN western columbine Aquilegia formosa 1 / 1 13
1.39 r (CER Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii)
1.39 l (DAT Durango root, Datisca glomerata in distance)
1.39 Cross moist drainage coming from small saddle / level section of South Ridge Trail at 7600 feet elevation
1.39 l 61 ssp ROS sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa 10 / 3 12
1.47 Minor local high point; elevation ~6100 feet (1859 m)
1.50 l 62 sp ONA diamond-petaled? clarkia Clarkia rhomboidea? 20 / 3
1.52 l 63 FAB Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch Astragalus douglasii var. parishii 5 / 1 7
1.52 l 64 POA slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus 10 / 3 7
1.58 Cross small dry drainage; elevation 6000 feet (1829 m)
1.71 l 65 ROS birch-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides 1 / 1 26
1.73 r Jct. steep path down to road below with deep roadcut
1.73 l (AST rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata in distance)
1.79 l (ERI snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
1.82 Cross drainage
1.82 l (SAL Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
2.03 r ~ (FAB Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
2.03 Cross moist drainage; elevation 5800 feet (1768 m)
2.03 (closer ROS California wild rose, Rosa californica)
2.26 Cross dry drainage below spring just north of South Ridge Spring
2.26 r ? (unk sprawling shrub like cultivated plum)
2.26 r ? (unk herb)
2.35 End trail at Tahquitz View Drive just north of the turnoff to the South Ridge Trailhead; elevation 5720 feet (1743 m); return the way you came

Comments On Specific Species

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
2	1	2%
3	1	2%
4	0	0%
5	0	0%

1-5	2	4%
6-10	21	38%
11-15	11	20%
16-20	6	11%
21-25	5	9%
26-30	1	2%
31-35	2	4%
36-40	2	4%
41-45	0	0%
46-50	1	2%
51-55	3	5%
56-60	0	0%
60-65	1	2%
66-70	1	2%
Total Taxa	56	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
10/4/2007	1	65	4	7	7	6

Mile	S	#	id?	FAM	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00	r			Beginning of trail at Ernie Maxwell sign; 6400 feet (1951 m) elevation.
0.00	r	1		CUP	incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	99 / 9	21
0.00	r	2		PIN	ponderosa pine	Pinus ponderosa	50 / 9	7
0.00	l	3		FAG	California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	99 / 9	18
0.01	l			Jct. shortcut use trail from south end of parking area
0.01	l			(CUP white fir, Abies concolor)
0.01	r			(FAG canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
0.02	r			(SCR bristly bird's beak, Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus)
0.02	r			Jct. use trail to road
0.02	r			(FAB broad-leaved lotus, Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius)
0.02	b	4		PIN	white fir	Abies concolor	30 / 9	34
0.03	r			(CUP fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
0.04	l	5		FAG	canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9	36
0.06	r	6		ERI	western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	10 / 1	10
0.06	l			(ERI pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.06	r	7		GRO	mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	20 / 5	13
0.07	r	8		BET	white alder	Alnus rhombifolia	2 / 2	12
0.07	l			(ROS thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus)
0.07	l	9	~	SEL	bluish spike-moss	Selaginella asprella	40 / 9	2
0.08				Cross moist creek, the drainage from most of the area south of Saddle Junction and north of Lily Rock / Tahquitz Peak
0.08	r	10		ROS	thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	10 / 2	8
0.08	l	11		PIN	sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	40 / 9	23
0.10	r	12		ERI	pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	4 / 1	15
0.14	l			(SCR Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii; RHA mountain whitethorn, Ceanothus cordulatus)
0.14	b	13		SCR	Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	10 / 2	24
0.15	r			RHA	dead mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	/
0.18	l			Jct. use trail
0.18	l	14	~	CYP	forest sedge	Carex multicaulis	10 / 7	3
0.28	l	15	~	POA	Fendler's blue grass	Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula	50 / 9	6
0.29	r			(ERI pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
0.29	b	16		POL	San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	20 / 2	9
0.29	r			(POL naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum)
0.30	l	17	sp	FAB	Sierra Nevada or chaparral lotus	Lotus nevadensis or L. grandiflorus	10 / 9
0.30	r	18		RHA	live mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	1 / 1	25
0.31	l	19		POL	naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	40 / 9	10
				The location of the following species wasn't recorded:
		20		SCR	bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	10 / 3	37
0.31	l	21	sp	POL	splendid gilia	Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	40 / 9	9
0.31	l	22	sp	LIL	plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	10 / 3	15
0.31	l			Check for different herbaceous species
0.31	r			(closer pink-bracted manzanita, ERI Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
0.32	l	23	ssp	POA	squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	10 / 3	13
0.32				Cross very small drainage
0.34				Cross very small drainage
0.37	l			(POL southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum)
0.38	l		~	(BRA western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.38	r	24		ERI	pink-bracted manzanita	Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea	30 / 9	9
0.41	b	25		FAB	mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	10 / 5	9
0.41	b	26		POL	Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	40 / 9	9
0.41				FAB	definite Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis	/
0.42	l	27		AST	California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	40 / 9	62
0.42	r	28	ssp	AST	white mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula	10 / 1	7
0.42	r	29		CAR	white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	2 / 2	17
0.43	r	30		PIN	Coulter pine (and probably earlier on trail)	Pinus coulteri	30 / 9	16
0.44	l	31	~	BRA	perennial rock-cress	Arabis perennans	10 / 5	9
0.46	l	32	?	AST	prickly hawkweed?	Hieracium horridum?	2 / 2
0.47	l	33	ssp	FAB	common Pacific pea	Lathyrus vestitus	10 / 5
0.47	l	34		AST	goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 5	51
0.47	l	35	sp	SCR	beaked penstemon?	Penstemon rostriflorus?	20 / 9
0.48	l	36		AST	slender everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale	3 / 3	10
0.49	l	37		AST	golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	99 / 9	66
0.51				Cross small drainage
0.52	b	38		VIS	oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	30 / 3	12
0.52	l	39		POL	southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	30 / 5	16
0.60				Cross dry drainage from southwest side of Lily Rock
0.65	l	40		API	Parish's tauschia	Tauschia parishii	2 / 1	8
0.65				Trail begins to descend more steeply; elevation ~6300 feet (1920 m)
0.67	r			Jct. trail probably leading to road just below; stay left
0.71	l	41	sp	LAM	monardella	Monardella sp.	10 / 2
0.71				Enter forest of oak mistletoe, Phoradendron villosum, for 0.01 miles
0.72	l			(AST San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus)
0.73				Leave dense continuous forest; forest now interspersed with sunny open areas
0.73	l	42	ssp	RUB	narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	10 / 4	55
0.77	b	43		FAG	interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	30 / 5	15
0.81	r	44		AST	leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	10 / 3	51
0.81	l	45		VIS	pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum	1 / 1	6
0.83	l			(CAP southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.83	l	46	?		unk per with scroph or phacelia capsules	?	20 / 9
0.84	r	47		CAP	southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	2 / 2	47
0.85	l	48		POL	whisker-brush	Linanthus ciliatus	30 / 2	7
0.93	l	49		FAB	broad-leaved lotus	Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius	10 / 2	12
0.97				Switchback left at ridge; elevation ~6100 feet (1859 m)
0.98	r	50		ONA	mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	20 / 4	14
0.99				Cross moist drainage from Tahquitz Peak
1.01	l	51		ERI	little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii	2 / 1	8
1.04	b	52		APO	spreading dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium	20 / 1	6
1.06				Trail levels off; elevation ~6080 feet (1853 m)
1.19				Cross dry drainage
1.20	r	53	ssp	POA	small fescue	Vulpia microstachys	20 / 2
1.26	l	54		AST	California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	1 / 1	16
1.26	r			(Large water tank)
1.26	r	55		POA	*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	30 / 3	32
1.27	l	56		VIS	incense-cedar mistletoe	Phoradendron libocedri	1 / 1	6
1.29	l	57	~	AST	spear-leaved mountain dandelion	Agoseris retrorsa	1 / 1	16
1.34	b	58		DEN	bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	2 / 1	21
1.34				Cross moist drainage coming from base of upper switchbacks on South Ridge Trail; minor local low point; elevation ~6080 feet (1853 m)
1.34	r			(ROS California wild rose, Rosa californica)
1.39	r	59	sp	SCR	tall penstemon with clasping, non-connate leaves	Penstemon sp.	5 / 1
1.39		60		RAN	western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	1 / 1	13
1.39	r			(CER Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii)
1.39	l			(DAT Durango root, Datisca glomerata in distance)
1.39				Cross moist drainage coming from small saddle / level section of South Ridge Trail at 7600 feet elevation
1.39	l	61	ssp	ROS	sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa	10 / 3	12
1.47				Minor local high point; elevation ~6100 feet (1859 m)
1.50	l	62	sp	ONA	diamond-petaled? clarkia	Clarkia rhomboidea?	20 / 3
1.52	l	63		FAB	Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch	Astragalus douglasii var. parishii	5 / 1	7
1.52	l	64		POA	slender wheatgrass	Elymus trachycaulus	10 / 3	7
1.58				Cross small dry drainage; elevation 6000 feet (1829 m)
1.71	l	65		ROS	birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	1 / 1	26
1.73	r			Jct. steep path down to road below with deep roadcut
1.73	l			(AST rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata in distance)
1.79	l			(ERI snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
1.82				Cross drainage
1.82	l			(SAL Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
2.03	r		~	(FAB Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
2.03				Cross moist drainage; elevation 5800 feet (1768 m)
2.03				(closer ROS California wild rose, Rosa californica)
2.26				Cross dry drainage below spring just north of South Ridge Spring
2.26	r		?	(unk sprawling shrub like cultivated plum)
2.26	r		?	(unk herb)
2.35				End trail at Tahquitz View Drive just north of the turnoff to the South Ridge Trailhead; elevation 5720 feet (1743 m); return the way you came

Go to:

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

Copyright © 2007 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/ernie_maxwell.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 7 October 2007.