Plant Guide to Fuller Ridge Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

This is a working list, about which we make no guarantees at all until we officially release it. Use at your own risk!

Introduction and Explanation of Plant Trail Guides

Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
Botanical Trip Reports
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species

Introduction

Highlights of This Trail

The botanical highlights of this trail are:

Number of Unique Taxa On This Trail

The following histogram gives the number of trails in our database that contain each taxon on this trail (not including the taxa seen only off-trail given at the end of the guide). We had 106 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 9 of those trails, including this one, are in this area of San Jacinto Mountain. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in our database; numbers of "9" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area of San Jacinto Mountain.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon
Number Of Taxa
On This Trail
% of Taxa
On This Trail
Total Taxa80100%

We found x 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 DateVisit ## taxa# "?"# "sp"# "~"# "ssp"

Botanical Trip Reports

The Plant Guide

The plant names have been updated to the Second Edition Jepson Manual system.

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (4 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (1 double-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

The mileages in the guide come from Topo!. The total mileage is almost surely slightly underestimated, probably by no more than 10%, due to the tight switchbacks on the trail that are not accurately measured by that program. The elevations come from the topo map, and should be fairly precise.

MileS#id?Common NameScientific Name#here
0.00Begin guide at Trailhead near saddle 0.1 mile south of Black Mountain Road, elevation 7700 feet (2350 m)
Check for Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum near trailhead
0.00b1pinegrove groundsmokeGayophytum oligospermum50 / 5
0.00b2San Jacinto buckwheatEriogonum apiculatum15 / 2
0.00r3San Jacinto lupineLupinus hyacinthinus50 / 9
0.00b4Jeffrey pinePinus jeffreyi99 / 9
0.00l5incense-cedarCalocedrus decurrens1 / 1
0.00b6San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrushEricameria nauseosa var. bernardina40 / 9
0.00l7wax currantRibes cereum var. cereum50 / 9
0.00b8changeable phaceliaPhacelia mutabilis50 / 9
0.00l9white firAbies concolor99 / 9
0.00b10Sierra Nevada lotusAcmispon nevadensis var. nevadensis10 / 2
0.00b11bush chinquapinChrysolepis sempervirens99 / 9
0.00r12green-leaf manzanitaArctostaphylos patula30 / 9
0.00Trail curves left
0.02l13brackenPteridium aquilinum var. pubescens20 / 5
0.02r14Sierra gooseberryRibes roezlii var. roezlii50 / 9
0.02r15beaked penstemonPenstemon rostriflorus30 / 5
0.02Switchback right
0.04Switchback left
0.04lSign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"
0.04rSign: "State Park Wilderness Boundary 1.5 mi; San Jacinto Peak 8 mi"
0.04r(mountain whitethorn, Ceanothus cordulatus)
0.04rSign: "Wilderness Permit Required; Be prepared for Hazardous Conditions"
0.04rPCT Post (missing 9/4/11)
0.04b(sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana)
0.05b(pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.08(pine lousewort, Pedicularis semibarbata)
0.10l16sugar pinePinus lambertiana99 / 9
0.10r17mountain whitethornCeanothus cordulatus50 / 9
0.10Cross very minor drainage
0.12l18pinedropsPterospora andromedea8 / 3
0.17l19forest goosefootChenopodium atrovirens10 / 7
0.18r20western wallflowerErysimum capitatum var. capitatum20 / 5
0.20r21mountain pink currantRibes nevadense10 / 3
0.20r22?unk small plant similar to Cryptantha but with soft spreading hairs; only one plant seen in 2008?1 / 1
0.23r23pine lousewortPedicularis semibarbata50 / 9
0.24l24spotted coralrootCorallorhiza maculata5 / 3
0.28l25Parish's campionSilene parishii3 / 2
0.30b26white catch-flySilene verecunda3 / 1
0.30(Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii)
0.31r27fragile sheath sedgeCarex fracta70 / 5
0.35rCairn, which perhaps marks a use trail to the 8462' peak
0.35r28sticky cinquefoilDrymocallis glandulosa var. viscida10 / 2
0.40l(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron bolleanum)
0.55b29San Jacinto Mts. keckiellaKeckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis99 / 9
0.64First view of Folly Peak
0.83rJct. prominent deer trail below 8462' peak
0.88Trail turns right 90° at ridge with big rocks, including a Ribes nevadense growing out of one of them
0.90r31little prince's pineChimaphila menziesii10 / 4
0.92r30white-veined wintergreenPyrola picta10 / 2
1.08l(Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
1.08l32pussy pawsCalyptridium monospermum50 / 1
1.08Enter Ribes cereum meadow at head of drainage to north, elevation 8060 feet (2455 m), just below main saddle on ridge at ~8120 feet (2475 m), This is followed by a large patch of Arctostaphylos patula, with many dead in 2008, followed by a large patch of chinquapin, also mostly dead
1.20Jct. on topo map with old PCT that went closer to top of ridgeline, not found on 7/20/10
1.35rSign: "Mt. San Jacinto State Park Wilderness"
1.50l(Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
1.51r(blue elderberry, Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea)
1.66rJct. Use Trail with cairn and a quick switchback, possibly to 8600' peak
1.72Switchback right, then a quick switchback left; then 3 pairs of “switchback right and left”
1.76r(in distance: shaggy-haired alumroot, Heuchera hirsutissima)
1.77Switchback right, near junction on topo map with old PCT
r(Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
1.82r33Martin's paintbrushCastilleja applegatei ssp. martinii3 / 3
1.82Trail turns right at ridge and joins ridge; great view of Folly Peak
1.82r34granite prickly phloxLinanthus pungens10 / 3
1.82r35prickly hawkweedHieracium horridum2 / 1
1.82b(mountain spray, Holodiscus discolor var. microphyllus)
1.82r(mountain California-fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium)
1.85Local high point on trail, elevation ~8480 feet (2585 m)
1.85l36canyon live oakQuercus chrysolepis20 / 3
1.85r37southern mountain-monardellaMonardella australis ssp. australis20 / 5
1.85r38Parish's bedstrawGalium parishii10 / 4
1.86r39mountain California-fuchsiaEpilobium canum ssp. latifolium10 / 3
1.86r(Fremont silk tassel, Garrya fremontii)
1.86l(little-leaf mock orange, Philadelphus microphyllus)
1.86r(Fendler's blue grass, Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula, on flat rocky area south of trail)
1.86r(blue wildrye, Elymus glaucus, along ridge area to west)
1.87Leave ridge and then rejoin ridge
1.90l40California groundconeKopsiopsis strobilacea10 / 1
1.93r41Grinnell's beardtonguePenstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii20 / 5
1.95lJct. older portion of trail
1.95Leave ridge and go downhill
2.06Switchback right
2.07Switchback left
2.10l42little-leaf mock orangePhiladelphus microphyllus5 / 2
2.12(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
2.13Four quick switchbacks
2.17l(California-aster, Corethrogyne filaginifolia)
2.17l43Fremont silk tasselGarrya fremontii3 / 3
2.18(San Jacinto Mtns. Bedstraw, Galium angustifolium ssp. jacinticum)
2.18l44hybrid manzanitaArctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea1 / 1
Two sets of “switchback right then left”
2.21l45California-asterCorethrogyne filaginifolia5 / 1
2.21Local low point on trail, elevation ~8340 feet (2540 m)
2.2246squirreltailElymus elymoides5 / 1
Switchback left, then right
2.23l(limber pine, Pinus flexilis)
Four sets of “switchback left then right”
2.34b47beautiful hulseaHulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha6 / 2
2.34l(curl-leaf mountain-mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius)
2.34l(mountain maple, Acer glabrum var. diffusum)
2.40Trail turns left 90°
2.41Switchback right and join ridge; two sets of switchback left then right; leave ridge to the north; three sets of switchback left then right
2.55Leave ridge to right
2.57l48limber pinePinus flexilis23 / 9
Switchback left, right, left
2.60r49Ross' sedgeCarex rossii10 / 2
Switchback right then left
2.69l50Parish's snowberrySymphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii2 / 1
2.69Trail briefly touches ridge immediately north of peak 8734', a local high point on trail at elevation ~8680 feet (2645 m), and then travels below ridge on its north side. The southwest ridge from peak 8734' is the divide between the Fuller Mill Creek drainage and the Dark Canyon (North Fork) drainage
2.81l(lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana)
2.85Trail touches ridge
2.88r51lodgepole pinePinus contorta ssp. murrayana5 / 3
2.89l52mountain sprayHolodiscus discolor var. microphyllus2 / 1
2.90r53shaggy-haired alumrootHeuchera hirsutissima2 / 1
2.95Cross ridge to south side from now on and head slightly downhill
3.12Switchback left
3.16Switchback right then left
3.23l54blue wildryeElymus glaucus10 / 3
3.32b55bitter cherryPrunus emarginata20 / 4
3.32Cross small moist drainage; elevation ~8500 feet (2590 m)
3.32l56goldenrodSolidago velutina ssp. californica5 / 1
3.32l57long-styled rushJuncus longistylis8 / 1
3.32l(thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus)
3.34r(broad-leaved lotus, Hosackia crassifolia var. crassifolia)
3.57Switchback left and join ridge below Gateway Rock (prominent outcrop bottom of Little Round Valley)
3.75l58blue elderberrySambucus nigra ssp. caerulea1 / 1
3.83Enter branch of the North Fork from saddle between Folly Peak and San Jacinto Peak that passes north of Little Round Valley; elevation 8880 feet (2705 m)
3.83l59brittle bladder fernCystopteris fragilis3 / 1
3.83l60willowherbEpilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum2 / 1
3.83l61Idaho bentgrassAgrostis idahoensis10 / 1
3.83l62western columbineAquilegia formosa5 / 1
3.83l63mountain carpet cloverTrifolium monanthum ssp. grantianum2 / 1
3.83b64scented shooting starDodecatheon redolens20 / 1
3.83l(subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum; giant red paintbrush, Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata; lemon lily, Lilium parryi; larger mountain monkeyflower, Mimulus tilingii; *common mullein, Verbascum thapsus)
3.83b(fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum)
4.04Cross a neighboring branch of the North Fork from saddle between Jean Peak and peak 10388', elevation ~8940 feet (2725 m)
4.51Junction with Deer Springs Trail (as shown on topo map), elevation ~8940 feet (2725 m)
5.80Enter Little Round Valley, elevation 9780 feet (2980 m)
7.03Jct. Wellman Divide Trail and trail to San Jacinto Peak, elevation 10,600 feet (3230 m)
7.40San Jacinto Peak, elevation 10842 feet (3305 m)

Comments On Specific Species

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Copyright © 2008-2016 by Tom Chester, Dave Stith, and Keir Morse.
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/fuller_ridge.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 6 August 2016.