Plant Guide to Tahquitz Valley Loop via PCT, San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to Tahquitz Valley Loop via PCT, 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
This loop trail begins and ends at Saddle Junction, at the top of the Devils Slide Trail. At Saddle Junction, take the rightmost trail, the PCT, to Chinquapin Flat. Many hikers will want to take the short side trip to Tahquitz Peak from there, using the South Ridge Trail. This guide doesn't take that excursion; it continues on the PCT to the Little Tahquitz Trail, and then takes the latter trail through Little Tahquitz Valley and Tahquitz Meadow. The loop ends using the Caramba Trail to return to Saddle Junction.
Introduction
Highlights of This Trail
Fieldwork Dates and Summary of List Changes With Time
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. We had 93 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 5 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 "5" 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
1 4 9%
2 2 4%
3 1 2%
4 2 4%
5 6 13%

1-5 15 33%
6-10 15 33%
11-15 10 22%
16-20 2 4%
21-25 3 7%
26-30 0 0%
31-35 0 0%
36-40 1 2%
Total Taxa 46 100%

We found 3 additional species not in the above table, since they have not been 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"
9/13/2002 1 15 1 5 1 1
9/2/2003 2 23 0 2 4 2
9/7/2003 3 25 0 2 3 1
10/3/2003 4 26 0 2 2 0
10/5/2004 5 30 0 3 0 0
7/10/2006 6 31 0 3 0 0
7/26/2006 7 33 0 4 1 0
7/26/2006 7 49 1 4 2 3
8/2/2006 8 49 1 2 2 4

There are two entries for 7/26/06, which was the first time this guide was extended past Chinquapin Flat. The first entry gives the numbers up to Chinquapin Flat for comparison with previous entries; the second entry is for the complete loop.
We thank Joan Zimmerman for helping with the 10/5/04 fieldwork, and for finding the Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha then. Michael Charters found the off-trail plain mariposa lily, Calochortus invenustus, on 6/29/06. The fieldwork on 7/10/06 was only for the first 0.10 mile.
We thank Jay Sullivan for helping with the 7/26/06 fieldwork.
The Plant Guide

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)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here
0.00 Begin at Saddle Junction, elevation 8075 feet (2460 m), head south on the rightmost trail.
0.00 l 1 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9
0.00 l Jct. trail to Tahquitz Valley, Reed Meadow, Laws Camp, Caramba
0.00 b 2 white fir Abies concolor 99 / 9
0.00 l PCT post
0.01 l 3 Sierra Nevada lotus Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis 50 / 3
0.02 l 4 San Jacinto Mts. keckiella Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis 99 / 9
0.02 l 5 pinegrove groundsmoke Gayophytum oligospermum 50 / 3
0.02 l 6 San Gabriel beardtongue Penstemon labrosus 10 / 3
0.02 l (Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.03 b 7 pussy paws Calyptridium monospermum 20 / 3
0.03 l 8 Parish's snowberry Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii 50 / 9
0.06 r PCT post at shallow drainage (gone in 2004)
0.06 r 9 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 20 / 9
0.08 b 10 changeable phacelia Phacelia mutabilis 99 / 9
0.08 r 11 ssp California squirreltail Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus 2 / 1
0.08 r 12 beautiful hulsea Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha 3 / 1
0.09 l 13 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 1 / 1
0.10 l 14 San Jacinto lupine Lupinus hyacinthinus 50 / 9
0.10 r (plain mariposa lily, Calochortus invenustus)
0.11 r 15 naked buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum 10 / 2
0.11 b 16 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 5 / 5
0.15 l 17 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 3 / 3
0.17 r (spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata)
0.19 r 18 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 1 / 1
0.19 l 19 western wallflower Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum 30 / 9
0.19 b 20 sp fragile sheath sedge? Carex fracta? 5 / 1
0.20 b 21 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 50 / 9
0.21 r Jct. path to overlook
0.23 Trail curves right
0.24 l 22 forest goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens 5 / 2
0.25 Trail turns left 90° and then curves right
0.32 b 23 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana 50 / 9
0.33 Switchback left.
0.34 r Jct. footpath to ridgeline
0.34 r (bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
0.38 Trail curves right 90°.
0.39 r (snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.40 Cross small drainage to west
0.41 b 24 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 99 / 9
0.47 Cross small drainage to east
0.49 Cross bigger drainage to east
0.50 l 25 San Jacinto buckwheat Eriogonum apiculatum 50 / 3
0.53 r 26 limber pine Pinus flexilis 30 / 9
0.54 Cross small drainage to east
0.54 r 27 Parish's bedstraw Galium parishii 1 / 1
0.58 Cross small drainage to east
0.59 l 28 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 2 / 2
0.60 Cross small drainage to east
0.61 Cross very minor drainage to east
0.63 Cross small drainage to east
0.64 Cross small drainage to east
0.66 Cross minor drainage
0.66 l (wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
0.66 b (Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
0.67 r 29 wax currant Ribes cereum var. cereum 10 / 3
0.67 l Check for Ribes nevadense
0.73 Cross minor drainage to east.
0.78 Cross drainage to east.
0.82 Cross minor drainage to east.
0.84 Trail bends 90° to right.
0.88 Trail bends gradually to left.
0.88 b 30 sp sedge or rush Carex or Juncus sp. 5 / 1
0.88 l 31 ssp western needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale /
0.88 r 32 Watson's spike-moss Selaginella watsonii 3 / 1
0.88 r (southern mountain-monardella, Monardella australis)
0.88 b (backward-splitting Holboell's rock-cress, Arabis holboellii var. retrofracta)
0.88 Cross drainage to east.
0.93 Trail bends to right.
0.99 Good view of ridge north of Red Tahquitz. Note pretty black (green if it has rained recently) moss in drainage ahead.
1.00 l (Check for Penstemon rostriflorus in wash)
1.00 l 33 rock buckwheat Eriogonum saxatile 2 / 1
1.00 l (California fuchsia, Epilobium canum)
1.01 l (prickly hawkweed, Hieracium horridum)
1.01 b (Parish's campion, Silene parishii)
1.01 l (granite prickly phlox, Leptodactylon pungens)
1.01 r (mountain spray, Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus)
1.01 Cross drainage to east.
1.03 l Sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, on left, growing next to limber pine, Pinus flexilis.
1.03 Cross minor drainage to east; view of little San Bernardino Mountains along drainage.
1.10 l (curl-leaf mountain-mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius)
1.11 Cross minor drainage.
1.11 r 34 Parish's campion Silene parishii 1 / 1
1.15 r Jct. path to viewpoint of Tahquitz Peak Lookout Tower
1.22 Trail curves right 90°; view of Salton Sea and Imperial Valley ahead left; view of Tahquitz Peak dead ahead.
1.31 r Chinquapin Flat; Jct. South Ridge Trail at elevation 8570 feet (2610 m); this guide continues along the PCT by switchbacking left, downhill
1.53 l (manzanita hybrid, Arctostaphylos patula X Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
1.73 r 35 white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota /
1.73 r 36 ssp rosy everlasting, pussytoes Antennaria rosea 10 / 1
1.74 b 37 Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii ssp. douglasii 20 / 1
1.77 Switchback right.
1.80 Trail turns left 90°
1.82 Switchback right.
1.93 r (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
1.94 Trail turns left 90°
2.01 l 38 Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana 1 / 1
2.06 Jct. Little Tahquitz Trail; go left on it; elevation ~8140 feet (2481 m)
2.08 Switchback left.
2.20 l 39 ssp mountain mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta /
2.21 l (musk monkeyflower, Mimulus moschatus)
2.22 l 40 ranger's buttons Sphenosciadium capitellatum 1 / 1
2.60 b 41 yarrow Achillea millefolium 10 / 1
2.61 b 42 larger mountain monkeyflower Mimulus tilingii /
2.61 l 43 willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum /
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra /
few-flowered clover Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum /
(thyme-leaved speedwell, Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa)
(mountain timothy, Phleum alpinum)
2.61 Cross Tahquitz Creek
2.61 r 44 ssp Jepson's blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii /
2.61 l 45 ? rhizomed bent grass? Agrostis sp.? 10 / 1
2.62 b 46 bracken Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens /
2.63 l 47 goldenrod Solidago californica /
2.67 r (lemon lily, Lilium parryi, ~200 feet away)
2.70 l 48 bitter cherry Prunus emarginata /
2.72 l 49 California geranium Geranium californicum /

slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata /
swamp sedge Carex senta /
sp *intermediate wheatgrass Elytrigia intermedia ssp. intermedia /
dense false-gilia Allophyllum gilioides ssp. violaceum /
plain mariposa lily Calochortus invenustus /
little false-solomon's-seal Smilacina stellata /
(giant red paintbrush, Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata)
*Kentucky blue grass Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis /
California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus /
2.78 Four-way trail jct.; go left on Caramba Trail to Saddle Jct.

Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii /
Parish's needlegrass Achnatherum parishii /
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis /
southern mountain-monardella Monardella australis /
Potentilla sp. /
beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus /
(Idaho bentgrass, Agrostis idahoensis)
3.29 Saddle Jct.; end Guide

Comments On Specific Species

(none)

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

1-5	15	33%
6-10	15	33%
11-15	10	22%
16-20	2	4%
21-25	3	7%
26-30	0	0%
31-35	0	0%
36-40	1	2%
Total Taxa	46	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
9/13/2002	1	15	1	5	1	1
9/2/2003	2	23	0	2	4	2
9/7/2003	3	25	0	2	3	1
10/3/2003	4	26	0	2	2	0
10/5/2004	5	30	0	3	0	0
7/10/2006	6	31	0	3	0	0
7/26/2006	7	33	0	4	1	0
7/26/2006	7	49	1	4	2	3
8/2/2006	8	49	1	2	2	4

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here
0.00				Begin at Saddle Junction, elevation 8075 feet (2460 m), head south on the rightmost trail.
0.00	l	1		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9
0.00	l			Jct. trail to Tahquitz Valley, Reed Meadow, Laws Camp, Caramba
0.00	b	2		white fir	Abies concolor	99 / 9
0.00	l			PCT post
0.01	l	3		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	50 / 3
0.02	l	4		San Jacinto Mts. keckiella	Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis	99 / 9
0.02	l	5		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	50 / 3
0.02	l	6		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	10 / 3
0.02	l			(Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.03	b	7		pussy paws	Calyptridium monospermum	20 / 3
0.03	l	8		Parish's snowberry	Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii	50 / 9
0.06	r			PCT post at shallow drainage (gone in 2004)
0.06	r	9		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	20 / 9
0.08	b	10		changeable phacelia	Phacelia mutabilis	99 / 9
0.08	r	11	ssp	California squirreltail	Elymus elymoides ssp. californicus	2 / 1
0.08	r	12		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	3 / 1
0.09	l	13		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	1 / 1
0.10	l	14		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	50 / 9
0.10	r			(plain mariposa lily, Calochortus invenustus)
0.11	r	15		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	10 / 2
0.11	b	16		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	5 / 5
0.15	l	17		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	3 / 3
0.17	r			(spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata)
0.19	r	18		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	1 / 1
0.19	l	19		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	30 / 9
0.19	b	20	sp	fragile sheath sedge?	Carex fracta?	5 / 1
0.20	b	21		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	50 / 9
0.21	r			Jct. path to overlook
0.23				Trail curves right
0.24	l	22		forest goosefoot	Chenopodium atrovirens	5 / 2
0.25				Trail turns left 90° and then curves right
0.32	b	23		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	50 / 9
0.33				Switchback left.
0.34	r			Jct. footpath to ridgeline
0.34	r			(bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
0.38				Trail curves right 90°.
0.39	r			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.40				Cross small drainage to west
0.41	b	24		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	99 / 9
0.47				Cross small drainage to east
0.49				Cross bigger drainage to east
0.50	l	25		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	50 / 3
0.53	r	26		limber pine	Pinus flexilis	30 / 9
0.54				Cross small drainage to east
0.54	r	27		Parish's bedstraw	Galium parishii	1 / 1
0.58				Cross small drainage to east
0.59	l	28		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	2 / 2
0.60				Cross small drainage to east
0.61				Cross very minor drainage to east
0.63				Cross small drainage to east
0.64				Cross small drainage to east
0.66				Cross minor drainage
0.66	l			(wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
0.66	b			(Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
0.67	r	29		wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	10 / 3
0.67	l			Check for Ribes nevadense
0.73				Cross minor drainage to east.
0.78				Cross drainage to east.
0.82				Cross minor drainage to east.
0.84				Trail bends 90° to right.
0.88				Trail bends gradually to left.
0.88	b	30	sp	sedge or rush	Carex or Juncus sp.	5 / 1
0.88	l	31	ssp	western needlegrass	Achnatherum occidentale	/
0.88	r	32		Watson's spike-moss	Selaginella watsonii	3 / 1
0.88	r			(southern mountain-monardella, Monardella australis)
0.88	b			(backward-splitting Holboell's rock-cress, Arabis holboellii var. retrofracta)
0.88				Cross drainage to east.
0.93				Trail bends to right.
0.99				Good view of ridge north of Red Tahquitz. Note pretty black (green if it has rained recently) moss in drainage ahead.
1.00	l			(Check for Penstemon rostriflorus in wash)
1.00	l	33		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	2 / 1
1.00	l			(California fuchsia, Epilobium canum)
1.01	l			(prickly hawkweed, Hieracium horridum)
1.01	b			(Parish's campion, Silene parishii)
1.01	l			(granite prickly phlox, Leptodactylon pungens)
1.01	r			(mountain spray, Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus)
1.01				Cross drainage to east.
1.03	l			Sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, on left, growing next to limber pine, Pinus flexilis.
1.03				Cross minor drainage to east; view of little San Bernardino Mountains along drainage.
1.10	l			(curl-leaf mountain-mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius)
1.11				Cross minor drainage.
1.11	r	34		Parish's campion	Silene parishii	1 / 1
1.15	r			Jct. path to viewpoint of Tahquitz Peak Lookout Tower
1.22				Trail curves right 90°; view of Salton Sea and Imperial Valley ahead left; view of Tahquitz Peak dead ahead.
1.31	r			Chinquapin Flat; Jct. South Ridge Trail at elevation 8570 feet (2610 m); this guide continues along the PCT by switchbacking left, downhill
1.53	l			(manzanita hybrid, Arctostaphylos patula X Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea)
1.73	r	35		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	/
1.73	r	36	ssp	rosy everlasting, pussytoes	Antennaria rosea	10 / 1
1.74	b	37		Douglas' knotweed	Polygonum douglasii ssp. douglasii	20 / 1
1.77				Switchback right.
1.80				Trail turns left 90°
1.82				Switchback right.
1.93	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
1.94				Trail turns left 90°
2.01	l	38		Scouler's willow	Salix scouleriana	1 / 1
2.06				Jct. Little Tahquitz Trail; go left on it; elevation ~8140 feet (2481 m)
2.08				Switchback left.
2.20	l	39	ssp	mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	/
2.21	l			(musk monkeyflower, Mimulus moschatus)
2.22	l	40		ranger's buttons	Sphenosciadium capitellatum	1 / 1
2.60	b	41		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	10 / 1
2.61	b	42		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	/
2.61	l	43		willowherb	Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum	/
				rough bentgrass	Agrostis scabra	/
				few-flowered clover	Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum	/
				(thyme-leaved speedwell, Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa)
				(mountain timothy, Phleum alpinum)
2.61				Cross Tahquitz Creek
2.61	r	44	ssp	Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	/
2.61	l	45	?	rhizomed bent grass?	Agrostis sp.?	10 / 1
2.62	b	46		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	/
2.63	l	47		goldenrod	Solidago californica	/
2.67	r			(lemon lily, Lilium parryi, ~200 feet away)
2.70	l	48		bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	/
2.72	l	49		California geranium	Geranium californicum	/



				slender hairgrass	Deschampsia elongata	/
				swamp sedge	Carex senta	/
			sp	*intermediate wheatgrass	Elytrigia intermedia ssp. intermedia	/
				dense false-gilia	Allophyllum gilioides ssp. violaceum	/
				plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	/
				little false-solomon's-seal	Smilacina stellata	/
				(giant red paintbrush, Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata)
				*Kentucky blue grass	Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis	/
				California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	/
2.78				Four-way trail jct.; go left on Caramba Trail to Saddle Jct.

				Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	/
				Parish's needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii	/
				mat muhly	Muhlenbergia richardsonis	/
				southern mountain-monardella	Monardella australis	/
					Potentilla sp.	/
				beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	/
				(Idaho bentgrass, Agrostis idahoensis)
3.29				Saddle Jct.; end Guide

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Plants With Voucher Records for San Jacinto Mountain in Calflora
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2003-2006 by Tom Chester and James Dillane.
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/pct_sj_srt.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 6 August 2006 (pct part of guide updated 8/1/16 from 6/15/07 fieldwork)