Plant Guide to South Kaibab Trail
Grand Canyon National Park

Mile	S	#	id?	FAM	(*)Common Name	Scientific Name	#Plants
0.00				South Kaibab Trailhead; elevation 7200 feet (2195 m). Begin guide at display boards: left: "A Hike to Cedar Ridge"; right: "South Kaibab Trail". VIS, juniper mistletoe, Phoradendron juniperinum, just before trailhead; look for it on trail. In 2012, the beginning of the trail has been changed, so the first species are probably no longer present at their first location.
0.00	b	1		PIN	two-needle pinyon pine	Pinus edulis	50 / 9
0.00	b	2		VIS	pinyon pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium divaricatum	25 / 9
0.00	b	3		ROS	Utah service-berry	Amelanchier utahensis	50 / 9
0.00	l	4		CHE	Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	50 / 9
0.00	r	5		CHE	*Russian thistle	Salsola tragus	5 / 2
0.00	r			(BRA Wright's thelypody, Thelypodium wrightii)
0.00	b	6		AST	silver wormwood	Artemisia ludoviciana	99 / 9
0.00	r	7		POA	*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9
0.00	r	8		BRA	*crossflower	Chorispora tenella	99 / 9
0.00	r	9		AST	hoary-aster	Dieteria canescens	50 / 9
0.00	r	10		POA	*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum	99 / 9
0.00	r	11		BRA	*herb sophia	Descurainia sophia	99 / 9
0.00	r	12		POA	Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides	40 / 9
0.00	l	13		BRA	perennial rock-cress	Boechera perennans	50 / 9
0.00	l	14		POA	mutton grass	Poa fendleriana	99 / 9
0.00	l			(HYD Utah fendlerbush, Fendlerella utahensis)
0.00	l			(CUP, Utah juniper, Juniperus osteosperma; VIS, juniper mistletoe, Phoradendron juniperinum; AST, Basin butterweed, Packera multilobata; CAP, snowberry, Symphoricarpos oreophilus; AST Rock Goldenrod, Petradoria pumila; fern bush, Chamaebatiaria millefolium)
0.00	l	15		RAN	*curveseed butterwort	Ceratocephala testiculata	99 / 9
0.00	l	16		AST	big sagebrush	Artemisia tridentata	99 / 9
0.00	l	17		SCR	toadflax penstemon	Penstemon linarioides	20 / 9
0.00	l			(whisky currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
0.00				Switchback right
0.01	l	18		CHE	*tumbling oracle	Atriplex rosea	2 / 2
0.01	r	19		GRO	whisky currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	20 / 7
0.01	r	20		POA	squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	20 / 9
0.02	b	21		AST	Grand Canyon Goldenweed	Ericameria arizonica	30 / 7
0.02	r	22		CAP	snowberry	Symphoricarpos oreophilus	30 / 9
0.02	r	23		EPH	green ephedra	Ephedra viridis	50 / 9
0.02	r	24		AST	Grand Canyon rock-daisy	Perityle congesta	50 / 9
0.02	l	25	~	CAC	Mojave prickly-pear (not seen in 2009)	Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea	3 / 3
0.02	l	26		AST	Basin butterweed	Packera multilobata	20 / 9
0.02	l			(beardtongue, Penstemon barbatus)
0.02	l	27		CUP	Utah juniper	Juniperus osteosperma	20 / 9
0.03	r	28		RUB	Wright's bedstraw	Galium wrightii	40 / 9
0.03	r	29		ROS	cliffrose	Purshia stansburyana	40 / 9
0.03	l	30		SCR	beardtongue	Penstemon barbatus	10 / 4
0.03	l	31		BRA	Wright's thelypody	Thelypodium wrightii	30 / 9
0.03	r	32		POL	southern mountain phlox	Phlox austromontana	30 / 9
0.04	r	33		AST	Cooper’s rubberweed	Hymenoxys cooperi	10 / 9
0.04	l	34		AST	California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	30 / 7
0.04	l	35		SCR	Palmer's penstemon	Penstemon palmeri	30 / 9
0.04	l	36		LAM	*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	3 / 3
0.04	l	37	~	AST	sticky snakeweed	Gutierrezia microcephala	99 / 9
0.04				Switchback left and curve right at sign "When mules pass"
0.04	l	38		POA	*smooth brome	Bromus inermis	99 / 9
0.04	l	39		POL	Simpson's buckwheat	Eriogonum microtheca var. simpsonii	50 / 9
0.04	r			(PIN, Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)
0.05	l	40		SCR	beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	10 / 7
0.05	l	41		CAR	Eastwood's sandwort	Arenaria eastwoodiae	5 / 2
0.06	r	42		ROS	fern bush	Chamaebatiaria millefolium	1 / 1
0.06				Switchback left at ridge
0.06	l	43		AST	beautiful aster	Eurybia glauca var. pulchra	40 / 9
0.06	l	44		FAB	freckled milk-vetch	Astragalus lentiginosus	50 / 9
0.06	r			(Gambel oak, Quercus gambelii)
0.06	l	45		POL	scarlet gilia	Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. formosissima	/
0.06	l			(Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri)
0.07	l	46		POA	slender wheatgrass	Elymus trachycaulus	20 / 3
0.07	l	47		PIN	Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir	Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca	5 / 5
0.07	b	48		BRA	mountain pepper-grass	Lepidium montanum	30 / 7
0.09				Switchback right at sign "No dogs"
0.11				Switchback left
0.12	r			In distance, leaning block of Coconino Sandstone
0.12	r	49		FAG	Gambel oak	Quercus gambelii	5 / 2
0.13				Switchback right at sign "No shortcutting or rolling rocks; hikers below"
0.15				Switchback left
0.15				Switchback right and curve left
0.16	r	50		GRO	trumpet gooseberry	Ribes leptanthum	2 / 2
0.16				Switchback left
0.16	r			First live Basin butterweed, Packera multilobata, in 2009.
0.16	r			(baby pallid hoptree, Ptelea trifoliata)
0.17	l			(Arizona thistle, Cirsium arizonicum)
0.17	r	51		HYD	little-leaf mock orange	Philadelphus microphyllus	1 / 1
0.17				Switchback right
0.20	r	52		RAN	Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri	1 / 1
0.20	r	53	~	SCR	thickleaf beardtongue	Penstemon pachyphyllus var. congestus	10 / 9
0.20	r	54	sp	NYC	smooth spreading four o'clock or trailing four-o'clock	Mirabilis oxybaphoides or Mirabilis pumila	1 / 1
0.20	r			(dentnut cryptantha, Cryptantha abata)
0.20	r	55		AST	Arizona thistle	Cirsium arizonicum	70 / 5
0.20	r	56		HYD	Fendler bush	Fendlera rupicola	10 / 5
0.22	r	57		AST	Arizona hymenoxys	Tetraneuris acaulis var. arizonica	/
0.23	l			Sign: "Warning!"; elevation ~7000 feet (2130 m)
0.23	l	58		AST	matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae	5 / 3
0.26	r			(banana yucca, Yucca baccata)
0.26	l			(Kaibab century plant, Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis)
0.26	l	59	?	POA		one-sided grass	1 / 1
0.26	r			(Torrey's milkvetch, Astragalus calycosus)
0.26	b	60		BOR	dentnut cryptantha	Cryptantha abata	15 / 4
0.26	l	61		AGA	banana yucca	Yucca baccata	2 / 2
0.26	l	62	sp	AST	leafy aster	Erigeron sp.	5 / 2
0.27	l	63		FAB	Torrey's milkvetch	Astragalus calycosus	50 / 9
0.27	b			(Field of AST, Rock Goldenrod, Petradoria pumila)
0.28	r			(hairy goldenaster, Heterotheca villosa)
0.37	r	64		AST	hairy goldenaster	Heterotheca villosa	40 / 9
0.38	l	65		AGA	Kaibab century plant	Agave utahensis var. kaibabensis	10 / 9
				(first off-trail CAC, Mojave prickly-pear, Opuntia polyacantha var. erinacea, in 2009)
0.39	r	66	~	BOR	slender cryptantha	Cryptantha gracilis	40 / 5
0.39	l			(greenstem paperflower, Psilostrophe sparsiflora)
0.40	r				tidy fleabane	Erigeron concinnus	7 / 3
0.40	r	67		AST	Rock Goldenrod	Petradoria pumila	20 / 9
0.40	l	68		AST	threadleaf common rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. oreophila	50 / 9
				Need to get mileages for the following, and place the trail curves right correctly:
	r			(LIN, Lewis' flax, Linum lewisii)
	b	69		POA	*red brome	Bromus rubens	/
	r			(Parish needlegrass, Achnatherum parishii)
	r			(spiny greasebush, Glossopetalon spinescens var. aridum)
0.45				Trail curves right at small ridge; elevation ~6800 feet (2070 m)
	r			(prickly pear with fat pads, Opuntia sp.)
	b	70		SCR	purple bird's-beak	Cordylanthus parviflorus	20 / 5
	l	71	sp	CAC	prickly pear with narrow pads	Opuntia sp.	1 / 1
0.50	r	72		AST	greenstem paperflower	Psilostrophe sparsiflora	50 / 9
0.56				(SCR, desert paintbrush, Castilleja chromosa)
0.56	r	73		LIN	Lewis' flax	Linum lewisii var. lewisii	/
0.57	l	74		ROS	Apache plume	Fallugia paradoxa	10 / 3
0.58	r	75		GER	*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9
0.65	l	76		AST	black sagebrush	Artemisia nova	/
0.65	l	77		CAC	prickly pear with big pads	Opuntia sp.	7 / 2
				Check order of species from mile 0.68 to mile 0.81
0.68	r	78		AST	longleaf brickellbush	Brickellia longifolia	40 / 9
0.68	r	79		AST	fragrant snakeroot	Ageratina herbacea	5 / 1
0.70	r	80		RHA	birchleaf buckthorn	Frangula betulifolia ssp. obovata	1 / 1
		81			claret cup	Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. mojavensis	/
0.73	r	82		CRO	spiny greasebush	Glossopetalon spinescens var. aridum	50 / 9
0.73	r	83		BRA	*shepherd's purse	Capsella bursa-pastoris	/
0.73	l			(ROS, true mountain-mahogany, Cercocarpus montanus)
0.75	r			Sign: Ooh-Aah Point
0.75				Switchback left at Ooh-Aah Point
0.78	b	84	sp	CAC	prickly pear with fat pads	Opuntia sp.	2 / 1
0.81				Switchback right; elevation ~6600 feet (2010 m)
0.81	l			(AST, Missouri goldenrod, Solidago missouriensis)
0.83	l			(GAR, ashy silk tassel, Garrya flavescens)
0.85	r	85		LAM	Drummond's false pennyroyal	Hedeoma drummondii	1 / 1
0.87	r	86		MAL	*common mallow	Malva neglecta	1 / 1
0.90	l			(CAC Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii ssp. engelmannii)
0.91				Trail turns right 90°
0.91	r	87		SEL	spike-moss	Selaginella mutica	10 / 1
0.91	r	88		ROS	true mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus montanus	50 / 9
0.93				Switchback left
0.96				Switchback left
0.97				Switchback right; elevation ~6400 feet (1950 m)
1.02				Switchback right
1.06	l	89		RUT	pallid hoptree	Ptelea trifoliata ssp. pallida var. pallida	5 / 5
1.07				Switchback left; lowest Grand Canyon Goldenweed, Ericameria arizonica
1.10	l	90		RUB	Munz's bedstraw	Galium munzii ssp. ambivalens	30 / 9
1.14	b	91		API	rockloving wavewing	Pteryxia petraea	5 / 1
1.14	r		sp	(a different Arabis like A. pulchra?)
1.16				Long switchback left
1.19				Switchback right; elevation ~6200 feet (1890 m)
		92		HYD	Utah fendlerbush	Fendlerella utahensis	30 / 5
1.24	r	93	~	EUP	small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	10 / 2
1.25	r		sp	(unk grass similar to Bouteloua)
1.28	r	94		POA	Parish needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii	40 / 9
1.28	l	95		LAM	blue sage	Salvia dorrii	10 / 5
1.28				Sign: "Cedar Ridge"; elevation 6067 feet (1849 m)
1.30				Trail turns right 90° off ridge
1.31				Switchback left
1.34	r	96		BET	Knowlton hop hornbeam	Ostrya knowltonii	1 / 1
1.36	l	97		BRA	heartleaf jewelflower	Streptanthus cordatus	30 / 9
1.36	b	98		BRA	prince's plume	Stanleya pinnata	40 / 9
1.36	b			Check for different Artemisia like tridentata
1.37	l			(BER Fremont barberry, Mahonia fremontii)
1.41	l	99	?	AST	?	unk Asteraceae shrub like Brickellia	/
1.42				Switchback right
1.43				Switchback left; elevation ~5900 feet (1800 m)
1.45	l	100		OLE	single-leaf ash	Fraxinus anomala	3 / 3
1.49	l	101		NYC	giant four o'clock	Mirabilis multiflora	20 / 7
1.50	l	102	~	POL	eyed gilia	Gilia ophthalmoides	5 / 1
1.5	l	103		CHE	fourwing saltbush	Atriplex canescens	30 / 7
1.56	r	104	sp	POA	?	unk grass similar to Bouteloua eriopoda	/
1.57				Brief flat part of trail with great views; elevation ~5800 feet (1770 m)
1.61	r	105		AST	rush rabbitbrush	Ericameria nauseosa var. juncea	4 / 4
1.62	l			(BOR, capitate cryptantha, Oreocarya capitata)
1.63				Saddle; trail leaves ridge to right
1.63	r	106		ANA	skunkbush	Rhus trilobata	/
1.63	r		?	(BRA, *African mustard, Malcolmia africana; unk per with opp bracts)
1.64	r	107	?		?	unk per with opp bracts	/
1.69	r	108		BRA	*African mustard	Malcolmia africana	20 / 7
1.7				Switchback right
1.73				Switchback left; elevation ~5670 feet (1730 m)
1.73	r			(wire-lettuce, Stephanomeria pauciflora)
1.75	r			(AST, Bigelow sagebrush, Artemisia bigelovii)
1.82	l	109		POA	side-oats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	3 / 1
1.84	b	110		LOA	Adonis blazing star	Mentzelia multiflora	40 / 9
1.84	l	111		HYD	narrow phacelia	Phacelia filiformis	5 / 1
1.84	l		?	(AST, fiveneedle pricklyleaf, Thymophylla pentachaeta; AST, tall plant with clasping leaves and purple-tipped phyllaries; dwarf false pennyroyal, Hedeoma nana ssp. nana)
1.85	r	112		AST	wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora	2 / 1
1.85	r	113		POA	black grama	Bouteloua eriopoda	5 / 2
1.88	l			(banana yucca, Yucca baccata, with a trunk)
1.92	l			A glaucous mutton grass, Poa fendleriana
1.93				Elevation ~5500 feet (1675 m)
1.95	l	114		SCR	desert paintbrush	Castilleja chromosa	20 / 5
1.96				Trail curves left at ridge
1.97	l	115		NYC	dwarf sand verbena	Abronia nana	5 / 3
2.03	l	116		ROS	little-leaved mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus intricatus	3 / 2
2.03	l	117		AST	Bigelow sagebrush	Artemisia bigelovii	/
2.05	l	118	?	AST	?	unk per like Gnaphalium canescens ssp. beneolens	1 / 1
2.15	r	119	sp	BRA	beautiful rock-cress?	Arabis pulchra?	3 / 1
2.16	l	120		BRA	rose bladderpod	Lesquerella purpurea	5 / 2
2.23	r	121		MAL	gooseberryleaf globemallow	Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia	30 / 9
2.23				Elevation ~5300 feet (1615 m)
2.28	l			Trail is on top of breccia pipe, formed by roof collapse of a limestone cave, best exposed on saddle to left
2.29	r	122	?	AST	?	shrub similar to Viguieria or Encelia	1 / 1
2.29	r	123		BRA	common pepper-grass	Lepidium densiflorum	10 / 1
2.29	r		?	(a perennial Eriogonum not E. inflatum?)
2.30	r	124		POL	desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	20 / 5
2.31	r	125		ROS	black brush	Coleogyne ramosissima	50 / 9
2.36	l	126		POA	hairy erioneuron	Erioneuron pilosum	2 / 1
2.43	l	127		AST	rose heath	Chaetopappa ericoides	/
2.48	l		~	(winding mariposa, Calochortus flexuosus; ~larkspur, ~Delphinium sp.)
2.50	r	128		POA	fluff grass	Dasyochloa pulchella	1 / 1
2.50	r	129		BRA	hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	5 / 1
2.50	l			(CAC California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus)
2.51	r			(AST mariola, Parthenium incanum)
2.51	r	130		AGA	soaptree yucca	Yucca elata	1 / 1
2.56	r	131		LIL	winding mariposa	Calochortus flexuosus	/
2.56	r	132		POA	James' galleta	Pleuraphis jamesii	20 / 5
2.72				Skeleton Point; elevation ~5100 feet (1555 m); Begin series of switchbacks down the Redwall.End Plant Trail Guide
				(many-headed barrel cactus, Homalocephala polycephala ssp. xeranthemoides off-trail at top of drop-off to west)
4.40				Jct. with Tonto Trail. Elevation 4000 feet
4.60				The Tip-Off

http://tchester.org/gc/plants/guides/s_kaibab.html
Updated 14 September 2024.