Plant Guide to Tamarack Valley Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to Tamarack Valley 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

This is a guide to the short 0.64 mile trail leading from the trail junction close to Round Valley Meadow to the campsites in Tamarack Valley. The trail is nearly flat, having less than 100 feet elevation gain and loss.
The easiest way to get to this trail is to take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to its top at Long Valley, and then the Round Valley Trail to this trail junction at mile 1.84 in that guide.
A free wilderness permit is required, available at the Ranger Station.
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 115 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 15 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 "15" 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 0 0%
2 0 0%
3 0 0%
4 1 6%
5 0 0%

1-5 1 6%
6-10 1 6%
11-15 5 31%
16-20 3 19%
21-25 1 6%
26-30 1 6%
31-35 3 19%
36-40 0 0%
41-45 0 0%
46-50 1 6%
Total Taxa 16 100%

We found 5 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"
8/21/2007 1 21 0 7 1 1

We thank a person who wishes to remain anonymous for help with the fieldwork on 8/21/07.

Botanical Trip Reports

The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (2 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (1 single-sided page). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)
The mileages in the guide come from Topo!, along with a fairly precise GPS recording of the points in the guide done on 8/21/07. They should be accurate to 0.01-0.02 miles.

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 l Begin guide at jct. Round Valley and Wellman Divide; elevation 9040 feet (2755 m). Sign: "[south] Wellman Divide 1 mi; San Jacinto Peak 3.3 mi; Saddle Junction 4.3 mi; Humber Park 6.8 mi; [northwest] Tamarack Valley 0.5 mi; [east] Long Valley 2.
0.00 r 1 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 99 / 9 16
0.00 b (white fir, Abies concolor)
0.00 b 2 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 50 / 9 33
0.00 r 3 sp sedge Carex like C. fracta 10 / 3
0.00 r (mountain gooseberry, Ribes montigenum)
0.01 r 4 San Jacinto Mts. keckiella Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis 30 / 9 13
0.01 l (Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.02 5 white fir Abies concolor 50 / 9 33
0.02 6 mountain gooseberry Ribes montigenum 5 / 1 4
0.02 r 7 Parish's snowberry Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii 50 / 9 19
0.02 l 8 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 30 / 9 35
0.04 l (mountain whitethorn, Ceanothus cordulatus)
0.08 l sp (mystery sedge, Carex sp.)
0.10 r 9 goldenrod Solidago californica 10 / 1 50
0.11 l Jct. campsite trail
0.12 l (Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana; bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
0.12 Cross small dry creek
0.13 r (in distance: California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.13 r Jct. campsite trail
0.14 r (little-leaf mock orange, Philadelphus microphyllus)
0.18 l (green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula)
0.20 l 10 sp mystery sedge Carex sp. 10 / 3
0.20 r (bitter cherry, Prunus emarginata)
0.23 l Jct. campsite trail
0.26 r Jct. campsite trail
0.27 l (San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus)
0.28 l 11 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 3 / 3 17
0.32 l 12 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 10 / 2 29
0.33 b 13 San Jacinto lupine Lupinus hyacinthinus 20 / 5 14
0.33 l 14 ~ San Gabriel beardtongue Penstemon labrosus 20 / 3 13
0.33 l 15 sp popcorn flower Cryptantha sp. 2 / 1
0.34 l Jct. use trail; cross ridge and enter Tamarack Valley
0.35 r 16 sp groundsmoke Gayophytum sp. 10 / 1
0.38 l Jct. campsite trail
0.38 b 17 sp rockcress or wallflower Arabis sp. or Erysimum capitatum 10 / 2
0.45 l 18 yarrow Achillea millefolium 10 / 1 22
0.48 r 19 western columbine Aquilegia formosa 1 / 1 12
0.48 l Check for San Jacinto buckwheat, Eriogonum apiculatum
0.49 r Jct. campsite trail
0.49 r (Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
0.50 Cross Tamarack Valley Creek
0.50 l 20 slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata 10 / 1 10
0.50 l 21 larger mountain monkeyflower Mimulus tilingii 10 / 1 12
0.50 l sp (purslane speedwell?, Veronica peregrina ssp. xalapensis?; clover, Trifolium sp.)
0.50 b (ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.50 r pearlwort Sagina saginoides /
0.50 r ssp (bracken, Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens; willowherb, Epilobium ciliatum; wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum; Nevada cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis)
0.52 l Jct. campsite trail
0.52 l Sign: "Tamarack Valley, Elevation 9120 feet"; elevation is actually 9000 feet (2743 m); 9120 feet is a bit below the location upstream of the old trail
0.53 l Jct. campsite trail
0.55 r Jct. campsite trail
0.56 l ~ (plain mariposa lily, Calochortus invenustus)
0.60 l (closer wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
0.64 End trail at signed campsite "quartz"; elevation 9000 feet (2743 m)

Mile: 0.00 includes all mileages from 0.000 to 0.009; etc.
S: Side of trail on which the first occurrence is found: left, right, both, or center
#: On-Trail species are numbered in order of first occurrence on trail (touchable without leaving the trail). Off-trail species are in parentheses.
id?: Species without an entry in this column are positively identified. "?" means we are just guessing the identification; "sp" means the genera is probably known, but the species name is uncertain; "~" means we have 95% confidence that this is the determination, but have not yet positively identified it; "ssp" means the subspecies or variety needs to be determined.
#here gives the minimum number of on-trail plants of this species on this trail, with the number of locations on this trail following the /, using maximum values of 99/9. 1/1 means a single plant in a single location; 10/9 means 10 plants occurring in at least 9 locations, etc.
#all gives the number of plant trail guides, from all over southern California, that contain this taxon.
Comments On Specific Species

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	0	0%
2	0	0%
3	0	0%
4	1	6%
5	0	0%

1-5	1	6%
6-10	1	6%
11-15	5	31%
16-20	3	19%
21-25	1	6%
26-30	1	6%
31-35	3	19%
36-40	0	0%
41-45	0	0%
46-50	1	6%
Total Taxa	16	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
8/21/2007	1	21	0	7	1	1

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00	l			Begin guide at jct. Round Valley and Wellman Divide; elevation 9040 feet (2755 m). Sign: "[south] Wellman Divide 1 mi; San Jacinto Peak 3.3 mi; Saddle Junction 4.3 mi; Humber Park 6.8 mi; [northwest] Tamarack Valley 0.5 mi; [east] Long Valley 2.
0.00	r	1		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	99 / 9	16
0.00	b			(white fir, Abies concolor)
0.00	b	2		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	50 / 9	33
0.00	r	3	sp	sedge	Carex like C. fracta	10 / 3
0.00	r			(mountain gooseberry, Ribes montigenum)
0.01	r	4		San Jacinto Mts. keckiella	Keckiella rothrockii var. jacintensis	30 / 9	13
0.01	l			(Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.02		5		white fir	Abies concolor	50 / 9	33
0.02		6		mountain gooseberry	Ribes montigenum	5 / 1	4
0.02	r	7		Parish's snowberry	Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii	50 / 9	19
0.02	l	8		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	30 / 9	35
0.04	l			(mountain whitethorn, Ceanothus cordulatus)
0.08	l		sp	(mystery sedge, Carex sp.)
0.10	r	9		goldenrod	Solidago californica	10 / 1	50
0.11	l			Jct. campsite trail
0.12	l			(Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana; bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
0.12				Cross small dry creek
0.13	r			(in distance: California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.13	r			Jct. campsite trail
0.14	r			(little-leaf mock orange, Philadelphus microphyllus)
0.18	l			(green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula)
0.20	l	10	sp	mystery sedge	Carex sp.	10 / 3
0.20	r			(bitter cherry, Prunus emarginata)
0.23	l			Jct. campsite trail
0.26	r			Jct. campsite trail
0.27	l			(San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus)
0.28	l	11		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	3 / 3	17
0.32	l	12		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	10 / 2	29
0.33	b	13		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	20 / 5	14
0.33	l	14	~	San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	20 / 3	13
0.33	l	15	sp	popcorn flower	Cryptantha sp.	2 / 1
0.34	l			Jct. use trail; cross ridge and enter Tamarack Valley
0.35	r	16	sp	groundsmoke	Gayophytum sp.	10 / 1
0.38	l			Jct. campsite trail
0.38	b	17	sp	rockcress or wallflower	Arabis sp. or Erysimum capitatum	10 / 2
0.45	l	18		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	10 / 1	22
0.48	r	19		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	1 / 1	12
0.48	l			Check for San Jacinto buckwheat, Eriogonum apiculatum
0.49	r			Jct. campsite trail
0.49	r			(Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
0.50				Cross Tamarack Valley Creek
0.50	l	20		slender hairgrass	Deschampsia elongata	10 / 1	10
0.50	l	21		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	10 / 1	12
0.50	l		sp	(purslane speedwell?, Veronica peregrina ssp. xalapensis?; clover, Trifolium sp.)
0.50	b			(ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.50	r			pearlwort	Sagina saginoides	/
0.50	r		ssp	(bracken, Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens; willowherb, Epilobium ciliatum; wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum; Nevada cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis)
0.52	l			Jct. campsite trail
0.52	l			Sign: "Tamarack Valley, Elevation 9120 feet"; elevation is actually 9000 feet (2743 m); 9120 feet is a bit below the location upstream of the old trail
0.53	l			Jct. campsite trail
0.55	r			Jct. campsite trail
0.56	l		~	(plain mariposa lily, Calochortus invenustus)
0.60	l			(closer wax currant, Ribes cereum var. cereum)
0.64				End trail at signed campsite "quartz"; elevation 9000 feet (2743 m)

Go to:

Flora of San Jacinto Mountain
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2007 by Tom Chester, Dave Stith and Eric Baecht.
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/tamarack_valley.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 24 August 2007.