Plant Guide to Art Smith Trail, Santa Rosa Mountains

Plant Guide to Art Smith Trail (old section), Santa Rosa 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
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

The Art Smith Trail is named for an individual unusual in these polarized days; Art Smith was a trailbuilder who desired all trails to be enjoyed by all that either walked, cycled or rode horses. It is a ~8 mile (one way) trail that stretches from SR74 above Palm Desert to Dunn Road above Cathedral City.
The trail begins at a signed trailhead with a large parking lot that is just a bit south of being directly across SR74 from the Visitor Center for the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. The parking lot is four miles from the bottom of SR74, and 12 miles farther down SR74 from the Sawmill parking lot.
There are two sections of the first 1.3 (old section) or 1.5 (new section) miles of trail. The trail splits just north of the parking lot, at mile 0.04. The old trail turns left and goes into Dead Indian Canyon for 0.4 miles before crossing the wash and ascending a scenic drainage. It meets the new trail at mile 1.3 of the old trail.
As a result, there are two separate guides to the trail. This page gives the guide using the old section; a separate page gives the new section.
The old trail section is closed nine months of the year, from January through September, in order to avoid disturbance to Bighorn Sheep using Dead Indian Canyon. The herd in this area has declined alarmingly; it is hoped that closing the area during this time will allow them to recover.
The new trail segment was constructed in 2006 to provide a year-round route for hikers. Unfortunately, the new trail cannot hold a candle to the old trail.
The old trail is stunningly beautiful, a classic trail like the alternate Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, an excellent trail going through an excellent area. In contrast, on the new trail, you first have to traipse along the base of an ugly levee, through either water, mud, or huge dried mud polygons, through the only large collection of non-native weeds in the area. You then steeply ascend a south-facing, almost-barren slope that dumps you in an area above homes, water tanks and a golf course. It meets a maze of side trails that remind one of off-road vehicle routes (I don't think they are, but it isn't a very pretty area compared to the old trail).
However, if it protects the Bighorn Sheep, this re-route is worth it. After 1.5 miles on the new trail, you join the old trail and soon forget about the problems of the new trail.
See Map, with the old trail segment shown in red. The map only shows the trail to mile 5.00, which is as far as I had GPS'd it at the time I made the map.
The trail is described in Ferranti and Koenig 100 Great Hikes in and near Palm Springs, pp. 52-53, but note that the elevation gain is incorrectly given there as "1200 feet".
To mile 4.00, the lowest elevation is ~1010 feet just below the trailhead, and the highest elevation is 2360 feet at mile 2.72, a difference of 1350 feet. There is another ~250 feet of up and down total on the roundtrip using the old trail, for a total elevation gain and loss of ~1600 feet for the roundtrip of 8.0 miles. Taking the new trail section adds another ~100 feet or so of elevation gain and loss for the roundtrip.
Going to mile 5.00 adds another ~450 feet of elevation gain and loss for the roundtrip, making the elevation gain and loss ~2050 feet for the 10.0 mile roundtrip using the old trail segment, and ~2150 feet using the new trail segment.
Highlights of This Trail

Some of 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. We had 99 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 1 of those trails, including this one, is in this area of Santa Rosa Mountain. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database; numbers of "1" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area of Santa Rosa Mountains.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 5 6%
2 7 9%
3 10 13%
4 8 10%
5 9 12%

1-5 39 51%
6-10 27 35%
11-15 4 5%
16-20 2 3%
21-25 2 3%
26-30 1 1%
31-35 0 0%
36-40 0 0%
41-45 0 0%
46-50 0 0%
51-55 0 0%
56-60 2 3%
Total Taxa 77 100%

We found 9 additional species not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ? or sp in the id? column in the guide, and have no entries 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"
12/15/2006 1 69 6 4 10 1
12/21/2006 2 70 5 3 11 1
12/21/2006 2 74 5 3 12 1
12/26/2006 3 80 5 4 13 1
12/26/2006 3 86 5 4 15 1

The fieldwork on 12/15/06 was only to mile 2.72, on 12/21/06 to mile 4.00, and on 12/26/06 to mile 5.00.
There are two entries for 12/21/06; the first is to mile 2.72 to compare with the 12/15/06 fieldwork. Similarly, there are two entries for 12/26/06, the first to compare with the 12/21/06 fieldwork.
Botanical Trip Reports

The Plant Guide

The mileages in the guide have been fit to an incomplete GPS'ing of the trail, and hence may be off by as much as 0.10 mile in places. The relative mileages should be accurate to 0.01-0.02 miles most of the time.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (7 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin guide at end of parking lot pavement; elevation 1020 feet (310 m)
0.00 b 1 brittlebush Encelia farinosa 99 / 9 10
0.00 b 2 cheesebush Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola 99 / 9 7
0.00 l 3 smoke tree Psorothamnus spinosus 10 / 3 4
0.00 Cross between short wood posts
0.00 r Sign: "Dogs prohibited to protect bighorn sheep"
0.00 r Sign: "Art Smith Trail" with map
0.00 l 4 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 99 / 9 17
0.01 l 5 wire-lettuce Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora 30 / 9 10
0.01 r 6 ~ *London rocket Sisymbrium irio / 13
0.01 r (catclaw, Acacia greggii)
0.01 r 7 indigo bush Psorothamnus schottii 99 / 9 8
0.01 r 8 creosote bush Larrea tridentata 99 / 9 7
0.02 l 9 burroweed Ambrosia dumosa 99 / 9 9
0.02 r 10 sacred datura Datura wrightii 1 / 1 20
0.02 Cross wash
0.02 l (*fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum; desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia)
0.03 b 11 desert star-vine Brandegea bigelovii 20 / 9 1
0.03 l 12 *Asian mustard Brassica tournefortii 10 / 1 8
0.03 l 13 desert trumpet Eriogonum inflatum 99 / 9 4
0.03 l 14 Emory's rock-daisy Perityle emoryi⁺ 50 / 5 5
0.03 l 15 fringed amaranth Amaranthus fimbriatus 3 / 2 7
0.03 l 16 desert needle Palafoxia arida var. arida 2 / 2 3
0.03 l 17 desert lavender Hyptis emoryi 99 / 9 6
0.03 l 18 ? caulanthus? Caulanthus? 1 / 1
0.03 r 19 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 1 / 1 26
0.03 r 20 baby catclaw Acacia greggii 50 / 9 8
0.03 l 21 *sorghum Sorghum bicolor 1 / 1 1
0.03 r (in distance: *giant reed, Arundo donax)
0.03 l 22 sp popcorn flower Cryptantha sp. /
0.03 l 23 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 5 / 1 59
0.03 l 24 ? baby jojoba? Simmondsia chinensis? /
0.03 l 25 ? baby California fan palm? Washingtonia filifera? /
0.04 r Sign: "Trails closed in Dead Indian Canyon January 1 - September 30"
0.04 l 26 desert pine Peucephyllum schottii 5 / 2 2
0.04 Trail leaves wash to left
0.04 b 27 desert plantain Plantago ovata 99 / 9 7
0.04 l (pencil cholla, Opuntia ramosissima)
0.05 l ~ (white rhatany, Krameria grayi⁺)
0.05 l 28 pencil cholla Opuntia ramosissima 20 / 9 3
0.05 r (*athel, Tamarix aphylla)
0.05 l 29 ? annual grass grass sp. /
0.06 l 30 California fagonia Fagonia laevis 99 / 9 5
0.07 Trail curves left at ridge
0.11 r ~ (Gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi)
0.12 b Jct. bulldozed road
0.12 l 31 ~ Gander's cholla Opuntia ganderi 50 / 9 8
0.13 Cross small drainage
0.18 r (beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris; desert agave, Agave deserti)
0.20 Cross side wash on small rock bridge
0.23 Local high point
0.23 l (blue palo verde, Cercidium floridum ssp. floridum)
0.24 Cross side wash
0.24 l (rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus)
0.25 l 32 narrowleaf ditaxis Ditaxis lanceolata 5 / 5 5
0.26 Local low point
0.26 l 33 Thurber's sandpaper-plant Petalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberi 20 / 5 3
0.26 l 34 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 99 / 9 13
0.27 l 35 ~ narrowleaf goldenbush Ericameria linearifolia 1 / 1 7
0.29 r 36 desert-willow Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata 10 / 3 6
0.31 r Sign: "Trails closed January 1 - September 30"; go through gate in fence (open only October - December); otherwise, turn around.
0.32 Trail curves left and hugs canyon wall with many desert pine, Peucephyllum schottii
0.33 l 37 ~ *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens / 60
0.33 l 38 flat-topped buckwheat Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum 2 / 2 2
0.33 l 39 thick-leaved ground cherry Physalis crassifolia 2 / 2 6
0.33 l 40 chia Salvia columbariae 99 / 9 25
0.33 l 41 ~ wishbone plant Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa 1 / 1 5
0.34 l 42 *fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum 10 / 3 12
0.34 l 43 chuparosa Justicia californica 10 / 5 6
0.35 r 44 desert tobacco Nicotiana obtusifolia 1 / 1 3
0.38 l 45 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum 5 / 5 5
0.42 Ascend out of wash to left on zigzag path, then trail turns right 90°
0.42 r 46 ? pebble pincushion? Chaenactis carphoclinia? /
0.44 l 47 desert mistletoe (on Acacia greggii) Phoradendron californicum 20 / 5 3
0.55 r 48 beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris 10 / 9 12
0.58 l (narrow-leaf four-wing saltbush, Atriplex canescens ssp. linearis)
0.63 Leave sandy flat and begin to cross main wash
0.64 l sp (ann or per buckwheat, Eriogonum sp. with lateral invols)
0.65 Cross middle of wash and go up side wash on other side
0.67 r Sign: "Trail [ahead]; Dogs prohibited to protect Bighorn Sheet"
0.73 r (teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii)
0.76 r Sign with Trail Map showing Art Smith Trail and two Schey Trails; sign: "Warning: Trails are subject to erosion, etc."; leave side wash
0.80 l 49 ~ white rhatany Krameria grayi⁺ 10 / 9 2
0.82 b 50 teddy-bear cholla Opuntia bigelovii 15 / 3 5
0.84 l 51 rock hibiscus Hibiscus denudatus 5 / 3 4
0.86 r 52 California barrel cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus⁺ 30 / 9 7
0.91 r 53 ~ trailing townula Sarcostemma hirtellum 2 / 2 2
0.91 Cross small wash
0.91 r Switchback left; sign: "Art Smith Trail 1977"
0.93 Switchback right
0.94 Switchback left
0.96 Switchback right
0.97 Switchback left
0.98 r 54 sp dead annual Mentzelia Mentzelia sp. 1 / 1
1.00 r 55 fish-hook cactus Mammillaria dioica 2 / 2 3
1.03 Trail curves left at small drainage; elevation 1500 feet (457 m)
1.04 Switchback right
1.06 Switchback left
1.07 56 ocotillo Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens 1 / 1 7
1.08 Switchback right at ridge
1.09 Trail turns left 90°
1.14 Trail jogs right
1.16 Trail turns left 90°
1.21 Trail zigzags
1.23 r Jct. Schey Trail
1.24 r Sign: "Art Smith Trail"
1.24 l (Nevada ephedra, Ephedra nevadensis)
1.26 r 57 desert agave Agave deserti 30 / 9 7
1.26 l 58 California trixis Trixis californica var. californica 10 / 5 6
1.27 r 59 Nevada ephedra Ephedra nevadensis 50 / 9 3
1.28 r (jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis)
1.28 Trail curves left at ridge
1.29 T-jct with old trail; go left; elevation 1640 feet (500 m)
1.29 l Sign (facing other direction): "Trail closed ..."
1.29 l (matchweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae)
1.29 r 60 Parish's viguiera Viguiera parishii 30 / 9 6
1.29 l 61 ssp apricot mallow Sphaeralcea ambigua 50 / 9
1.29 l 62 woolly lipfern Cheilanthes parryi 10 / 5 4
1.30 l 63 San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides 3 / 2 6
1.36 Trail zigzags up ridge
1.38 l (white-stemmed milkweed, Asclepias albicans)
1.40 r Check if this dead smallish (annual?) is a different species
1.41 Local high point
1.41 l 64 jojoba Simmondsia chinensis 20 / 9 5
1.41 Minor local low point; cross small wash
1.43 l 65 star-flowered bedstraw Galium stellatum var. eremicum 5 / 2 3
1.43 l 66 ~ pellitory Parietaria hespera var. hespera 1 / 1 7
1.43 l 67 white-stemmed milkweed Asclepias albicans 2 / 2 1
1.45 Trail now on flattish top of ridge; local high point; elevation ~1760 feet (536 m)
1.46 r 68 desert apricot Prunus fremontii⁺ 20 / 9 6
1.54 Minor local low point; trail curves left
1.55 Switchback left
1.56 Trail curves right 90°
1.61 Local high point
1.65 Local low point
1.70 Local high point
1.73 69 California fan palm Washingtonia filifera 10 / 2 4
1.73 Cross wash; elevation 1800 feet (549 m)
1.73 l (desert baccharis, Baccharis sergiloides; arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea)
1.73 r (Anderson's desert-thorn, Lycium andersonii)
1.75 l 70 ~ Anderson's desert-thorn Lycium andersonii 5 / 2 3
1.75 r Sign: "Trail"; trail leaves wash to left
1.76 l 71 arrow-leaf Pleurocoronis pluriseta 5 / 3 2
1.78 l California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus, uprooted and fallen over, regrowing from stem tops
1.80 Trail joins wash
1.88 r Trail leaves wash to right; sign "Trail"
1.93 l (Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
1.98 Cross small wash
2.04 Switchback left at side wash
2.06 Switchback right
2.08 l Switchback left
2.13 Switchback right
2.14 Trail turns right
2.15 Trail curves left 90°
2.19 Minor saddle; local high point
2.20 l ~ (short-leaved baccharis, Baccharis brachyphylla)
2.23 Local low point
2.25 Minor local high point; then minor local low point
2.28 Overlook of drainage to left, which has many cut tamarisk branches and big palm trees up drainage; trail curves right 90°; elevation 2120 feet (646 m)
2.32 Trail curves left
2.36 l (Tall palms); local high point immediately followed by local low point
2.39 Trail again on lip of drainage to left briefly; many tamarisk still present there
2.50 Switchback right
2.56 Switchback left
2.58 Trail begins series of minor local high and low points
2.68 b 72 Mohave yucca Yucca schidigera 10 / 9 10
2.72 l Local high point; elevation 2240 feet (683 m); trail continues with series of minor local high and low points
2.74 r 73 Engelmann's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus engelmannii 5 / 5 8
2.83 r Jct. Schey Trail
2.94 Trail turns left 90°
2.98 Switchback left
3.01 Local high point
3.03 Trail zigzags right then left
3.05 Trail crosses wash and turns right 90°
3.15 l Cross wash; sign: "Trail [to right]"
3.16 b 74 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium 10 / 3 22
3.32 r (desert lotus, Lotus rigidus)
3.33 Cross wash; trail turns right 90°
3.35 Trail turns left 90°
3.45 l 75 sp annual phacelia Phacelia sp. 2 / 1
3.46 l 76 goldenhead Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus var. sphaerocephalus 1 / 1 1
3.49 l 77 desert dudleya Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides 3 / 3 4
3.56 Local high point
3.57 l 78 ~ desert woolly-star Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum 20 / 3 2
3.64 r Cross major drainage; sign: "Trail [ahead]"
3.72 Cross side wash
3.75 Saddle; local high point; elevation 2360 feet (719 m)
3.82 r 79 Vasey's sage Salvia vaseyi 3 / 3 5
3.91 l 80 linear-leaved stillingia Stillingia linearifolia 1 / 1 4
4.16 Cross wash; elevation ~2190 feet (668 m)
4.18 Trail turns left 90°, then turns right 90°
4.21 l 81 desert spike-moss Selaginella eremophila 99 / 9 3
4.24 Local high point
4.34 Switchback right at drainage, then trail turns left 90°
4.40 Local high point at saddle between minor side drainages; elevation 2220 feet (677 m)
4.43 l desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum, on white-stemmed milkweed, Asclepias albicans
4.49 Switchback left at ridge; trail then switchbacks down the slope
4.52 l 82 ~ California spear-leaved brickellia Brickellia arguta var. arguta 5 / 1 3
4.60 l 83 desert baccharis Baccharis sergiloides 3 / 1 4
4.60 b 84 ~ *ditch beard grass Polypogon interruptus 20 / 1 2
4.60 r 85 mountain California-fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium 1 / 1 7
4.60 l Check for different annual Asteraceae 2.5 feet tall
4.60 Cross Cat Creek; local low point; elevation ~2078 feet (633 m)
4.60 l 86 *saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima 1 / 1 5
4.60 r Sign: "Trail [ascends to left]"
4.63 Cross wash and gradually switchback left
4.67 Switchback right and trail turns left 90°
4.76 Switchback left at ridge
4.79 Trail turns right 90°
4.85 Switchback right and trail curves left 90°
5.00 Local high point; elevation 2320 feet (707 m)
5.00 End plant guide

Comments On Specific Species

Perityle emoryi. The first occurrence only had dead plants when surveyed, but live specimens are found a short distance away.
Krameria grayi. The determination was confirmed from fruit at mile 2.00. K. erecta may be present here as well, but needs to be confirmed from flowers or fruit.
Ferocactus cylindraceus. The varieties are not recognized in the Flora of North America treatment.
Prunus fremontii. Most of the specimens on the trail did not have leaves when surveyed, and hence some specimens could be the very similar Ziziphus parryi. However, Ziegler only found Z. parryi at higher elevation in the neighboring Deep Canyon.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	5	6%
2	7	9%
3	10	13%
4	8	10%
5	9	12%

1-5	39	51%
6-10	27	35%
11-15	4	5%
16-20	2	3%
21-25	2	3%
26-30	1	1%
31-35	0	0%
36-40	0	0%
41-45	0	0%
46-50	0	0%
51-55	0	0%
56-60	2	3%
Total Taxa	77	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
12/15/2006	1	69	6	4	10	1
12/21/2006	2	70	5	3	11	1
12/21/2006	2	74	5	3	12	1
12/26/2006	3	80	5	4	13	1
12/26/2006	3	86	5	4	15	1

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin guide at end of parking lot pavement; elevation 1020 feet (310 m)
0.00	b	1		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	99 / 9	10
0.00	b	2		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	99 / 9	7
0.00	l	3		smoke tree	Psorothamnus spinosus	10 / 3	4
0.00				Cross between short wood posts
0.00	r			Sign: "Dogs prohibited to protect bighorn sheep"
0.00	r			Sign: "Art Smith Trail" with map
0.00	l	4		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	99 / 9	17
0.01	l	5		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	30 / 9	10
0.01	r	6	~	*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	/	13
0.01	r			(catclaw, Acacia greggii)
0.01	r	7		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	99 / 9	8
0.01	r	8		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	99 / 9	7
0.02	l	9		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	99 / 9	9
0.02	r	10		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	1 / 1	20
0.02				Cross wash
0.02	l			(fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum; desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia*)
0.03	b	11		desert star-vine	Brandegea bigelovii	20 / 9	1
0.03	l	12		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	10 / 1	8
0.03	l	13		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum	99 / 9	4
0.03	l	14		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi⁺	50 / 5	5
0.03	l	15		fringed amaranth	Amaranthus fimbriatus	3 / 2	7
0.03	l	16		desert needle	Palafoxia arida var. arida	2 / 2	3
0.03	l	17		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	99 / 9	6
0.03	l	18	?	caulanthus?	Caulanthus?	1 / 1
0.03	r	19		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	1 / 1	26
0.03	r	20		baby catclaw	Acacia greggii	50 / 9	8
0.03	l	21		*sorghum	Sorghum bicolor	1 / 1	1
0.03	r			(in distance: giant reed, Arundo donax*)
0.03	l	22	sp	popcorn flower	Cryptantha sp.	/
0.03	l	23		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	5 / 1	59
0.03	l	24	?	baby jojoba?	Simmondsia chinensis?	/
0.03	l	25	?	baby California fan palm?	Washingtonia filifera?	/
0.04	r			Sign: "Trails closed in Dead Indian Canyon January 1 - September 30"
0.04	l	26		desert pine	Peucephyllum schottii	5 / 2	2
0.04				Trail leaves wash to left
0.04	b	27		desert plantain	Plantago ovata	99 / 9	7
0.04	l			(pencil cholla, Opuntia ramosissima)
0.05	l		~	(white rhatany, Krameria grayi⁺)
0.05	l	28		pencil cholla	Opuntia ramosissima	20 / 9	3
0.05	r			(athel, Tamarix aphylla*)
0.05	l	29	?	annual grass	grass sp.	/
0.06	l	30		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	99 / 9	5
0.07				Trail curves left at ridge
0.11	r		~	(Gander's cholla, Opuntia ganderi)
0.12	b			Jct. bulldozed road
0.12	l	31	~	Gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	50 / 9	8
0.13				Cross small drainage
0.18	r			(beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris; desert agave, Agave deserti)
0.20				Cross side wash on small rock bridge
0.23				Local high point
0.23	l			(blue palo verde, Cercidium floridum ssp. floridum)
0.24				Cross side wash
0.24	l			(rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus)
0.25	l	32		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	5 / 5	5
0.26				Local low point
0.26	l	33		Thurber's sandpaper-plant	Petalonyx thurberi ssp. thurberi	20 / 5	3
0.26	l	34		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	99 / 9	13
0.27	l	35	~	narrowleaf goldenbush	Ericameria linearifolia	1 / 1	7
0.29	r	36		desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	10 / 3	6
0.31	r			Sign: "Trails closed January 1 - September 30"; go through gate in fence (open only October - December); otherwise, turn around.
0.32				Trail curves left and hugs canyon wall with many desert pine, Peucephyllum schottii
0.33	l	37	~	*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	/	60
0.33	l	38		flat-topped buckwheat	Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum	2 / 2	2
0.33	l	39		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	2 / 2	6
0.33	l	40		chia	Salvia columbariae	99 / 9	25
0.33	l	41	~	wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa	1 / 1	5
0.34	l	42		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum	10 / 3	12
0.34	l	43		chuparosa	Justicia californica	10 / 5	6
0.35	r	44		desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	1 / 1	3
0.38	l	45		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	5 / 5	5
0.42				Ascend out of wash to left on zigzag path, then trail turns right 90°
0.42	r	46	?	pebble pincushion?	Chaenactis carphoclinia?	/
0.44	l	47		desert mistletoe (on Acacia greggii)	Phoradendron californicum	20 / 5	3
0.55	r	48		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	10 / 9	12
0.58	l			(narrow-leaf four-wing saltbush, Atriplex canescens ssp. linearis)
0.63				Leave sandy flat and begin to cross main wash
0.64	l		sp	(ann or per buckwheat, Eriogonum sp. with lateral invols)
0.65				Cross middle of wash and go up side wash on other side
0.67	r			Sign: "Trail [ahead]; Dogs prohibited to protect Bighorn Sheet"
0.73	r			(teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii)
0.76	r			Sign with Trail Map showing Art Smith Trail and two Schey Trails; sign: "Warning: Trails are subject to erosion, etc."; leave side wash
0.80	l	49	~	white rhatany	Krameria grayi⁺	10 / 9	2
0.82	b	50		teddy-bear cholla	Opuntia bigelovii	15 / 3	5
0.84	l	51		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus	5 / 3	4
0.86	r	52		California barrel cactus	Ferocactus cylindraceus⁺	30 / 9	7
0.91	r	53	~	trailing townula	Sarcostemma hirtellum	2 / 2	2
0.91				Cross small wash
0.91	r			Switchback left; sign: "Art Smith Trail 1977"
0.93				Switchback right
0.94				Switchback left
0.96				Switchback right
0.97				Switchback left
0.98	r	54	sp	dead annual Mentzelia	Mentzelia sp.	1 / 1
1.00	r	55		fish-hook cactus	Mammillaria dioica	2 / 2	3
1.03				Trail curves left at small drainage; elevation 1500 feet (457 m)
1.04				Switchback right
1.06				Switchback left
1.07		56		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	1 / 1	7
1.08				Switchback right at ridge
1.09				Trail turns left 90°
1.14				Trail jogs right
1.16				Trail turns left 90°
1.21				Trail zigzags
1.23	r			Jct. Schey Trail
1.24	r			Sign: "Art Smith Trail"
1.24	l			(Nevada ephedra, Ephedra nevadensis)
1.26	r	57		desert agave	Agave deserti	30 / 9	7
1.26	l	58		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	10 / 5	6
1.27	r	59		Nevada ephedra	Ephedra nevadensis	50 / 9	3
1.28	r			(jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis)
1.28				Trail curves left at ridge
1.29				T-jct with old trail; go left; elevation 1640 feet (500 m)
1.29	l			Sign (facing other direction): "Trail closed ..."
1.29	l			(matchweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae)
1.29	r	60		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	30 / 9	6
1.29	l	61	ssp	apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua	50 / 9
1.29	l	62		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	10 / 5	4
1.30	l	63		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	3 / 2	6
1.36				Trail zigzags up ridge
1.38	l			(white-stemmed milkweed, Asclepias albicans)
1.40	r			Check if this dead smallish (annual?) is a different species
1.41				Local high point
1.41	l	64		jojoba	Simmondsia chinensis	20 / 9	5
1.41				Minor local low point; cross small wash
1.43	l	65		star-flowered bedstraw	Galium stellatum var. eremicum	5 / 2	3
1.43	l	66	~	pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	1 / 1	7
1.43	l	67		white-stemmed milkweed	Asclepias albicans	2 / 2	1
1.45				Trail now on flattish top of ridge; local high point; elevation ~1760 feet (536 m)
1.46	r	68		desert apricot	Prunus fremontii⁺	20 / 9	6
1.54				Minor local low point; trail curves left
1.55				Switchback left
1.56				Trail curves right 90°
1.61				Local high point
1.65				Local low point
1.70				Local high point
1.73		69		California fan palm	Washingtonia filifera	10 / 2	4
1.73				Cross wash; elevation 1800 feet (549 m)
1.73	l			(desert baccharis, Baccharis sergiloides; arrow-weed, Pluchea sericea)
1.73	r			(Anderson's desert-thorn, Lycium andersonii)
1.75	l	70	~	Anderson's desert-thorn	Lycium andersonii	5 / 2	3
1.75	r			Sign: "Trail"; trail leaves wash to left
1.76	l	71		arrow-leaf	Pleurocoronis pluriseta	5 / 3	2
1.78	l			California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus, uprooted and fallen over, regrowing from stem tops
1.80				Trail joins wash
1.88	r			Trail leaves wash to right; sign "Trail"
1.93	l			(Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii)
1.98				Cross small wash
2.04				Switchback left at side wash
2.06				Switchback right
2.08	l			Switchback left
2.13				Switchback right
2.14				Trail turns right
2.15				Trail curves left 90°
2.19				Minor saddle; local high point
2.20	l		~	(short-leaved baccharis, Baccharis brachyphylla)
2.23				Local low point
2.25				Minor local high point; then minor local low point
2.28				Overlook of drainage to left, which has many cut tamarisk branches and big palm trees up drainage; trail curves right 90°; elevation 2120 feet (646 m)
2.32				Trail curves left
2.36	l			(Tall palms); local high point immediately followed by local low point
2.39				Trail again on lip of drainage to left briefly; many tamarisk still present there
2.50				Switchback right
2.56				Switchback left
2.58				Trail begins series of minor local high and low points
2.68	b	72		Mohave yucca	Yucca schidigera	10 / 9	10
2.72	l			Local high point; elevation 2240 feet (683 m); trail continues with series of minor local high and low points
2.74	r	73		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	5 / 5	8
2.83	r			Jct. Schey Trail
2.94				Trail turns left 90°
2.98				Switchback left
3.01				Local high point
3.03				Trail zigzags right then left
3.05				Trail crosses wash and turns right 90°
3.15	l			Cross wash; sign: "Trail [to right]"
3.16	b	74		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	10 / 3	22
3.32	r			(desert lotus, Lotus rigidus)
3.33				Cross wash; trail turns right 90°
3.35				Trail turns left 90°
3.45	l	75	sp	annual phacelia	Phacelia sp.	2 / 1
3.46	l	76		goldenhead	Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus var. sphaerocephalus	1 / 1	1
3.49	l	77		desert dudleya	Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides	3 / 3	4
3.56				Local high point
3.57	l	78	~	desert woolly-star	Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum	20 / 3	2
3.64	r			Cross major drainage; sign: "Trail [ahead]"
3.72				Cross side wash
3.75				Saddle; local high point; elevation 2360 feet (719 m)
3.82	r	79		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	3 / 3	5
3.91	l	80		linear-leaved stillingia	Stillingia linearifolia	1 / 1	4
4.16				Cross wash; elevation ~2190 feet (668 m)
4.18				Trail turns left 90°, then turns right 90°
4.21	l	81		desert spike-moss	Selaginella eremophila	99 / 9	3
4.24				Local high point
4.34				Switchback right at drainage, then trail turns left 90°
4.40				Local high point at saddle between minor side drainages; elevation 2220 feet (677 m)
4.43	l			desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum, on white-stemmed milkweed, Asclepias albicans
4.49				Switchback left at ridge; trail then switchbacks down the slope
4.52	l	82	~	California spear-leaved brickellia	Brickellia arguta var. arguta	5 / 1	3
4.60	l	83		desert baccharis	Baccharis sergiloides	3 / 1	4
4.60	b	84	~	*ditch beard grass	Polypogon interruptus	20 / 1	2
4.60	r	85		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	1 / 1	7
4.60	l			Check for different annual Asteraceae 2.5 feet tall
4.60				Cross Cat Creek; local low point; elevation ~2078 feet (633 m)
4.60	l	86		*saltcedar	Tamarix ramosissima	1 / 1	5
4.60	r			Sign: "Trail [ascends to left]"
4.63				Cross wash and gradually switchback left
4.67				Switchback right and trail turns left 90°
4.76				Switchback left at ridge
4.79				Trail turns right 90°
4.85				Switchback right and trail curves left 90°
5.00				Local high point; elevation 2320 feet (707 m)
5.00				End plant guide

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Flora of the Santa Rosa Mountains From Vouchers
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2006-2007 by Tom Chester and Jim Adams.
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/art_smith.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 19 February 2007.