The Flora of the PCT
B6, Highway 74 to Fobes Trail junction
B6, Highway 74 to Fobes Trail junction
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| Fig. 1. Fremontodendron californicum, flannelbush, blooming alongside the trail on 10 June 2009. Picture taken by Tom Chester. Click on the pictures for larger versions. | |
| Segment Start | Segment End | Segment Length | Elevation (feet) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Range | |||
| Highway 74 | Fobes Trail junction | 14 miles | 4900 | 6000 | 1100 |
Introduction
Survey Dates
The Trail Plant Checklist
Introduction
See The Flora of the Pacific Crest Trail: Overview for an Introduction to these plant checklists, and B. The San Ysidro and San Jacinto Mountains for an Introduction to this section.
This is a beautiful section of trail that travels through a number of different habitats. It begins in the flattish vernally-moist Garner Valley meadow area, traverses through a sea of chaparral dominated by chamise and red shanks, then enters a very-scenic exposed rock area as it climbs to the Desert Divide and begins to traverse it toward Red Tahquitz Peak. The Desert Divide is the ridgeline separating the Palm Springs drainage area on the east from the coastal side of the San Jacinto Mountains on the west. The trail has dramatic views in every direction as it follows the Desert Divide.
After finishing the entire PCT, one hiker said that this was one of his favorite sections of the PCT!
Fig. 2. Trail Map for the PCT , from USDA Forest Service Interactive Map.
Survey Dates
The first three to four miles of trail north of SR74 has been surveyed a number of times in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 by a number of different people. The next part, up to mile six north of SR74, was hiked a few times in 2011 and 2012, with new species for the guide recorded. A portion of the eight miles beyond that has been surveyed once, but is not yet incorporated in this checklist.
The Trail Plant Checklist
The Plant Checklist is available in four different formats:
- Illustrated Family Order List from Calflora, with two thumbnail pictures for every species (243 species). Note the checkbox at right that allows a sort in family order instead of scientific name order, or to sort by bloom start month. Check Show photo service links and then click on Display to get links to all Calphotos et al pictures.
- Species in Order Along the Trail (246 species)
- Species Seen on or near the Trail in a Family Order List (245 species; links to Jepson Manual Treatment and Calphotos not yet incorporated)
- Species Seen on or near the Trail, along with species vouchered from this general area, in a Family Order List, with links to Jepson Manual Treatment and Calphotos (not available yet)
Separate condensed print versions of just the checklist names are available for all except for the Calflora thumbnail picture version.