Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail

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
Detailed Changes To The Trail After The 9/04 Flash Flood
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

This trail is the most popular one in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, for several good reasons. Physically, the trail is easily reached from the Visitor Center, and the trailhead is in a campground. Botanically, the trail passes through many diverse environments, offering a sampler of much of the flora of the area. The trail ends at the most treasured destination in a desert - a shady palm grove, with year-round water and a small waterfall.
However, this poor trail has been hit by flash floods two years in a row! The first one (actually apparently several of them closely spaced in time), reportedly with a 10 foot high wall of water, occurred in August 2003, destroyed the bridge on the trail and caused three other short sections to be re-routed. That flood only damaged a small number of palm trees.
The second one, on 10 September 2004, has been described as a 100 year flood, and we believe it. A 5-10 foot tall, 100 feet wide wall of water was observed at the campground, coming out of the mouth of Borrego Palm Canyon. That flood took out a large number of palm trees (~80% of the individuals in the First Grove), leaving them scattered along the lower portions of the trail, and sometimes in stacks of three palm trees angled on top of each other. Many of the trunks were broken by the force of the water.
This last flood wreaked havoc with two portions of this plant guide. Many of the specific plants recorded in the plant trail guide in those portions are no longer present; they have been uprooted and washed down stream. In fact, the former trail no longer exists in one area. Portions of that area have now been converted to wash, and will not have those species growing there again for some time, if ever.
A detailed discussion of the changes is given below.
The rangers and staff at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park have done a lot of work in restoring and rerouting the main trail. Most of the re-routing takes advantage of a neighboring wash, so new trail construction was kept to a minimum. See the map made from GPS recording of the old and new trail. The red portion is the major reroute. There is also a minor reroute in the wash, which is too small-scale to show up on the map.
In some places, the staff had to chain-saw up numerous palm trees to open a path. In at least one place, there was a lot of deposition of other plant material as well, which had to be removed. Your feet can stay dry during the multiple crossings of the main stream, despite significant water flow, due to well-placed logs and rocks. All of us hikers are deeply grateful for all the work done to allow us such easy passage.
The destruction, while widespread, is by no means total. There are still ~20 palm trees visible in the first grove, which still is a beautiful destination. The entire alternate trail is intact and unchanged. Over two-thirds of the main trail is intact and unchanged except for scattered palm tree trunks. The rerouted main trail is easily traversed by anyone who can follow a route tagged by marking tape.
Because there may yet be changes to the alignment of the trail in the future, we have left intact the guide to the trail as it was prior to 2004, including the numbering of the first occurrences of taxa found in the bypassed section. It is even quite possible that the official route will revert to the entire old trail, since it would take only a small amount of trail construction to completely restore that route.
We have added the new route, as of 20 January 2005, to the guide, and indicate clearly which portions of the guide are no longer on the new route. However, the guide remains primarily a description of the old route.
For species whose first occurrence was only in the superceded sections, we have begun noting their first occurrence on the new route. These occurrences are not numbered as new taxa, since each one has already been counted in the guide. However, a number of the taxa were found only in or adjacent to the washes themselves, and it may be a few years before those taxa re-appear.
This guide includes the highlights from the 1999 brochure that is sometimes available at the trailhead. The brochure is keyed to 15 numbered posts along the trail. (Note that there was an earlier 1990 brochure keyed to 18 numbered posts, some of which were at different locations and numbered differently. For some reason, the 2002 printing of Lowell and Diane Lindsay's The Anza-Borrego Desert Region Guide uses the no-longer-applicable 1990 brochure signposts.)
Most of those numbered posts were taken out by the 2004 flood. In many cases, a careful observer can find the stump of the post remaining, and some of the locations have marking tape with the old post number on it.
Even more confusing, in 2006 new numbered posts were added to many places, but some of them differ by one number from the post in that location previously. There is a new guide keyed to those posts available at the trailhead.
This trail guide will be, therefore, a bit challenging to follow exactly.
Historical note:
On 20 January 2005, the visitor center staff is advising people to take the alternate trail up, not the main trail. There is even a sawhorse at the trailhead which has a sign on it saying Trail washed out; use alternate trail. This recommendation is for those people who have difficulty following anything other than a well-defined trail.
We recommend that you ignore that sign and take the trail anyway unless you are not comfortable following a route that is not obvious at times, and thus requires some paying attention to divine the route. There is no actual prohibition against taking the main trail, and it looked like nearly everyone who took the alternate trail up was taking the main trail down. There is no similar sign at the top of the main trail.
That sign was removed sometime in March 2005.

Detailed Changes To The Trail After The 9/04 Flash Flood

This report is from detailed observations made on 1/24/05.
The trail and surroundings are exactly the same from mile 0.00 to mile 0.10. The trail itself is roughly, but not always exactly, the same route from mile 0.10 to mile 0.58, but the surroundings have changed dramatically in portions of that segment.
The wash itself from mile 0.10 to mile 0.13 is very different. There used to be two separate channels, with a non-wash, higher ground in-between at mile ~0.11. That higher ground is now completely gone, as are the two taxa in the guide for that location (California fagonia, Fagonia laevis, and Anderson's desert-thorn, Lycium andersonii), along with signpost 3. Thus now there is only a single, wider wash.
Second, the main wash is now closer to the trail at mile 0.14 and perhaps beyond. The water has taken a bend to its right, and chewed into the right bank of the drainage.
This has taken out the desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata, next to the catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum, as well as signpost 4. There is no longer a need for signpost 4, since its subject was the home that the desert willows made for birds.
The trail from mile 0.14 to 0.35 is shifted left of the old trail, and the stream-crossing is at a slightly-different location. The surroundings between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34 have been changed tremendously by the 9/04 flood, and many of the plant taxa were taken out by the flood. Presumably, most of those will eventually return.
Soon after the crossing of the main wash on the changed trail, at mile 0.32, there is now a new channel for the stream that must also be crossed. We had not even a mention in the guide of crossing a dry wash here before, so this is a new feature.
After that point, at mile 0.35, the trail and its environment are mostly unchanged until mile 0.46, where signpost 8 used to be. Ironically, signpost 8 said Rolling rocks. Flash floods carried these boulders here. Interestingly, the boulders are still there, but the signpost isn't! In addition, there are now palm tree trunks stacked three deep on top of boulders here.
Just beyond mile 0.46, there used to be several desert willows on the left of the trail. All are now gone except one, which has been seriously smushed. There is no sign of the cattle saltbush, Atriplex polycarpa, but unfortunately the fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum, survived the flood.
Signpost 9 survived the flood, but the Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi, just beyond it did not. Even though the ground is still there, looking very similar to the way it did before, the 3-4 shrubs of this species at that location are completely gone.
At mile 0.58, the old trail is now bypassed by going up the dry wash to the right. See the map made from GPS recording of the old and new trail. The red portion is the major reroute.
However, on 1/24/05, the bypassed old trail is in surprisingly-good shape. There is only one tricky section, which may be the reason they bypassed the trail. Also, perhaps they simply thought it was a good idea to move the trail away from the main wash before it got damaged again.
The bypassed old main trail is mostly intact from mile 0.58 to mile 0.87; even signpost 10 is still present, looking untouched. The stream side of the trail is gone at mile 0.69, but the trail is easily negotiated with any danger of dropping off the side.
The major change is at mile 0.75. Formerly, the trail crossed a dry drainage. That drainage has now become the main channel, full of water seasonally! This makes the next several hundredths of a mile interesting. Once you pick your way across the water twice, you then end up on the intact old trail, with even signpost 11 undamaged.
It will be interesting to see if the now-missing species return to their former locations.
Highlights of This Trail

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. We had 100 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 6 of those trails, including this one, are in Anza-Borrego State Park. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database; numbers of "6" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 12 7%
2 18 10%
3 19 11%
4 21 12%
5 15 8%

1-5 85 48%
6-10 37 21%
11-15 15 8%
16-20 9 5%
21-25 11 6%
26-30 8 4%
31-35 3 2%
36-40 5 3%
41-45 3 2%
46-50 0 0%
51-55 0 0%
56-60 2 1%
Total Taxa 178 100%

We found 3 additional taxa not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ?, sp or ssp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries in the #all column.
The taxa that are unique to this trail, out of all 100 plant trail guides throughout southern California, as of 2/5/07, are:

Scientific Name Common Name
Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis Cedros milk-vetch
Astragalus palmeri Palmer's milk-vetch
Caulanthus hallii Hall's caulanthus
Chamaesyce setiloba Yuma spurge
Cryptantha holoptera winged cryptantha
Notholaena californica California cloak fern
~Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri ~Hooker's evening-primrose
Pectocarya recurvata curvenut combseed
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua heliotrope phacelia
Phacelia nashiana Charlotte's phacelia
Poa bigelovii Bigelow's blue grass

In addition, the just slightly-off-trail Crossosoma bigelovii is also only present on this trail.
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"
3/22/2003 1 58 3 7 2 0
11/4/2003 2 79 13 9 2 2
11/8/2003 3 92 23 9 4 1
2/17/2004 4 106 10 14 13 1
3/27/2004 5 130 6 5 15 1
1/20/2005 6 140 3 4 13 0
1/24/2005 7 145 4 4 16 0
2/25/2005 8 155 6 6 11 0
3/1/2005 9 160 5 6 13 0
3/6/2005 10 165 3 4 8 1
3/14/2005 11
3/21/2005 12 174 11 7 9 3
11/23/2005 13
11/27/2005 14 181 6 9 10 3
2/2/2007 15 181 6 9 10 3

The 3/22/03 field work was an incomplete list of some of the taxa identified on a fast-paced walk. The 11/4/03 field work was only to mile 1.30. The first time the entire loop trail was covered was 11/8/03.
We did not tally the changes made on 3/14/05 separately; they were few in number since that trip was primarily to voucher some of the taxa not previously recorded for this area.
The number of qualified ids went up dramatically on 3/21/05 primarily due to a large number of new off-trail taxa. On 3/21/05, there were a total of 18 taxa found only off-trail.
The fieldwork on 11/23/05 was only to mile 0.51, and its additions were not separately recorded from those of 11/27/05.
We thank Kay Madore for help with the 2/25/05 and 3/1/05 fieldwork, and Kate Shapiro for the addition of the Crossosoma bigelovii to the guide.
Botanical Trip Reports

17 February 2004
27 March 2004
20 January 2005
24 January 2005
25 February 2005
The Plant Guide

See also Flora of Borrego Palm Canyon.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (12 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (3 double-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

mile s # id Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin trail near northwest end of parking lot; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).
0.00 l (Desert pupfish pond, California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.00 r (honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana)
0.00 l 1 desert lavender Hyptis emoryi 99 / 9 7
0.00 b 2 California suncup Camissonia californica 99 / 9 23
0.00 b 3 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 99 / 9 26
0.00 l 4 desert dandelion Malacothrix glabrata 50 / 7 5
0.00 l 5 California filago Filago californica 99 / 9 21
0.00 l 6 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 59
0.00 l 7 pale sun-cup Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida 50 / 9 4
0.00 l 8 brittlebush Encelia farinosa 99 / 9 11
0.00 b 9 cheesebush Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola 99 / 9 8
0.00 b 10 common phacelia Phacelia distans⁺ 99 / 9 11
0.00 l 11 alkali western tansy-mustard Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum 99 / 9 5
0.00 b 12 *London rocket Sisymbrium irio 99 / 9 13
0.00 r 13 desert thornapple Datura discolor 30 / 9 3
0.00 l 14 creosote bush Larrea tridentata 99 / 9 8
0.00 l (gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi)
0.00 l Drinking fountain, shaded display board, thermometer.
0.00 r Women's flush toilet
0.00 r 15 *Asian mustard Brassica tournefortii 99 / 9 8
0.00 r 16 hairy-podded pepper-grass Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum 99 / 9 4
0.00 r 17 desert chicory Rafinesquia neomexicana 50 / 9 4
0.00 l Sign: "Palm Canyon Trail. [No dogs.]"
0.00 r 18 Fremont pincushion Chaenactis fremontii 99 / 9 4
0.00 r 19 popcorn flower Cryptantha intermedia 99 / 9 27
0.00 r 20 Emory's rock-daisy Perityle emoryi 99 / 9 5
0.00 r Jct. trail to men's flush toilet (sign in distance)
0.00 r 21 pygmy-weed Crassula connata⁺ 40 / 2 28
0.01 r 22 indigo bush Psorothamnus schottii 10 / 9 9
0.01 r 23 [desert] strigose lotus Lotus strigosus [var. tomentellus] 50 / 9 35
0.01 r 24 wishbone plant Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa⁺ 30 / 9 5
0.01 r 25 sand cress Calyptridium monandrum 5 / 2 12
0.01 r 26 purple-root cryptantha Cryptantha micrantha / 7
0.01 r Sign: "Warning: Trail is hot-dry. Carry 1 gallon of water minimum per person." (sign is meant for summer heat!)
0.01 r 27 brown-eyed primrose Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii 30 / 4 4
0.01 r 28 bearded cryptantha Cryptantha barbigera 99 / 9 2
0.01 b 29 fivewing spiderling Boerhavia intermedia 99 / 9 4
0.02 l 30 six-weeks three-awn Aristida adscensionis 30 / 5 8
0.02 l 31 curvenut combseed Pectocarya recurvata 99 / 9 1
0.02 l 32 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 20 / 9 31
0.02 l 33 whispering bells Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora 99 / 9 10
0.02 l 34 wire-lettuce Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora 4 / 2 11
0.02 l (big galleta, Pleuraphis rigida)
0.02 l 35 frost mat Achyronychia cooperi 2 / 2 3
0.02 l Sign: "Palm Grove 1.5 mi" [box containing brochures removed after 9/10/04 flood took out the signposts]
0.02 r 36 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 50 / 9 18
0.02 l Sign: "No dogs, no bicycles".
0.02 l 37 San Diego birdsfoot lotus Lotus hamatus 99 / 9 24
0.02 r 38 small-flowered poppy Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora 40 / 9 5
0.02 r 39 narrowleaf ditaxis Ditaxis lanceolata 99 / 9 6
0.03 r 40 gander's cholla Opuntia ganderi 20 / 9 9
0.03 r 41 Yuma spurge Chamaesyce setiloba 20 / 2 1
0.03 l 42 rock hibiscus Hibiscus denudatus 50 / 9 5
0.03 l 43 burroweed Ambrosia dumosa 50 / 9 10
0.03 r 44 big galleta Pleuraphis rigida 50 / 9 7
0.03 r 45 California barrel cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus⁺ 1 / 1 7
0.03 l 46 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 50 / 9 60
0.03 l 47 dwarf filago Filago depressa 20 / 2 2
0.03 l 48 ~ *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus⁺ 2 / 2 42
0.04 l Sign: "Mountain Lions / Snakes ..."
0.04 l Signpost "1" at beavertail cactus: "Don't touch! It has dozens of tiny spines that are painful to the touch and difficult to remove".
0.04 l 49 beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris 10 / 9 13
0.05 l 50 needle grama Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides 30 / 9 4
0.05 l 51 desert trumpet Eriogonum inflatum⁺ 20 / 9 5
0.06 l 52 California mustard Guillenia lasiophylla 10 / 1 4
0.06 r 53 chinch-weed Pectis papposa var. papposa⁺ 20 / 5 4
0.06 r 54 trailing four o'clock Allionia incarnata 50 / 9 3
0.06 r 55 Pima rhatany Krameria erecta⁺ 20 / 9 5
0.07 r 56 chuparosa Justicia californica 99 / 9 7
0.07 l Signpost "2" at ocotilla: "After a rainfall, leaves burst out within 24 hours. They'll be full grown in only five days! After a month of dry weather, the leaves fall to the ground."
0.07 l 57 ocotillo Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens 10 / 4 8
0.07 l 58 brittle spineflower Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu 10 / 3 4
0.09 l 59 thick-leaved ground cherry Physalis crassifolia 10 / 9 7
0.09 l 60 Mojave ragwort Senecio mohavensis 99 / 9 5
0.09 r 61 Sonoran spurge Chamaesyce micromera 3 / 1 2
0.09 r 62 wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor⁺ 99 / 9 21
0.09 l (pellitory, Parietaria hespera var. hespera⁺)
0.09 l 63 star gilia Gilia stellata⁺ 30 / 9 3
0.09 r 64 silver puffs Uropappus lindleyi 5 / 5 27
0.09 l Signpost "3" in 2005: "You are [about to descend into] a desert wash, a great place to look for animal tracks and scat."
0.09 r 65 Nevada ephedra Ephedra nevadensis 5 / 5 4
0.09 r 66 common fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia 99 / 9 18
0.09 Descend to cross drainage from a side canyon
0.10 r 67 narrow-leaved miner's lettuce Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora 5 / 2 21
0.10 r 68 *sourclover Melilotus indicus 30 / 5 25
0.10 b 69 meally white pincushion Chaenactis artemisiifolia 20 / 9 14
The following taxa are all off-trail in the wash, in alphabetical order by Latin name. Most are visible from the trail; some are farther away.
On both sides: Palmer's milk-vetch, Astragalus palmeri; southern California silver-lotus, Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus; Charlotte's phacelia, Phacelia nashiana; GPS 34
On left: different sun-cup, Camissonia sp., GPS122; green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis, GPS 32; ann Eriogonum GPS120; Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei; Parish's poppy, Eschscholzia parishii; southern gilia, Gilia australis; volcanic gilia, Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis; short-winged deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus; bajada lupine, Lupinus concinnus; purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum; glandular nemacladus, Nemacladus glanduliferus (var. glanduliferus?); limestone phacelia, Phacelia affinis; caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida; apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua; ~tomcat clover, ~Trifolium willdenovii, GPS123
On right: Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum; strigose sun-cup, Camissonia strigulosa; devil's spineflower, Chorizanthe rigida; desert dicoria, Dicoria canescens; ~prickly lettuce, ~Lactuca serriola; spreading loeflingia, Loeflingia squarrosa var. squarrosa; short-lobed phacelia, Phacelia brachyloba; rabbits-foot grass, Polypogon monspeliensis; unk prostrate plant with 4-ranked leaves - Veronica? GPS119; brome fescue, Vulpia bromoides; hairy six-weeks fescue, Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella
0.10 Cross main channel; elevation 840 feet (255 m).
0.10 b 70 sacred datura Datura wrightii 10 / 3 20
0.10 l 71 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 20 / 9 14
0.11 The area here has been greatly changed by the 10 September 2004 flash flood. Formerly, this side canyon wash had two braids, with high ground in-between. The two braids have merged, eliminating that high ground along with the old signpost "3" and some of the species.
0.11 l ssp (foxtail barley, Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum)
0.11 Former top of high ground between braids; the next two species were gone post 9/04 flood.
0.11 l 72 California fagonia Fagonia laevis⁺ 20 / 9 6
0.12 l 73 Anderson's desert-thorn Lycium andersonii 6 / 2 3
0.12 l Signpost "3" (pre 9/04). Cross former second braid of wash.
0.12 r (common bedstraw, Galium aparine)
0.13 Ascend out of wash
0.13 r (prickly poppy, Argemone munita)
0.14 Trail is now shifted left from the pre 9/04 trail, but is still next to the changed main drainage with seasonal water. The sweetbush used to be on the left of the trail; it is now on the right. Note the palm trunks washed down in September 2004.
0.15 r 74 Charlotte's phacelia Phacelia nashiana 30 / 4 1
0.16 r 75 *nettle-leaved goosefoot Chenopodium murale 20 / 5 4
0.16 r Signpost "4" (gone post 9/04): "Hear any birds? These desert willows create a home for birds like the California quail and the Costa's hummingbird."
0.16 r Former location of (catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level; desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata), all now swallowed by the wash.
0.17 r 76 apricot mallow Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua 10 / 9 3
77 Bigelow's monkeyflower Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii 20 / 4 3
0.19 l (chia, Salvia columbariae)
0.19 l 78 *tumble pigweed Amaranthus albus⁺ 1 / 1 16
0.19 l 79 prickly poppy Argemone munita 3 / 3 8
0.19 l 80 southern California silver-lotus Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus 1 / 1 4
0.19 l 81 hairy six-weeks fescue Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella 10 / 2 2
0.20 r Signpost "5" in 2005: "Follow your nose to the desert lavender bush here. Rub the leaves. The leaves change size and texture depending on soil moisture."
0.20 r 82 baby California fan palm Washingtonia filifera⁺ 20 / 3 5
0.22 r 83 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 3 / 3 25
0.23 r 84 fringe-pod Thysanocarpus curvipes 10 / 2 9
0.25 (catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level, present post 9/04 flood)
0.26 l 85 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha⁺ 10 / 2 41
0.26 l 86 red maids Calandrinia ciliata 1 / 1 22
0.27 The trail and area are greatly changed between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34. The following section of the guide is from the old trail. Presumably, many of these species will return eventually. See below for the guide to the new trail.

0.27 Guide to old trail, which no longer exists
0.27 Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.29 r Signpost "5" (pre 9/04)
0.30 r 87 volcanic gilia Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis⁺ 5 / 2 2
0.30 r 88 desert tobacco Nicotiana obtusifolia 2 / 2 3
0.30 r 89 common monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 5 / 1 17
0.30 r 90 southern gilia Gilia australis⁺ 10 / 3 2
0.30 r 91 *celery Apium graveolens 1 / 1 5
0.30 r 92 *water speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica 5 / 2 4
0.30 r 93 *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album 2 / 2 18
0.30 r (lace-fringed spineflower, Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata some distance down wash.)
0.30 l ~ (scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis some distance up wash)
0.30 Cross flowing water in season, stepping on rocks; elevation 885 feet (270 m). Trail then curves left 90°. Watch for bighorn sheep beginning here.
0.30 r 94 *white goosefoot Chenopodium album 1 / 1 11
0.30 r 95 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 3 / 1 30

0.27 Guide to the new trail between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34, and lists only species not found on the old trail, or found at an earlier location than previously.
0.28 r 96 Newberry's velvet mallow Horsfordia newberryi 2 / 2 3
0.28 l 97 green miner's lettuce Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis 10 / 3 3
0.30 r 98 Payson's wild cabbage Caulanthus simulans 1 / 1 2
0.30 r 99 chia Salvia columbariae 30 / 5 25
0.30 r 100 Palmer's milk-vetch Astragalus palmeri 1 / 1 1
0.31 l sp (ann Eriogonum, Eriogonum davidsonii?)11
0.32 l 101 catclaw Acacia greggii 10 / 3 9
0.32 Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.32 l 102 *hairy rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta 5 / 1 20
0.34 l (fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum; Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
0.35 Cross channel created in 2004, with seasonal flowing water
The following species are found off-trail within several tenths of a mile to the right, downstream, in the wet side channel, given in alphabetical order by Latin name:
(fringed amaranth, Amaranthus fimbriatus; unk annual like Cardamine or Rorippa; ~Hall's caulanthus, ~Caulanthus hallii; San Diego jewelflower, Caulanthus heterophyllus var. heterophyllus; mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium glomeratum; southern Chinese houses, Collinsia concolor; horseweed, Conyza canadensis; ~cotton-batting plant, ~Gnaphalium stramineum; Mexican rush, Juncus mexicanus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; Lepidium sp.?, with cupped sepals and ovaries like Lepidium; Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus; floriferous monkeyflower, Mimulus floribundus; unk like a narrow-leaf monkeyflower, Mimulus sp.; baby Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii; tamarisk, Tamarix sp.; white sweetclover, Melilotus albus; unk hairy clover, Trifolium sp.?; unk clumpy annual grass)

0.35 End greatly-changed area; area post-2004 flood is now mostly the same as it was before.
0.35 l 103 snapdragon campion Silene antirrhina 20 / 3 7
0.35 l 104 Coulter's lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus 99 / 9 11
0.35 l 105 San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides 5 / 5 7
0.35 l 106 white fiesta flower Pholistoma membranaceum 99 / 9 4
0.35 r Signpost "6" (gone post 9/04): "Home to Ancient People. Morteros and metates are on boulders near here."
0.35 r 107 muilla Muilla maritima 10 / 5 9
0.36 r Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.37 r 108 desert plantain Plantago ovata 99 / 9 8
0.39 l 109 Parish's poppy Eschscholzia parishii 40 / 9 3
0.41 r Signpost "7" (gone post 8/03): "Note the desert varnish on these rocks."
0.42 l 110 desert spike-moss Selaginella eremophila 50 / 9 4
0.42 Trail is just now in shade from the mountains to the west at 2:50 pm PST on 11/4.
0.43 l 111 arrow-leaf Pleurocoronis pluriseta 1 / 1 3
0.43 l Check if this plant is desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia
0.43 l 112 California trixis Trixis californica var. californica 3 / 3 7
0.44 Trail turns left 90°
0.44 b 113 Vasey's sage Salvia vaseyi 10 / 3 5
0.45 Trail turns right 90°
0.46 l Signpost "8" (gone post 9/04): "Rolling rocks. Flash floods carried these boulders here. Their nooks and crannies harbor wildlife, including pack rats and snakes". Hikers on the "Alternate Trail" can be seen just beyond the far bank of the wash.
0.47 r 114 cattle saltbush Atriplex polycarpa⁺ 5 / 1 3
0.47 r 115 *fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum⁺ 5 / 5 12
0.47 l 116 desert-willow Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata 10 / 2 6
0.47 r 117 *Oriental mustard Sisymbrium orientale 20 / 2 13
0.48 l 118 honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana 30 / 3 6
0.53 r 120 ? horseweed? Conyza canadensis? 1 / 1 43
0.53 r Signpost "9": "You're probably being watched by desert bighorn sheep."
0.54 l Trail turns right 90°
0.56 Trail curves left 90°
0.57 l Signpost "10" in 2005: "On 'holey' ground. Tarantulas, scorpions, lizards, mice and harvest ants make many of the holes in the ground."
0.57 l (Parish's viguiera, Viguiera parishii)
0.57 r Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.58 Trail post 9/04 now goes straight up the drainage. Formerly, the trail curved left and crossed the drainage; elevation ~980 feet (300 m).

0.58 This section of the guide is for the old trail, which is still almost completely intact post the 9/04 flood
0.60 r 121 Coulter's snapdragon Antirrhinum coulterianum 5 / 1 6
0.61 r 122 Wallace's woolly daisy Eriophyllum wallacei 1 / 1 3
0.61 r 123 prickly cryptantha Cryptantha muricata 10 / 2 16
0.61 r 124 winged cryptantha Cryptantha holoptera 1 / 1 1
0.61 l 125 lace-fringed spineflower Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata 1 / 1 2
0.61 r (desert nest straw, Stylocline micropoides)
0.62 l 126 ~ iris-leaved rush Juncus xiphioides⁺ 1 / 1 3
0.65 Trail turns right 90° a young smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. trichocalyx, is found just ahead if you don't turn right
0.65 r 127 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum⁺ 5 / 2 6
0.65 l 128 boundary goldenbush Ericameria brachylepis⁺ 1 / 1 3
0.66 r San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides /
0.67 l The pre-2005 signpost "10", still present
0.68 l (California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.69 The left side of the trail is mostly gone post the 9/04 flood, so this spot is a bit tricky.
0.69 l 129 desert brickellia Brickellia desertorum⁺ 1 / 1 2
0.69 l Trail jags left around boulder, but stays on this side of drainage; 3' waterfall to left
0.75 The trickiest spot post 9/04 flood. Formerly, the trail crossed a dry drainage, then curved right. That dry drainage has become the main channel. You need to cross it, then cross back in in 0.03 miles.
0.76 r 130 sp blazing star Mentzelia sp. /
0.78 l 131 globe gilia Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia 1 / 1 7
0.80 r 132 Durango root Datisca glomerata 1 / 1 7
0.80 Cross back over stream, and rejoin old trail.
0.81 l (prickly sow thistle, Sonchus asper ssp. asper)
0.81 l (Check for Borrego milk-vetch, Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus)
0.81 r 133 ayenia Ayenia compacta 2 / 2 2
0.81 l (deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens)
0.82 l (mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)

0.58 This section of the guide is for the post 9/04 trail, as marked on 1/05. This section has not been botanized much.
0.80 Trail leaves wash to left

0.82 Jct. of old trail with the flagged new bypass route
0.83 Trail jogs right; don't continue straight.
0.84 r (Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
0.84 r 134 pebble pincushion Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia⁺ 10 / 3 3
0.85 l 135 caterpillar phacelia Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida 50 / 9 16
0.85 l Signpost "11": First glimpse of the Borrego Palm Canyon Oasis, a half mile ahead."
0.87 l Sign (gone post 9/04): "The Palm Oasis: a rare desert treasure." Trail jags right.
0.87 r (ironwood, Olneya tesota)
0.91 l 136 bajada lupine Lupinus concinnus 1 / 1 11
0.92 This was formerly a fairly flat area. The August 2003 flash flood took out the flat area to the right of the trail. The 9/04 flash flood took out the remaining shrubs there.
0.96 l 137 ~ Hooker's evening-primrose Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri 1 / 1 1
0.96 Go left to cross the creek just upstream of the site of the former wooden bridge.
0.96 l 138 floriferous monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus 1 / 1 9
0.96 r 139 sp *tamarisk Tamarix sp. 1 / 1
0.96 140 ? baby plant like scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis
0.96 Cross the creek.
0.96 l 141 western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre 1 / 1 6
0.96 r 142 Hall's caulanthus Caulanthus hallii 3 / 1 1
0.97 l Jct. "Alternate Trail" (heading back to campground); elevation ~1100 feet (335 m). Turn right. (Sign gone post 9/04)
0.97 r Begin large patches of white fiesta flower, Pholistoma membranaceum
0.97 Enter shade at 2:52 p.m. on 3/27
0.97 l *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus⁺ /
0.98 r 143 *prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper ssp. asper 1 / 1 32
0.98 l 144 woolly lipfern Cheilanthes parryi 20 / 5 5
0.98 l 145 pellitory Parietaria hespera var. hespera⁺ 99 / 9 7
1.00 l (star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum)
1.00 l 146 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata 1 / 1 24
1.00 l Signpost "12" (washed out in 2004; replaced slightly downtrail in 2005): "Spine-tinglers: catclaw on left of trail, honey mesquite on right".
1.00 l (fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica, 15 feet above the trail)
1.02 l 147 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 10 / 3 26
1.05 l 148 desert mistletoe Phoradendron californicum⁺ 2 / 2 4
1.06 l (rock crossosoma, Crossosoma bigelovii)
1.07 b 149 Parish's viguiera Viguiera parishii 20 / 6 7
1.07 r (yellow-flowered form of chuparosa, Justicia californica)
1.10 r 150 climbing milkweed Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii 3 / 3 6
1.13 l 151 Bigelow's desert four-o'clock Mirabilis bigelovii var. bigelovii⁺ 2 / 2 2
1.15 l Signpost "13" (gone post 9/04): "Water gauge, which measures stream depth"; elevation ~1040 feet (315 m). Beginning of palm grove pre 9/04. Note the partially hidden waterfall upstream.
1.15 Short double switchback, left then right.
1.16 r Best view of the hidden waterfall.
1.19 r 152 scarlet spiderling Boerhavia coccinea 2 / 2 2
1.19 l desert tobacco Nicotiana obtusifolia 2 / 2
1.20 r Signpost "14" (gone post 9/04): "Native Shade" from the California fan palm.
1.20 r (red willow, Salix laevigata)
1.20 r First mature California fan palm pre 9/04. Washingtonia filifera /

The next 2 species were found on the trail before the palm on 3/22/03, but have not yet been located in this guide.
153 purple mat Nama demissum var. demissum / 3
154 desert tea Ephedra californica / 3

1.24 Cross the creek; elevation ~1160 feet (350 m). In December 2003, this was all choked with sand. In February 2004, the stream had cut a channel into the sand. In November 2005 it was all rocky; the sand was gone. In February 2007, it was filled with plants, mostly water cress.
1.24 l 155 ~ water cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum 10 / 1 14
1.24 r 156 *green bentgrass Agrostis viridis 10 / 1 5
1.24 r 157 *Bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon 5 / 1 37
1.25 Immediately after crossing the water, the trail turns left 90°
1.26 Trail turns right 90° The following species, along with a small hidden pond and hidden grotto perhaps with a seasonal waterfall, are found in the moist area just across the stream to the left: unk sedge, Carex or Cyperus sp.; wrinkled rush, Juncus rugulosus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; rush like Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii; California loosestrife, Lythrum californicum; scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. ?; western sycamore, Platanus racemosa; narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua; rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida; cattail, Typha sp.
1.26 l (arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea)
1.27 Trail turns left 90°
1.28 l Signpost "15" (gone post 9/04; tape incorrectly says "14 location"): "Almost there...the oasis is just a few minutes ahead".
1.30 l (A roughly 5 foot waterfall. You can see a dense grove of palms ahead.)
1.31 b Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum /
1.32 l 158 arrow-weed Pluchea sericea 5 / 2 4
1.37 A sometimes-confusing junction if the signs are gone; elevation ~1180 feet (360 m). The trail goes right, a bit uphill, not straight along the canyon bottom. Look for a post uphill to your right with an arrow pointing left. The trail going into the Palm Grove is now marked "not a through trail", and most of the Grove is blocked by barriers with signs asking you to stay out and allow the baby palms to grow up.

1.38 r Upper Trail Guide: Trail turns left 90° at the post.
1.44 l Sign: "At home in a palm oasis". After enjoying the palm grove here, turn around and go back to the jct with the Alternate Trail.

1.38 Lower Trail Guide: Cross the creek and wander into the Palm Grove, heading uphill through it. Note: this route is now closed to allow the Grove to regenerate; please respect that closure. The species found there, listed below, are common species.
1.39 l 159 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 30 / 2 40
1.39 r 160 goldenrod Solidago californica 10 / 1 39
1.39 b 161 ~ mountain California-fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium 30 / 1 8
1.40 b 162 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 10 / 1 40
1.42 163 Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii 1 / 1 13
1.42 164 red willow Salix laevigata 1 / 1 26
1.42 Return the way you came.

1.86 Jct. Alternate Trail. Do not be worried by the trail having some uphill sections and sometimes appearing to head away from the parking lot.
1.89 Switchback right.
1.90 Switchback left.
1.92 r Check for Guadalupe cryptantha, Cryptantha maritima
1.95 r 165 beetle spurge Euphorbia eriantha 20 / 5 2
1.95 r Begin section of trail containing mostly caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida
1.95 r California fagonia Fagonia laevis /
1.96 Switchback right.
1.97 Trail turns left 90°
1.99 r 166 heliotrope phacelia Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua 1 / 1 1
2.00 l 167 California cloak fern Notholaena californica 3 / 3 1
2.00 First local high point on trail; elevation ~1160 feet (355 m); switchback left and descend.
2.04 Cross very small drainage
2.06 Cross small drainage and begin ascending again.
2.09 ayenia Ayenia compacta /
2.10 Second local high point on trail.
2.14 Third local high point on trail.
2.16 Fourth local high point on trail
2.16 r 168 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium 3 / 3 23
2.17 r 169 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 10 / 2 30
2.17 r 170 Coulter's lyrepod Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri 3 / 3 3
2.18 r 171 desert twining snapdragon Antirrhinum filipes 1 / 1 2
2.18 r 172 short-bannered coastal lotus Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus 10 / 2 5
2.18 r 173 Cedros milk-vetch Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis 10 / 1 1
2.19 Switchback right.
2.20 Trail curves left 90°
2.21 174 Arizona spurge Chamaesyce arizonica 30 / 3 2
2.21 Fifth local high point on trail.
2.23 Sixth high point on trail. The trail is now almost flat, with a number of minor local high points
2.27 r 175 Guadalupe cryptantha Cryptantha maritima / 2
2.36 r Check for limestone phacelia, Phacelia cryptantha
2.38 Cross minor drainage
2.40 r 176 intermediate larkspur Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum 4 / 2 4
2.40 r Liverworts
2.44 r A "rock bench" that you can sit on; it even has a back!
2.44 r 177 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida 20 / 2 2
2.45 Cross minor drainage
2.48 r Check for different lupine
2.48 Cross minor drainage and ascend.
2.51 Final local high point. Now the trail stops fooling around and heads downhill toward the parking lot.
2.60 r Check for fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica
2.63 r 178 *African daisy Dimorphotheca sinuata 1 / 1 4
2.68 Trail turns right 90°, now in wash; elevation ~940 feet (285 m).
2.68 r 179 Bigelow's blue grass Poa bigelovii 1 / 1 1
2.68 r 180 *slender wild oats Avena barbata 1 / 1 40
2.70 Trail turns left 90° out of the wash.
2.72 Long curve right 180°
2.76 Trail turns left 90° into wash.
2.77 Trail turns right 40° out of wash.
3.00 l View of ampitheatre for ranger programs.
3.03 r Sign: "Trail is hot-dry, etc.", readable only by hikers going the opposite way.
3.04 Jct paved road; turn right on it.
3.05 Enter middle of parking area for the Trail, go left to get back to the trailhead.
3.05 r ("Trailhead store")
3.10 l Desert pupfish pond.
3.10 l 181 American tule Scirpus americanus 30 / 1 4
3.11 End guide back at the trailhead; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).

Comments On Specific Species

Phacelia distans. This species is often misidentified as tansy-leafed phacelia, Phacelia tanacetifolia, probably because the stamens are well-exserted for both species. The stamens for Phacelia distans can be twice the length of the corolla; those for Phacelia tanacetifolia are longer.
Phacelia tanacetifolia was reported in Beauchamp as very rare in San Diego County, with only a single voucher from Coyote Canyon. Any species with only a single voucher, surrounded by many vouchers of another species, is highly suspect. The Jepson Desert Manual does not place Phacelia tanacetifolia anywhere in the Sonoran Desert. In fact, the latest edition of the San Diego County Plant Checklist does not place P. tanacetifolia in San Diego County.
Crassula connata. There are normal-looking specimens at mile 0.00, and giant, unusual specimens along the wash at mile 1.01. Astoundingly, those specimens have up to 8 flowers per 2 leaf nodes (4 leaves) = 4 flowers per node, not just 2 flowers per node! We've never seen such robust plants anyplace else. But no other identification is possible among the species present in California in the Jepson Manual.
Mirabilis bigelovii. The first specimen on the trail is var. retrorsa, having non-glandular stems with short reflexed hairs. All the rest of the plants on the trail also seem to be this variety, except for a distinctly-different looking plant at mile 1.13, and one in the Palm Grove. Those plants are var. bigelovii, having glandular stems without those short reflexed hairs, and seem to like more moist environments, at least on this trail.
Ferocactus cylindraceus. The varieties are not recognized in the Flora of North America treatment since they are not consistently distinguishable.
Sonchus oleraceus. A positive identification was obtained at mile 0.97.
Eriogonum inflatum var. deflatum. The subspecies inflatum and deflatum are bogus, and were eliminated as valid species in the 2005 Flora of North America treatment. The plants here exhibit stems that range from not inflated at all, to nearly fully inflated below nodes. The inflation apparently depends on the amount of available moisture.
Pectis papposa var. papposa. There are only a few specimens on the main trail. Most of the plants are in the wash at the base of the alternate trail, which is the last part of this guide.
Krameria erecta. Without fruit, it is easy to misidentify these plants as K. grayi, primarily due to errors in Munz and the Jepson Manual. The color of the flowers of these plants is very similar to the flowers of K. grayi. Only the lowermost sepal is erect here, with the other sepals spreading to spreading/reflexed, so the sepals are not cupped. (The sepals do become cupped after the flowers are removed from the plant, so this may be typical of voucher specimens used for the floras.) Only the lower 0.8 mm of the 3.0 mm flag petals is fused, which is easy to miss even with a microscope. Finally, although these plants have some blunt branchlets, they also have some very spiny branchlets.
Fortunately, the fruit clearly give this identification, with barbs only along the shaft of the spines, and none at the top.
Phacelia minor. We have looked very hard for P. campanularia ssp. campanularia, but all specimens on the trail that we have seen are the rich purple of P. minor, and not the blue of P. campanularia. Detailed examination of samples finds them only consistent with a P. minor identification. However, we have seen pictures of clear P. campanularia taken in the Canyon, so maybe someday we'll find one on the trail.
Our quest for this species paid off on 2/25/05, when Tom Chester and Kay Madore discovered Phacelia nashiana here, a RARE taxon previously known only from s SNH, Teh (e slope). We have vouchered this taxon, as well as done surveys for it elsewhere here, and will be reporting this in the literature soon.
Parietaria hespera var. hespera. The leaves appear to be var. hespera, but some of the calyx lobe characteristics fit var. californica. We have decided to call this variety based on the leaves. In fact, we are not at all sure that var. californica even exists.
Gilia australis, G. stellata. Both of these gilias have pinnate leaves with a narrow rachis. G. stellata has a glandular calyx and is the dominant species found along the trail; G. australis has a generally glabrous calyx, and is found only in washes. The third gilia on this trail, Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis, has strap-shaped leaves with a wide rachis, and is only found in washes. For pictures of how to identify the plants from this trail, see Gilias of San Diego County.
Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia. Plants at mile 2.16 correspond to var. carphoclinia as defined in Munz and Beauchamp, which has pappus-paleae of central flowers 2/3 as long as corolla. Plants at mile 0.89 correspond mostly to var. attenuata, as defined in Munz and Beauchamp, which has pappus-paleae not more than 1/3 the length of the corolla. For those plants, 11 of the 13 flowers examined have the attenuate pappus; 2 of the 13 flowers have three bristles of the length of var. carphoclinia. The Jepson Manual has combined these two varieties into var. carphoclinia, which may be appropriate given the mixed nature of the pappus for the plants at mile 0.89.
Amaranthus albus, Atriplex polycarpa, Brickellia desertorum, Ericameria brachylepis, Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum, Fagonia laevis, Washingtonia filifera. These plants were all taken out by the 9/10/04 flash flood.
Medicago polymorpha, Pennisetum setaceum. These non-native weeds are removed from the trail every so often, so we hope you do not see them. If you do, yank them!
Juncus xiphioides. The plants at mile 0.62 have never bloomed; the id comes from plants at mile 1.26.
Phoradendron californicum. These plants were in bloom on 2/17/04, and had a tremendously sweet, heavy fragrance then.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	12	7%
2	18	10%
3	19	11%
4	21	12%
5	15	8%

1-5	85	48%
6-10	37	21%
11-15	15	8%
16-20	9	5%
21-25	11	6%
26-30	8	4%
31-35	3	2%
36-40	5	3%
41-45	3	2%
46-50	0	0%
51-55	0	0%
56-60	2	1%
Total Taxa	178	100%

Scientific Name	Common Name
Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis	Cedros milk-vetch
Astragalus palmeri	Palmer's milk-vetch
Caulanthus hallii	Hall's caulanthus
Chamaesyce setiloba	Yuma spurge
Cryptantha holoptera	winged cryptantha
Notholaena californica	California cloak fern
~Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri	~Hooker's evening-primrose
Pectocarya recurvata	curvenut combseed
Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua	heliotrope phacelia
Phacelia nashiana	Charlotte's phacelia
Poa bigelovii	Bigelow's blue grass

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
3/22/2003	1	58	3	7	2	0
11/4/2003	2	79	13	9	2	2
11/8/2003	3	92	23	9	4	1
2/17/2004	4	106	10	14	13	1
3/27/2004	5	130	6	5	15	1
1/20/2005	6	140	3	4	13	0
1/24/2005	7	145	4	4	16	0
2/25/2005	8	155	6	6	11	0
3/1/2005	9	160	5	6	13	0
3/6/2005	10	165	3	4	8	1
3/14/2005	11
3/21/2005	12	174	11	7	9	3
11/23/2005	13
11/27/2005	14	181	6	9	10	3
2/2/2007	15	181	6	9	10	3

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail near northwest end of parking lot; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).
0.00	l			(Desert pupfish pond, California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.00	r			(honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana)
0.00	l	1		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	99 / 9	7
0.00	b	2		California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 9	23
0.00	b	3		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	99 / 9	26
0.00	l	4		desert dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	50 / 7	5
0.00	l	5		California filago	Filago californica	99 / 9	21
0.00	l	6		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	59
0.00	l	7		pale sun-cup	Camissonia pallida ssp. pallida	50 / 9	4
0.00	l	8		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	99 / 9	11
0.00	b	9		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	99 / 9	8
0.00	b	10		common phacelia	Phacelia distans⁺	99 / 9	11
0.00	l	11		alkali western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum	99 / 9	5
0.00	b	12		*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	99 / 9	13
0.00	r	13		desert thornapple	Datura discolor	30 / 9	3
0.00	l	14		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	99 / 9	8
0.00	l			(gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi)
0.00	l			Drinking fountain, shaded display board, thermometer.
0.00	r			Women's flush toilet
0.00	r	15		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	99 / 9	8
0.00	r	16		hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	99 / 9	4
0.00	r	17		desert chicory	Rafinesquia neomexicana	50 / 9	4
0.00	l			Sign: "Palm Canyon Trail. [No dogs.]"
0.00	r	18		Fremont pincushion	Chaenactis fremontii	99 / 9	4
0.00	r	19		popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia	99 / 9	27
0.00	r	20		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi	99 / 9	5
0.00	r			Jct. trail to men's flush toilet (sign in distance)
0.00	r	21		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata⁺	40 / 2	28
0.01	r	22		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	10 / 9	9
0.01	r	23		[desert] strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus [var. tomentellus]	50 / 9	35
0.01	r	24		wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa⁺	30 / 9	5
0.01	r	25		sand cress	Calyptridium monandrum	5 / 2	12
0.01	r	26		purple-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha	/	7
0.01	r			Sign: "Warning: Trail is hot-dry. Carry 1 gallon of water minimum per person." (sign is meant for summer heat!)
0.01	r	27		brown-eyed primrose	Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	30 / 4	4
0.01	r	28		bearded cryptantha	Cryptantha barbigera	99 / 9	2
0.01	b	29		fivewing spiderling	Boerhavia intermedia	99 / 9	4
0.02	l	30		six-weeks three-awn	Aristida adscensionis	30 / 5	8
0.02	l	31		curvenut combseed	Pectocarya recurvata	99 / 9	1
0.02	l	32		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	20 / 9	31
0.02	l	33		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	99 / 9	10
0.02	l	34		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	4 / 2	11
0.02	l			(big galleta, Pleuraphis rigida)
0.02	l	35		frost mat	Achyronychia cooperi	2 / 2	3
0.02	l			Sign: "Palm Grove 1.5 mi" [box containing brochures removed after 9/10/04 flood took out the signposts]
0.02	r	36		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	50 / 9	18
0.02	l			Sign: "No dogs, no bicycles".
0.02	l	37		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	99 / 9	24
0.02	r	38		small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	40 / 9	5
0.02	r	39		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	99 / 9	6
0.03	r	40		gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	20 / 9	9
0.03	r	41		Yuma spurge	Chamaesyce setiloba	20 / 2	1
0.03	l	42		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	50 / 9	5
0.03	l	43		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	50 / 9	10
0.03	r	44		big galleta	Pleuraphis rigida	50 / 9	7
0.03	r	45		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus⁺	1 / 1	7
0.03	l	46		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	50 / 9	60
0.03	l	47		dwarf filago	Filago depressa	20 / 2	2
0.03	l	48	~	*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus⁺	2 / 2	42
0.04	l			Sign: "Mountain Lions / Snakes ..."
0.04	l			Signpost "1" at beavertail cactus: "Don't touch! It has dozens of tiny spines that are painful to the touch and difficult to remove".
0.04	l	49		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	10 / 9	13
0.05	l	50		needle grama	Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides	30 / 9	4
0.05	l	51		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum⁺	20 / 9	5
0.06	l	52		California mustard	Guillenia lasiophylla	10 / 1	4
0.06	r	53		chinch-weed	Pectis papposa var. papposa⁺	20 / 5	4
0.06	r	54		trailing four o'clock	Allionia incarnata	50 / 9	3
0.06	r	55		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta⁺	20 / 9	5
0.07	r	56		chuparosa	Justicia californica	99 / 9	7
0.07	l			Signpost "2" at ocotilla: "After a rainfall, leaves burst out within 24 hours. They'll be full grown in only five days! After a month of dry weather, the leaves fall to the ground."
0.07	l	57		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	10 / 4	8
0.07	l	58		brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	10 / 3	4
0.09	l	59		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	10 / 9	7
0.09	l	60		Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis	99 / 9	5
0.09	r	61		Sonoran spurge	Chamaesyce micromera	3 / 1	2
0.09	r	62		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor⁺	99 / 9	21
0.09	l			(pellitory, Parietaria hespera var. hespera⁺)
0.09	l	63		star gilia	Gilia stellata⁺	30 / 9	3
0.09	r	64		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	5 / 5	27
0.09	l			Signpost "3" in 2005: "You are [about to descend into] a desert wash, a great place to look for animal tracks and scat."
0.09	r	65		Nevada ephedra	Ephedra nevadensis	5 / 5	4
0.09	r	66		common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	99 / 9	18
0.09				Descend to cross drainage from a side canyon
0.10	r	67		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	5 / 2	21
0.10	r	68		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	30 / 5	25
0.10	b	69		meally white pincushion	Chaenactis artemisiifolia	20 / 9	14
				The following taxa are all off-trail in the wash, in alphabetical order by Latin name. Most are visible from the trail; some are farther away.
				On both sides: Palmer's milk-vetch, Astragalus palmeri; southern California silver-lotus, Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus; Charlotte's phacelia, Phacelia nashiana; GPS 34
				On left: different sun-cup, Camissonia sp., GPS122; green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis, GPS 32; ann Eriogonum GPS120; Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei; Parish's poppy, Eschscholzia parishii; southern gilia, Gilia australis; volcanic gilia, Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis; short-winged deerweed, Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus; bajada lupine, Lupinus concinnus; purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum; glandular nemacladus, Nemacladus glanduliferus (var. glanduliferus?); limestone phacelia, Phacelia affinis; caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida; apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua; ~tomcat clover, ~Trifolium willdenovii, GPS123
				On right: Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum; strigose sun-cup, Camissonia strigulosa; devil's spineflower, Chorizanthe rigida; desert dicoria, Dicoria canescens; ~prickly lettuce, ~Lactuca serriola; spreading loeflingia, Loeflingia squarrosa var. squarrosa; short-lobed phacelia, Phacelia brachyloba; rabbits-foot grass, Polypogon monspeliensis; unk prostrate plant with 4-ranked leaves - Veronica? GPS119; brome fescue, Vulpia bromoides; hairy six-weeks fescue, Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella
0.10				Cross main channel; elevation 840 feet (255 m).
0.10	b	70		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	10 / 3	20
0.10	l	71		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	20 / 9	14
0.11				The area here has been greatly changed by the 10 September 2004 flash flood. Formerly, this side canyon wash had two braids, with high ground in-between. The two braids have merged, eliminating that high ground along with the old signpost "3" and some of the species.
0.11	l		ssp	(foxtail barley, Hordeum murinum ssp. glaucum)
0.11				Former top of high ground between braids; the next two species were gone post 9/04 flood.
0.11	l	72		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis⁺	20 / 9	6
0.12	l	73		Anderson's desert-thorn	Lycium andersonii	6 / 2	3
0.12	l			Signpost "3" (pre 9/04). Cross former second braid of wash.
0.12	r			(common bedstraw, Galium aparine)
0.13				Ascend out of wash
0.13	r			(prickly poppy, Argemone munita)
0.14				Trail is now shifted left from the pre 9/04 trail, but is still next to the changed main drainage with seasonal water. The sweetbush used to be on the left of the trail; it is now on the right. Note the palm trunks washed down in September 2004.
0.15	r	74		Charlotte's phacelia	Phacelia nashiana	30 / 4	1
0.16	r	75		*nettle-leaved goosefoot	Chenopodium murale	20 / 5	4
0.16	r			Signpost "4" (gone post 9/04): "Hear any birds? These desert willows create a home for birds like the California quail and the Costa's hummingbird."
0.16	r			Former location of (catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level; desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata), all now swallowed by the wash.
0.17	r	76		apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua	10 / 9	3
		77		Bigelow's monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	20 / 4	3
0.19	l			(chia, Salvia columbariae)
0.19	l	78		*tumble pigweed	Amaranthus albus⁺	1 / 1	16
0.19	l	79		prickly poppy	Argemone munita	3 / 3	8
0.19	l	80		southern California silver-lotus	Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus	1 / 1	4
0.19	l	81		hairy six-weeks fescue	Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella	10 / 2	2
0.20	r			Signpost "5" in 2005: "Follow your nose to the desert lavender bush here. Rub the leaves. The leaves change size and texture depending on soil moisture."
0.20	r	82		baby California fan palm	Washingtonia filifera⁺	20 / 3	5
0.22	r	83		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	3 / 3	25
0.23	r	84		fringe-pod	Thysanocarpus curvipes	10 / 2	9
0.25				(catclaw, Acacia greggii, with desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum growing on it at eye-level, present post 9/04 flood)
0.26	l	85		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha⁺	10 / 2	41
0.26	l	86		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	1 / 1	22
0.27				The trail and area are greatly changed between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34. The following section of the guide is from the old trail. Presumably, many of these species will return eventually. See below for the guide to the new trail.

0.27				Guide to old trail, which no longer exists
0.27				Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.29	r			Signpost "5" (pre 9/04)
0.30	r	87		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis⁺	5 / 2	2
0.30	r	88		desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	2 / 2	3
0.30	r	89		common monkeyflower	Mimulus guttatus	5 / 1	17
0.30	r	90		southern gilia	Gilia australis⁺	10 / 3	2
0.30	r	91		*celery	Apium graveolens	1 / 1	5
0.30	r	92		*water speedwell	Veronica anagallis-aquatica	5 / 2	4
0.30	r	93		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	2 / 2	18
0.30	r			(lace-fringed spineflower, Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata some distance down wash.)
0.30	l		~	(scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis some distance up wash)
0.30				Cross flowing water in season, stepping on rocks; elevation 885 feet (270 m). Trail then curves left 90°. Watch for bighorn sheep beginning here.
0.30	r	94		*white goosefoot	Chenopodium album	1 / 1	11
0.30	r	95		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	3 / 1	30

0.27				Guide to the new trail between mile 0.27 and mile 0.34, and lists only species not found on the old trail, or found at an earlier location than previously.
0.28	r	96		Newberry's velvet mallow	Horsfordia newberryi	2 / 2	3
0.28	l	97		green miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis	10 / 3	3
0.30	r	98		Payson's wild cabbage	Caulanthus simulans	1 / 1	2
0.30	r	99		chia	Salvia columbariae	30 / 5	25
0.30	r	100		Palmer's milk-vetch	Astragalus palmeri	1 / 1	1
0.31	l		sp	(ann Eriogonum, Eriogonum davidsonii?)11
0.32	l	101		catclaw	Acacia greggii	10 / 3	9
0.32				Trail turns right 90° to cross flowing water.
0.32	l	102		*hairy rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta	5 / 1	20
0.34	l			(fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum; Vasey's sage, Salvia vaseyi)
0.35				Cross channel created in 2004, with seasonal flowing water
				The following species are found off-trail within several tenths of a mile to the right, downstream, in the wet side channel, given in alphabetical order by Latin name:
				(fringed amaranth, Amaranthus fimbriatus; unk annual like Cardamine or Rorippa; ~Hall's caulanthus, ~Caulanthus hallii; San Diego jewelflower, Caulanthus heterophyllus var. heterophyllus; mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium glomeratum; southern Chinese houses, Collinsia concolor; horseweed, Conyza canadensis; ~cotton-batting plant, ~Gnaphalium stramineum; Mexican rush, Juncus mexicanus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; Lepidium sp.?, with cupped sepals and ovaries like Lepidium; Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus; floriferous monkeyflower, Mimulus floribundus; unk like a narrow-leaf monkeyflower, Mimulus sp.; baby Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii; tamarisk, Tamarix sp.; white sweetclover, Melilotus albus; unk hairy clover, Trifolium sp.?; unk clumpy annual grass)

0.35				End greatly-changed area; area post-2004 flood is now mostly the same as it was before.
0.35	l	103		snapdragon campion	Silene antirrhina	20 / 3	7
0.35	l	104		Coulter's lupine	Lupinus sparsiflorus	99 / 9	11
0.35	l	105		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	5 / 5	7
0.35	l	106		white fiesta flower	Pholistoma membranaceum	99 / 9	4
0.35	r			Signpost "6" (gone post 9/04): "Home to Ancient People. Morteros and metates are on boulders near here."
0.35	r	107		muilla	Muilla maritima	10 / 5	9
0.36	r			Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.37	r	108		desert plantain	Plantago ovata	99 / 9	8
0.39	l	109		Parish's poppy	Eschscholzia parishii	40 / 9	3
0.41	r			Signpost "7" (gone post 8/03): "Note the desert varnish on these rocks."
0.42	l	110		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	50 / 9	4
0.42				Trail is just now in shade from the mountains to the west at 2:50 pm PST on 11/4.
0.43	l	111		arrow-leaf	Pleurocoronis pluriseta	1 / 1	3
0.43	l			Check if this plant is desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia
0.43	l	112		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	3 / 3	7
0.44				Trail turns left 90°
0.44	b	113		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	10 / 3	5
0.45				Trail turns right 90°
0.46	l			Signpost "8" (gone post 9/04): "Rolling rocks. Flash floods carried these boulders here. Their nooks and crannies harbor wildlife, including pack rats and snakes". Hikers on the "Alternate Trail" can be seen just beyond the far bank of the wash.
0.47	r	114		cattle saltbush	Atriplex polycarpa⁺	5 / 1	3
0.47	r	115		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum⁺	5 / 5	12
0.47	l	116		desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	10 / 2	6
0.47	r	117		*Oriental mustard	Sisymbrium orientale	20 / 2	13
0.48	l	118		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	30 / 3	6
0.53	r	120	?	horseweed?	Conyza canadensis?	1 / 1	43
0.53	r			Signpost "9": "You're probably being watched by desert bighorn sheep."
0.54	l			Trail turns right 90°
0.56				Trail curves left 90°
0.57	l			Signpost "10" in 2005: "On 'holey' ground. Tarantulas, scorpions, lizards, mice and harvest ants make many of the holes in the ground."
0.57	l			(Parish's viguiera, Viguiera parishii)
0.57	r			Check for different Ephedra sp.
0.58				Trail post 9/04 now goes straight up the drainage. Formerly, the trail curved left and crossed the drainage; elevation ~980 feet (300 m).

0.58				This section of the guide is for the old trail, which is still almost completely intact post the 9/04 flood
0.60	r	121		Coulter's snapdragon	Antirrhinum coulterianum	5 / 1	6
0.61	r	122		Wallace's woolly daisy	Eriophyllum wallacei	1 / 1	3
0.61	r	123		prickly cryptantha	Cryptantha muricata	10 / 2	16
0.61	r	124		winged cryptantha	Cryptantha holoptera	1 / 1	1
0.61	l	125		lace-fringed spineflower	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. laciniata	1 / 1	2
0.61	r			(desert nest straw, Stylocline micropoides)
0.62	l	126	~	iris-leaved rush	Juncus xiphioides⁺	1 / 1	3
0.65				Trail turns right 90° a young smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. trichocalyx, is found just ahead if you don't turn right
0.65	r	127		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum⁺	5 / 2	6
0.65	l	128		boundary goldenbush	Ericameria brachylepis⁺	1 / 1	3
0.66	r			San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	/
0.67	l			The pre-2005 signpost "10", still present
0.68	l			(California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
0.69				The left side of the trail is mostly gone post the 9/04 flood, so this spot is a bit tricky.
0.69	l	129		desert brickellia	Brickellia desertorum⁺	1 / 1	2
0.69	l			Trail jags left around boulder, but stays on this side of drainage; 3' waterfall to left
0.75				The trickiest spot post 9/04 flood. Formerly, the trail crossed a dry drainage, then curved right. That dry drainage has become the main channel. You need to cross it, then cross back in in 0.03 miles.
0.76	r	130	sp	blazing star	Mentzelia sp.	/
0.78	l	131		globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	1 / 1	7
0.80	r	132		Durango root	Datisca glomerata	1 / 1	7
0.80				Cross back over stream, and rejoin old trail.
0.81	l			(prickly sow thistle, Sonchus asper ssp. asper)
0.81	l			(Check for Borrego milk-vetch, Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus)
0.81	r	133		ayenia	Ayenia compacta	2 / 2	2
0.81	l			(deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens)
0.82	l			(mule fat, Baccharis salicifolia)

0.58				This section of the guide is for the post 9/04 trail, as marked on 1/05. This section has not been botanized much.
0.80				Trail leaves wash to left

0.82				Jct. of old trail with the flagged new bypass route
0.83				Trail jogs right; don't continue straight.
0.84	r			(Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
0.84	r	134		pebble pincushion	Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia⁺	10 / 3	3
0.85	l	135		caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	50 / 9	16
0.85	l			Signpost "11": First glimpse of the Borrego Palm Canyon Oasis, a half mile ahead."
0.87	l			Sign (gone post 9/04): "The Palm Oasis: a rare desert treasure." Trail jags right.
0.87	r			(ironwood, Olneya tesota)
0.91	l	136		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	1 / 1	11
0.92				This was formerly a fairly flat area. The August 2003 flash flood took out the flat area to the right of the trail. The 9/04 flash flood took out the remaining shrubs there.
0.96	l	137	~	Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri	1 / 1	1
0.96				Go left to cross the creek just upstream of the site of the former wooden bridge.
0.96	l	138		floriferous monkeyflower	Mimulus floribundus	1 / 1	9
0.96	r	139	sp	*tamarisk	Tamarix sp.	1 / 1
0.96		140	?	baby plant like scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis
0.96				Cross the creek.
0.96	l	141		western marsh cudweed	Gnaphalium palustre	1 / 1	6
0.96	r	142		Hall's caulanthus	Caulanthus hallii	3 / 1	1
0.97	l			Jct. "Alternate Trail" (heading back to campground); elevation ~1100 feet (335 m). Turn right. (Sign gone post 9/04)
0.97	r			Begin large patches of white fiesta flower, Pholistoma membranaceum
0.97				Enter shade at 2:52 p.m. on 3/27
0.97	l			*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus⁺	/
0.98	r	143		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	1 / 1	32
0.98	l	144		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	20 / 5	5
0.98	l	145		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera⁺	99 / 9	7
1.00	l			(star-flowered bedstraw, Galium stellatum var. eremicum)
1.00	l	146		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	1 / 1	24
1.00	l			Signpost "12" (washed out in 2004; replaced slightly downtrail in 2005): "Spine-tinglers: catclaw on left of trail, honey mesquite on right".
1.00	l			(fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica, 15 feet above the trail)
1.02	l	147		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	10 / 3	26
1.05	l	148		desert mistletoe	Phoradendron californicum⁺	2 / 2	4
1.06	l			(rock crossosoma, Crossosoma bigelovii)
1.07	b	149		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	20 / 6	7
1.07	r			(yellow-flowered form of chuparosa, Justicia californica)
1.10	r	150		climbing milkweed	Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii	3 / 3	6
1.13	l	151		Bigelow's desert four-o'clock	Mirabilis bigelovii var. bigelovii⁺	2 / 2	2
1.15	l			Signpost "13" (gone post 9/04): "Water gauge, which measures stream depth"; elevation ~1040 feet (315 m). Beginning of palm grove pre 9/04. Note the partially hidden waterfall upstream.
1.15				Short double switchback, left then right.
1.16	r			Best view of the hidden waterfall.
1.19	r	152		scarlet spiderling	Boerhavia coccinea	2 / 2	2
1.19	l			desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	2 / 2
1.20	r			Signpost "14" (gone post 9/04): "Native Shade" from the California fan palm.
1.20	r			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
1.20	r			First mature California fan palm pre 9/04.	Washingtonia filifera	/

				The next 2 species were found on the trail before the palm on 3/22/03, but have not yet been located in this guide.
		153		purple mat	Nama demissum var. demissum	/	3
		154		desert tea	Ephedra californica	/	3

1.24				Cross the creek; elevation ~1160 feet (350 m). In December 2003, this was all choked with sand. In February 2004, the stream had cut a channel into the sand. In November 2005 it was all rocky; the sand was gone. In February 2007, it was filled with plants, mostly water cress.
1.24	l	155	~	water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	10 / 1	14
1.24	r	156		*green bentgrass	Agrostis viridis	10 / 1	5
1.24	r	157		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	5 / 1	37
1.25				Immediately after crossing the water, the trail turns left 90°
1.26				Trail turns right 90° The following species, along with a small hidden pond and hidden grotto perhaps with a seasonal waterfall, are found in the moist area just across the stream to the left: unk sedge, Carex or Cyperus sp.; wrinkled rush, Juncus rugulosus; iris-leaved rush, Juncus xiphioides; rush like Juncus acutus ssp. leopoldii; California loosestrife, Lythrum californicum; scarlet monkeyflower, Mimulus cardinalis; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. ?; western sycamore, Platanus racemosa; narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua; rigid hedge-nettle, Stachys ajugoides var. rigida; cattail, Typha sp.
1.26	l			(arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea)
1.27				Trail turns left 90°
1.28	l			Signpost "15" (gone post 9/04; tape incorrectly says "14 location"): "Almost there...the oasis is just a few minutes ahead".
1.30	l			(A roughly 5 foot waterfall. You can see a dense grove of palms ahead.)
1.31	b			Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	/
1.32	l	158		arrow-weed	Pluchea sericea	5 / 2	4
1.37				A sometimes-confusing junction if the signs are gone; elevation ~1180 feet (360 m). The trail goes right, a bit uphill, not straight along the canyon bottom. Look for a post uphill to your right with an arrow pointing left. The trail going into the Palm Grove is now marked "not a through trail", and most of the Grove is blocked by barriers with signs asking you to stay out and allow the baby palms to grow up.

1.38	r			Upper Trail Guide: Trail turns left 90° at the post.
1.44	l			Sign: "At home in a palm oasis". After enjoying the palm grove here, turn around and go back to the jct with the Alternate Trail.

1.38				Lower Trail Guide: Cross the creek and wander into the Palm Grove, heading uphill through it. Note: this route is now closed to allow the Grove to regenerate; please respect that closure. The species found there, listed below, are common species.
1.39	l	159		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	30 / 2	40
1.39	r	160		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 1	39
1.39	b	161	~	mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	30 / 1	8
1.40	b	162		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	10 / 1	40
1.42		163		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	1 / 1	13
1.42		164		red willow	Salix laevigata	1 / 1	26
1.42				Return the way you came.

1.86				Jct. Alternate Trail. Do not be worried by the trail having some uphill sections and sometimes appearing to head away from the parking lot.
1.89				Switchback right.
1.90				Switchback left.
1.92	r			Check for Guadalupe cryptantha, Cryptantha maritima
1.95	r	165		beetle spurge	Euphorbia eriantha	20 / 5	2
1.95	r			Begin section of trail containing mostly caterpillar phacelia, Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida
1.95	r			California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	/
1.96				Switchback right.
1.97				Trail turns left 90°
1.99	r	166		heliotrope phacelia	Phacelia crenulata var. ambigua	1 / 1	1
2.00	l	167		California cloak fern	Notholaena californica	3 / 3	1
2.00				First local high point on trail; elevation ~1160 feet (355 m); switchback left and descend.
2.04				Cross very small drainage
2.06				Cross small drainage and begin ascending again.
2.09				ayenia	Ayenia compacta	/
2.10				Second local high point on trail.
2.14				Third local high point on trail.
2.16				Fourth local high point on trail
2.16	r	168		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	3 / 3	23
2.17	r	169		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	10 / 2	30
2.17	r	170		Coulter's lyrepod	Lyrocarpa coulteri var. palmeri	3 / 3	3
2.18	r	171		desert twining snapdragon	Antirrhinum filipes	1 / 1	2
2.18	r	172		short-bannered coastal lotus	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	10 / 2	5
2.18	r	173		Cedros milk-vetch	Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis	10 / 1	1
2.19				Switchback right.
2.20				Trail curves left 90°
2.21		174		Arizona spurge	Chamaesyce arizonica	30 / 3	2
2.21				Fifth local high point on trail.
2.23				Sixth high point on trail. The trail is now almost flat, with a number of minor local high points
2.27	r	175		Guadalupe cryptantha	Cryptantha maritima	/	2
2.36	r			Check for limestone phacelia, Phacelia cryptantha
2.38				Cross minor drainage
2.40	r	176		intermediate larkspur	Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum	4 / 2	4
2.40	r			Liverworts
2.44	r			A "rock bench" that you can sit on; it even has a back!
2.44	r	177		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida	20 / 2	2
2.45				Cross minor drainage
2.48	r			Check for different lupine
2.48				Cross minor drainage and ascend.
2.51				Final local high point. Now the trail stops fooling around and heads downhill toward the parking lot.
2.60	r			Check for fish-hook cactus, Mammillaria dioica
2.63	r	178		*African daisy	Dimorphotheca sinuata	1 / 1	4
2.68				Trail turns right 90°, now in wash; elevation ~940 feet (285 m).
2.68	r	179		Bigelow's blue grass	Poa bigelovii	1 / 1	1
2.68	r	180		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	1 / 1	40
2.70				Trail turns left 90° out of the wash.
2.72				Long curve right 180°
2.76				Trail turns left 90° into wash.
2.77				Trail turns right 40° out of wash.
3.00	l			View of ampitheatre for ranger programs.
3.03	r			Sign: "Trail is hot-dry, etc.", readable only by hikers going the opposite way.
3.04				Jct paved road; turn right on it.
3.05				Enter middle of parking area for the Trail, go left to get back to the trailhead.
3.05	r			("Trailhead store")
3.10	l			Desert pupfish pond.
3.10	l	181		American tule	Scirpus americanus	30 / 1	4
3.11				End guide back at the trailhead; elevation ~835 feet (250 m).

Go to:

Flora of Borrego Palm Canyon.
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2003-2009 by Tom Chester, Wayne Armstrong, James Dillane and Michael Charters.
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/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/borrego_palm_canyon.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Wayne Armstrong | Michael Charters
Last update: 3 April 2009.