Plant Guide to Upper Fish Creek Trail, San Bernardino Mountains

Plant Guide to Upper Fish Creek Trail, San Bernardino Mountains

See also Plant Voucher Checklist for Fish Creek Area for a plant list in traditional family order, referenced to this guide, the guide to the Lower Fish Creek Trail, and including vouchers.
This is a working list, about which I make no guarantees at all until I 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 Upper Fish Creek Trail is a beautiful high-country trail that explores the upper portion of Fish Creek and ends at Fish Creek Saddle. The trail goes through eastern Fish Creek Meadows, and alongside western Fish Creek Meadows, and crosses three streams with almost year-round flowing water from springs just upstream.
Its upper reaches give a good view of the upper portion of the Santa Ana River canyon, including Sugarloaf Mountain, and views of the northern part of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the town of 29 Palms, Deadman Lake (dry), and the Bullion Mountains.
The next mile of trail beyond Fish Creek Saddle is virtually level, making it easy to continue on to Mine Shaft Saddle, which is only 0.75 air miles from the summit of San Gorgonio. At this location, you are standing on the shoulders of the beast itself, looking it right in the face, and can fully appreciate its majesty. However, it is a 7 mile roundtrip from Mine Shaft Saddle to the summit of San Gorgonio if you want to stand on the top!
The Upper Fish Creek Trail begins at 1N05, 7.4 miles along a mostly very-bumpy rough dirt road from SR38, and reaches a junction with the upper end of the Aspen Grove / Fish Creek Trail in 0.69 miles. This trail guide begins at that junction, and covers the trail to its end at Fish Creek Saddle. It therefore does not cover the first 0.69 miles of trail if you begin at 1N05. However, beginning at this junction is a more convenient starting point for botanists who have used the Aspen Grove / Fish Creek Trail Plant Guide.
Thus the beginning of this trail guide can be reached in two ways. First, you can hike two miles up the Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trail. Alternatively, you can drive an extra 25 minutes to get to the Upper Fish Creek Trailhead, and walk 0.7 miles west.
Mileages and Elevation Gains:

Trail Guide, top of Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trail to Fish Creek Saddle: 4.3 miles one way, elevation gain 1825 feet, elevation loss ~100 feet.
Aspen Grove Trailhead, Lower Fish Creek Trail, Upper Fish Creek Trail to Fish Creek Saddle: 12.7 miles roundtrip, elevation gain and loss 2750 feet.
1N05 Upper Fish Creek trailhead to top of Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trail: 0.7 miles one way, elevation loss 100 feet.
1N05 Upper Fish Creek trailhead to Fish Creek Saddle: 10.0 miles roundtrip, elevation gain and loss ~2025 feet.
1N05 Upper Fish Creek trailhead to Mine Shaft Saddle: 12.1 miles roundtrip, elevation gain and loss ~2200 feet. (note that Robinson, in his San Bernardino Mountain Trails, 1986, gives this as only 10 miles roundtrip, elevation gain and loss 1900 feet. This is definitely incorrect, as confirmed by three independent measurements: my pedometer, my GPS map of this trail, and measurements on the trail on the USGS topographic map. By the way, some of the long switchbacks in the trail are slightly longer than indicated on the USGS map.)

Directions to trailhead: On SR38, go 5 miles east of Barton Flats to the signed entrance road to Heart Bar Campground, 1N02. Do not take the earlier turnoff to Camp Heart Bar! Turn right on 1N02 to a signed junction in 1.2 miles with 1N05. Go right, up 1N05, bearing right at all road forks.
The signed Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trailhead parking is reached a total distance of 2.6 miles from SR38, which takes about 10 minutes total driving time.
The Upper Fish Creek Trailhead parking is another long 4.8 miles along 1N02, which takes an additional 26 minutes from the Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trailhead parking. Thus it takes 36 minutes from SR38.
GPS Coordinates:
TOPO! GPS Data Format Deg NAD27 ElevFeet
1N05,34.15088,-116.77093,6991,
FISHLO,34.14764,-116.78898,7409,
FISHUP,34.12466,-116.76495,8079,
FSHSDL,34.11787,-116.80856,9805,
HRTBAR,34.16235,-116.78480,6878,
MNSHFT,34.10986,-116.82262,9935,
SNGORG,34.09907,-116.82393,11468,
1N05 is the junction of 1N02 and 1N05.
FISHLO is the Aspen Grove / Lower Fish Creek Trailhead parking
FISHUP is the Upper Fish Creek Trailhead parking
HRTBAR is the junction of SR38 and 1N05.
MNSHFT is Mine Shaft Saddle
SNGORG is Mount San Gorgonio.
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 my database that contain each taxon on this trail. I had 77 trails in my database when this histogram was made; two of those trails, including this one, are in the Fish Creek Area, with two others in the San Bernardino Mountains. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in my database; numbers of "4" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 4 4%
2 23 23%
3 14 14%
4 9 9%
5 10 10%

1-5 60 61%
6-10 20 20%
11-15 11 11%
16-20 3 3%
21-25 1 1%
26-30 2 2%
31-35 0 0%
36-40 1 1%
41-45 0 0%
46-50 1 1%
Total Taxa 99 100%

I found 2 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 do not have any number given 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"
6/7/2004 1 63 4 11 12 3
6/11/2004 2 75 4 11 15 3
7/13/2004 3 81 4 8 15 3
7/22/2004 4 88 3 7 15 3
7/27/2004 5 101 2 3 8 2
8/5/2004 6 101 1 2 6 1
8/10/2004 7 101 1 2 5 0

Only the first 0.18 miles of trail was surveyed on 8/10/04, the first 0.72 miles on 6/7/04, and the first 1.75 miles on 7/13/04, 7/22/04 and 8/5/04. The trip on 7/13/04 was primarily a hiking trip, with limited botanizing. The first full botanical survey of the complete trail was 7/27/04.
Botanical Trip Reports

7 June 2004
11 June 2004
13 July 2004
22 July 2004
27 July 2004
10 August 2004
See also reports from the lower Fish Creek Trail.
The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (6 pages)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin trail guide on Upper Fish Creek Trail at intersection with Lower Fish Creek / Aspen Grove Trail, heading southwest; elevation 7980 feet (2430 m).
0.00 l 1 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 99 / 9 13
0.00 b 2 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 99 / 9 10
0.00 r 3 white fir Abies concolor 99 / 9 18
0.00 l 4 Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 30 / 9 13
0.00 l 5 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9 19
0.01 l 6 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 5 / 5 9
0.01 l 7 ~ Ross' sedge Carex rossii 20 / 9 2
0.01 l 8 San Gabriel beardtongue Penstemon labrosus 50 / 9 6
0.01 l 9 ~ groundsmoke Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum 50 / 2 11
0.01 l 10 pinewoods rock-cress Arabis holboellii var. pinetorum 50 / 5 2
0.02 l 11 bristly-leaved rock-cress Arabis rectissima var. rectissima⁺ 5 / 1 2
0.02 l 12 short-leaved squirreltail Elymus elymoides ssp. brevifolius 50 / 9 2
0.02 l 13 western wallflower Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum 99 / 9 15
0.02 l 14 June grass Koeleria macrantha 1 / 1 2
0.04 r 15 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 30 / 5 21
0.05 r 16 Fendler's blue grass Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula 99 / 9 2
0.05 r 17 ~ Letterman's needlegrass Achnatherum lettermanii 20 / 2 3
0.05 l 18 Martin's paintbrush Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii⁺ 50 / 5 14
0.05 r 19 sp one-sided bluegrass? Poa secunda ssp. secunda? 30 / 9
0.05 r 20 mountain mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta 50 / 9 5
0.05 r 21 Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii 50 / 3 11
0.05 Trail curves left at far end of ridge.
0.06 l 22 Parish's bedstraw Galium parishii 30 / 9 4
0.07 r Jct. faint old trail.
0.08 b 23 Parish's snowberry Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii 99 / 9 10
0.08 l 24 southern mountain-monardella Monardella australis 99 / 9 6
0.08 l (spear-leaved mountain dandelion, Agoseris retrorsa)
0.08 r (little false-solomon's-seal, Smilacina stellata)
0.09 l 25 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum 50 / 9 11
0.10 l 26 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum 30 / 9 46
0.10 l 27 goldenrod Solidago californica 30 / 3 26
0.10 l 28 wild pepper-grass Lepidium virginicum var. pubescens 3 / 1 5
0.10 l 29 smooth scouring rush Equisetum laevigatum 30 / 3 3
0.11 r 30 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 5 / 1 14
0.11 b 31 hoary-aster Machaeranthera canescens var. canescens 30 / 9 3
0.11 r 32 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 20 / 3 28
0.11 r 33 alkali western tansy-mustard Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum 5 / 1 4
0.11 r "Witches' broom" (proliferation of branches forming a dense cluster) on the white fir, caused by a "fir broom rust" fungus, Melampsorella caryophyllacearum, or a close-related species.
0.11 r 34 Southern California draba Draba corrugata var. corrugata 5 / 2 2
0.13 r (swamp sedge, Carex senta)
0.13 r 35 cow parsnip Heracleum lanatum 30 / 2 2
0.13 r 36 ~ wax currant Ribes cereum var. cereum 5 / 5 11
0.13 r 37 Richardson's geranium Geranium richardsonii 30 / 2 3
0.14 l 38 mountain spray Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus 30 / 9 6
0.14 r 39 swamp sedge Carex senta 30 / 2 2
0.16 Trail turns right; (faint use trail continues straight)
0.16 r 40 brown sedge Carex subfusca 20 / 2 1
0.16 b 41 *common dandelion Taraxacum officinale 10 / 1 4
0.16 b 42 Kentucky blue grass Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis 20 / 2 4
0.16 r 43 long-anthered rush Juncus macrandrus 10 / 1 2
Check for Mimulus guttatus.
0.16 r 44 larger mountain monkeyflower Mimulus tilingii 20 / 2 2
0.16 b 45 American speedwell Veronica americana 10 / 2 2
0.16 l 46 willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum 5 / 2 16
0.16 Cross first branch of a stream, a south branch of Fish Creek; enter eastern Fish Creek Meadows
0.17 r 47 cobwebby hedge-nettle Stachys albens 30 / 2 4
0.17 l 48 slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata 20 / 2 2
0.17 l 49 Fendler's meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri 10 / 3 3
0.17 b 50 fringed brome Bromus ciliatus 5 / 1 3
0.17 b 51 western columbine Aquilegia formosa 30 / 5 5
0.17 r 52 fireweed Epilobium angustifolium ssp. circumvagum 10 / 2 3
0.17 r 53 winter cress Barbarea orthoceras 10 / 1 6
0.18 l 54 mountain sweet-cicely Osmorhiza chilensis 5 / 1 5
0.18 l 55 sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa⁺ 10 / 2 9
0.18 b 56 horsetail Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine 30 / 3 3
0.18 r 57 yarrow Achillea millefolium 20 / 2 11
0.18 b (ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.18 b 58 Parish's lupine Lupinus latifolius var. parishii 20 / 2 3
0.19 b 59 giant red paintbrush Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata 10 / 2 5
0.19 r 60 stinging nettle Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea 5 / 1 10
0.19 l 61 *perennial mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare 5 / 1 2
0.19 l 62 variegated clover Trifolium variegatum phase 2⁺ 10 / 1 2
0.20 l 63 Wheeler's cinquefoil Potentilla wheeleri 10 / 1 2
0.21 l 64 western mountain aster Aster occidentalis var. occidentalis 5 / 1 1
0.21 Cross second branch of a stream, a south branch of Fish Creek, and leave eastern Fish Creek Meadows.
0.21 l 65 spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata 5 / 1 3
0.21 l Jct. path; continue straight.
0.23 l 66 Parish's campion Silene parishii 20 / 9 6
0.23 l 67 beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus / 10
0.24 Cross shallow dry drainage
0.25 l 68 granite prickly phlox Leptodactylon pungens 20 / 9 4
0.26 l 69 sulphur buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum var. munzii 30 / 9 9
0.26 l 70 santolina pincushion Chaenactis santolinoides 5 / 1 8
0.28 l 71 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 20 / 9 14
0.30 b 72 Parry's sunflower Hulsea vestita ssp. parryi 5 / 1 2
0.31 Switchback left at ridge.
0.32 l (Parish's alumroot, Heuchera alpestris)
0.34 Heuchera Hill, filled with Heuchera alpestris. Trail is now ~50 feet above western Fish Creek Meadows
0.34 b 73 Parish's alumroot Heuchera alpestris 20 / 1 2
0.40 l 74 fir mistletoe Phoradendron pauciflorum 1 / 1 9
0.44 l 75 perennial rock-cress Arabis perennans 3 / 1 2
0.54 r (California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.56 Enter area of western Fish Creek Meadows, with trail parallel to its edge, just a bit above it.
0.56 r (Field of lemon lily, Lilium parryi, scents the trail here in season, accompanied by the following species not seen previously in the guide: Bigelow's sneezeweed, Helenium bigelovii; Scouler's St. Johnswort, Hypericum formosum var. scouleri; and southern goldenrod, Solidago confinis.)
0.60 r 76 sp California evening-primrose Oenothera californica 10 / 1 2
0.60 r 77 Parish's buckwheat Eriogonum parishii 10 / 1 3
0.64 r (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.67 b 78 ranger's buttons Sphenosciadium capitellatum 10 / 1 4
0.67 b 79 California corn lily Veratrum californicum var. californicum 10 / 1 2
0.68 r 80 little false-solomon's-seal Smilacina stellata 20 / 1 4
0.72 r 81 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 10 / 1 10
0.72 Switchback left; elevation 8200 feet (2500 m); leave western Fish Creek Meadows.
0.74 b 82 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana 5 / 5 39
0.79 Switchback right.
0.86 Cross dry drainage
0.97 Cross large dry drainage; nearly all trees here at white fir, with just a few Jeffrey pines.
1.05 r 83 ~ Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana 1 / 1 3
1.07 l 84 Watson's spike-moss Selaginella watsonii 4 / 4 3
1.22 Cross large dry drainage
1.24 r 85 lodgepole pine Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana 99 / 9 6
1.25 r Jct. steep trail.
1.27 r Jct. trail to Fish Creek Campground; Sign: "Fish Creek Campground (right); "Fish Creek Saddle (straight)"
1.27 b 86 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 20 / 5 8
1.27 Switchback left; elevation 8440 feet (2570 m)
1.29 Switchback right at ridge.
1.32 l 87 limber pine Pinus flexilis / 5
1.33 Switchback right.
1.35 Switchback left at ridge.
1.45 Cross large dry drainage
1.56 r Sign 10 feet above ground on tree: "No camping here".
1.59 Cross water of Fish Creek from spring 0.14 miles upstream; elevation 8600 feet (2620 m); last water on trail in early summer; dry in late July 2004.
1.61 b 88 bitter cherry Prunus emarginata 5 / 1 5
1.62 Enter a beautiful "rock garden", filled with flowers in season.
1.62 l 89 rose sage Salvia pachyphylla 20 / 3 1
1.62 l 90 naked-stem bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. nudicaule 30 / 2 2
1.63 Switchback left.
1.63 r 91 spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens 20 / 3 5
1.64 r 92 Parish's needlegrass Achnatherum parishii⁺ 10 / 5 5
1.64 r 93 woodland spurge Euphorbia palmeri 10 / 3 2
1.68 Trail turns right 45°
1.70 Switchback right.
1.72 l 94 ? cut-leaved daisy? Erigeron compositus? 1 / 1
1.72 r 95 curl-leaf mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus 30 / 9 8
1.98 Switchback left at ridge.
2.16 Switchback left; elevation 8880 feet (2705 m).
2.20 Mixed forest beginning to change into mostly lodgepole pine forest.
2.24 Switchback right at ridge
2.26 b 96 Nevin's bird's beak Cordylanthus nevinii 20 / 4 5
2.30 l View of Deadman (dry) Lake in front of the Bullion Mountains.
2.40 r 97 Tehachapi ragwort Senecio ionophyllus 5 / 2 4
2.52 Cross side drainage.
2.77 Switchback right, close to Fish Creek; elevation 9160 feet (2790 m).
2.99 r View of the city of 29 Palms and Joshua Tree National Park to its south.
3.03 Highest Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi
3.11 Long switchback left at ridge; first view of Sugarloaf Peak; trail then gradually curves right.
3.26 Long switchback left at ridge.
3.30 Switchback left; elevation 9480 feet (2890 m)
3.33 Long switchback right at ridge.
3.45 r 98 pinyon rock cress Arabis dispar 15 / 5 1
3.49 r 99 San Bernardino beardtongue Penstemon caesius 10 / 5 3
3.55 First view of Old Grayback, San Gorgonio Peak
3.93 r 100 rock buckwheat Eriogonum saxatile 5 / 1 7
4.02 Switchback left at drainage; elevation 9740 feet (2970 m)
4.06 Highest limber pine, Pinus flexilis.
4.11 r 101 fragile sheath sedge Carex fracta 5 / 1 6
4.33 Fish Creek Saddle; elevation 9805 feet (2989 m); end trail guide.

Comments On Specific Species

Arabis rectissima var. rectissima. All specimens on this trail and on the Lower Fish Creek Trail were infected with rust fungus, producing a large number of brown dots on almost every surface of the plants. This makes this Arabis easy to identify at any stage!
Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii. The plants here have narrowly oblong, wavy leaves, closer to the usual examples of this taxon than the plants on the lower Fish Creek Trail. See the note there for a complete discussion of this taxon in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa. All specimens on this trail clearly key to ssp. reflexa, having petals obovate; sepals > petals; st and pedicel hairs gen glandular (some non-glandular); lflet double-toothed, which is essentially the JM key. However, the petals are white, unlike the yellow petals of ssp. reflexa, and the inflorescence branch angles are 5-10°, unlike the gen 20-40° angles of ssp. reflexa. Both these characteristics fits ssp. nevadensis, so perhaps there is some intergradation occurring here.
In addition, the plants on this trail are not as glandular as the plants on the lower trail, and the stems are more slender.
Trifolium variegatum phase 2. According to a note in the JM, this taxon is commonly confused with T. wormskioldii, and we understand why. These plants look to be perennial, and the leaves and stems are almost the spitting image of the illustration in the JM. Using Munz, the only possible id is in fact T. wormskioldii, since apparently Munz describes only a subset of the T. variegatum population that does not fit these specimens.
However, they key perfectly to T. variegatum in the JM, since the involucres are only 1 cm wide, and there are 1-2 seeds per pod. Confirming the id, the inflorescence widths are 1.5-2.0 cm, and the JM notes that this can be a short-lived perennial. The inflorescence in fact looks much more like the JM illustration for T. variegatum than for T. wormskioldii.
In summary, there are no inconsistencies with a T. variegatum id for these plants, whereas there are five inconsistencies with a T. wormskioldii (the involucre is not gen 2-3 cm wide; the involucre is lobed; the seeds are not 2-6; the inflorescence width is not 2-3 cm; and the corolla tip is not white).
Achnatherum parishii. This taxon may not be distinct from A. coronatum. See Achnatherum coronatum / A. parishii for a discussion of the characteristics of the specimens on this trail versus the characteristics of the two taxa given in the floras.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	4	4%
2	23	23%
3	14	14%
4	9	9%
5	10	10%

1-5	60	61%
6-10	20	20%
11-15	11	11%
16-20	3	3%
21-25	1	1%
26-30	2	2%
31-35	0	0%
36-40	1	1%
41-45	0	0%
46-50	1	1%
Total Taxa	99	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
6/7/2004	1	63	4	11	12	3
6/11/2004	2	75	4	11	15	3
7/13/2004	3	81	4	8	15	3
7/22/2004	4	88	3	7	15	3
7/27/2004	5	101	2	3	8	2
8/5/2004	6	101	1	2	6	1
8/10/2004	7	101	1	2	5	0

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail guide on Upper Fish Creek Trail at intersection with Lower Fish Creek / Aspen Grove Trail, heading southwest; elevation 7980 feet (2430 m).
0.00	l	1		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	99 / 9	13
0.00	b	2		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	99 / 9	10
0.00	r	3		white fir	Abies concolor	99 / 9	18
0.00	l	4		Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	30 / 9	13
0.00	l	5		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9	19
0.01	l	6		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	5 / 5	9
0.01	l	7	~	Ross' sedge	Carex rossii	20 / 9	2
0.01	l	8		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	50 / 9	6
0.01	l	9	~	groundsmoke	Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum	50 / 2	11
0.01	l	10		pinewoods rock-cress	Arabis holboellii var. pinetorum	50 / 5	2
0.02	l	11		bristly-leaved rock-cress	Arabis rectissima var. rectissima⁺	5 / 1	2
0.02	l	12		short-leaved squirreltail	Elymus elymoides ssp. brevifolius	50 / 9	2
0.02	l	13		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9	15
0.02	l	14		June grass	Koeleria macrantha	1 / 1	2
0.04	r	15		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	30 / 5	21
0.05	r	16		Fendler's blue grass	Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula	99 / 9	2
0.05	r	17	~	Letterman's needlegrass	Achnatherum lettermanii	20 / 2	3
0.05	l	18		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii⁺	50 / 5	14
0.05	r	19	sp	one-sided bluegrass?	Poa secunda ssp. secunda?	30 / 9
0.05	r	20		mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	50 / 9	5
0.05	r	21		Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	50 / 3	11
0.05				Trail curves left at far end of ridge.
0.06	l	22		Parish's bedstraw	Galium parishii	30 / 9	4
0.07	r			Jct. faint old trail.
0.08	b	23		Parish's snowberry	Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii	99 / 9	10
0.08	l	24		southern mountain-monardella	Monardella australis	99 / 9	6
0.08	l			(spear-leaved mountain dandelion, Agoseris retrorsa)
0.08	r			(little false-solomon's-seal, Smilacina stellata)
0.09	l	25		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum	50 / 9	11
0.10	l	26		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	30 / 9	46
0.10	l	27		goldenrod	Solidago californica	30 / 3	26
0.10	l	28		wild pepper-grass	Lepidium virginicum var. pubescens	3 / 1	5
0.10	l	29		smooth scouring rush	Equisetum laevigatum	30 / 3	3
0.11	r	30		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	5 / 1	14
0.11	b	31		hoary-aster	Machaeranthera canescens var. canescens	30 / 9	3
0.11	r	32		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	20 / 3	28
0.11	r	33		alkali western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum	5 / 1	4
0.11	r			"Witches' broom" (proliferation of branches forming a dense cluster) on the white fir, caused by a "fir broom rust" fungus, Melampsorella caryophyllacearum, or a close-related species.
0.11	r	34		Southern California draba	Draba corrugata var. corrugata	5 / 2	2
0.13	r			(swamp sedge, Carex senta)
0.13	r	35		cow parsnip	Heracleum lanatum	30 / 2	2
0.13	r	36	~	wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	5 / 5	11
0.13	r	37		Richardson's geranium	Geranium richardsonii	30 / 2	3
0.14	l	38		mountain spray	Holodiscus microphyllus var. microphyllus	30 / 9	6
0.14	r	39		swamp sedge	Carex senta	30 / 2	2
0.16				Trail turns right; (faint use trail continues straight)
0.16	r	40		brown sedge	Carex subfusca	20 / 2	1
0.16	b	41		*common dandelion	Taraxacum officinale	10 / 1	4
0.16	b	42		Kentucky blue grass	Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis	20 / 2	4
0.16	r	43		long-anthered rush	Juncus macrandrus	10 / 1	2
				Check for Mimulus guttatus.
0.16	r	44		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	20 / 2	2
0.16	b	45		American speedwell	Veronica americana	10 / 2	2
0.16	l	46		willowherb	Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum	5 / 2	16
0.16				Cross first branch of a stream, a south branch of Fish Creek; enter eastern Fish Creek Meadows
0.17	r	47		cobwebby hedge-nettle	Stachys albens	30 / 2	4
0.17	l	48		slender hairgrass	Deschampsia elongata	20 / 2	2
0.17	l	49		Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri	10 / 3	3
0.17	b	50		fringed brome	Bromus ciliatus	5 / 1	3
0.17	b	51		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	30 / 5	5
0.17	r	52		fireweed	Epilobium angustifolium ssp. circumvagum	10 / 2	3
0.17	r	53		winter cress	Barbarea orthoceras	10 / 1	6
0.18	l	54		mountain sweet-cicely	Osmorhiza chilensis	5 / 1	5
0.18	l	55		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa⁺	10 / 2	9
0.18	b	56		horsetail	Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine	30 / 3	3
0.18	r	57		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	20 / 2	11
0.18	b			(ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.18	b	58		Parish's lupine	Lupinus latifolius var. parishii	20 / 2	3
0.19	b	59		giant red paintbrush	Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata	10 / 2	5
0.19	r	60		stinging nettle	Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea	5 / 1	10
0.19	l	61		*perennial mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium fontanum ssp. vulgare	5 / 1	2
0.19	l	62		variegated clover	Trifolium variegatum phase 2⁺	10 / 1	2
0.20	l	63		Wheeler's cinquefoil	Potentilla wheeleri	10 / 1	2
0.21	l	64		western mountain aster	Aster occidentalis var. occidentalis	5 / 1	1
0.21				Cross second branch of a stream, a south branch of Fish Creek, and leave eastern Fish Creek Meadows.
0.21	l	65		spike bentgrass	Agrostis exarata	5 / 1	3
0.21	l			Jct. path; continue straight.
0.23	l	66		Parish's campion	Silene parishii	20 / 9	6
0.23	l	67		beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	/	10
0.24				Cross shallow dry drainage
0.25	l	68		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	20 / 9	4
0.26	l	69		sulphur buckwheat	Eriogonum umbellatum var. munzii	30 / 9	9
0.26	l	70		santolina pincushion	Chaenactis santolinoides	5 / 1	8
0.28	l	71		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	20 / 9	14
0.30	b	72		Parry's sunflower	Hulsea vestita ssp. parryi	5 / 1	2
0.31				Switchback left at ridge.
0.32	l			(Parish's alumroot, Heuchera alpestris)
0.34				Heuchera Hill, filled with Heuchera alpestris. Trail is now ~50 feet above western Fish Creek Meadows
0.34	b	73		Parish's alumroot	Heuchera alpestris	20 / 1	2
0.40	l	74		fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	1 / 1	9
0.44	l	75		perennial rock-cress	Arabis perennans	3 / 1	2
0.54	r			(California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.56				Enter area of western Fish Creek Meadows, with trail parallel to its edge, just a bit above it.
0.56	r			(Field of lemon lily, Lilium parryi, scents the trail here in season, accompanied by the following species not seen previously in the guide: Bigelow's sneezeweed, Helenium bigelovii; Scouler's St. Johnswort, Hypericum formosum var. scouleri; and southern goldenrod, Solidago confinis.)
0.60	r	76	sp	California evening-primrose	Oenothera californica	10 / 1	2
0.60	r	77		Parish's buckwheat	Eriogonum parishii	10 / 1	3
0.64	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.67	b	78		ranger's buttons	Sphenosciadium capitellatum	10 / 1	4
0.67	b	79		California corn lily	Veratrum californicum var. californicum	10 / 1	2
0.68	r	80		little false-solomon's-seal	Smilacina stellata	20 / 1	4
0.72	r	81		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	10 / 1	10
0.72				Switchback left; elevation 8200 feet (2500 m); leave western Fish Creek Meadows.
0.74	b	82		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	5 / 5	39
0.79				Switchback right.
0.86				Cross dry drainage
0.97				Cross large dry drainage; nearly all trees here at white fir, with just a few Jeffrey pines.
1.05	r	83	~	Scouler's willow	Salix scouleriana	1 / 1	3
1.07	l	84		Watson's spike-moss	Selaginella watsonii	4 / 4	3
1.22				Cross large dry drainage
1.24	r	85		lodgepole pine	Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana	99 / 9	6
1.25	r			Jct. steep trail.
1.27	r			Jct. trail to Fish Creek Campground; Sign: "Fish Creek Campground (right); "Fish Creek Saddle (straight)"
1.27	b	86		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	20 / 5	8
1.27				Switchback left; elevation 8440 feet (2570 m)
1.29				Switchback right at ridge.
1.32	l	87		limber pine	Pinus flexilis	/	5
1.33				Switchback right.
1.35				Switchback left at ridge.
1.45				Cross large dry drainage
1.56	r			Sign 10 feet above ground on tree: "No camping here".
1.59				Cross water of Fish Creek from spring 0.14 miles upstream; elevation 8600 feet (2620 m); last water on trail in early summer; dry in late July 2004.
1.61	b	88		bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	5 / 1	5
1.62				Enter a beautiful "rock garden", filled with flowers in season.
1.62	l	89		rose sage	Salvia pachyphylla	20 / 3	1
1.62	l	90		naked-stem bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. nudicaule	30 / 2	2
1.63				Switchback left.
1.63	r	91		spineless horsebrush	Tetradymia canescens	20 / 3	5
1.64	r	92		Parish's needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii⁺	10 / 5	5
1.64	r	93		woodland spurge	Euphorbia palmeri	10 / 3	2
1.68				Trail turns right 45°
1.70				Switchback right.
1.72	l	94	?	cut-leaved daisy?	Erigeron compositus?	1 / 1
1.72	r	95		curl-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus	30 / 9	8
1.98				Switchback left at ridge.
2.16				Switchback left; elevation 8880 feet (2705 m).
2.20				Mixed forest beginning to change into mostly lodgepole pine forest.
2.24				Switchback right at ridge
2.26	b	96		Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii	20 / 4	5
2.30	l			View of Deadman (dry) Lake in front of the Bullion Mountains.
2.40	r	97		Tehachapi ragwort	Senecio ionophyllus	5 / 2	4
2.52				Cross side drainage.
2.77				Switchback right, close to Fish Creek; elevation 9160 feet (2790 m).
2.99	r			View of the city of 29 Palms and Joshua Tree National Park to its south.
3.03				Highest Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi
3.11				Long switchback left at ridge; first view of Sugarloaf Peak; trail then gradually curves right.
3.26				Long switchback left at ridge.
3.30				Switchback left; elevation 9480 feet (2890 m)
3.33				Long switchback right at ridge.
3.45	r	98		pinyon rock cress	Arabis dispar	15 / 5	1
3.49	r	99		San Bernardino beardtongue	Penstemon caesius	10 / 5	3
3.55				First view of Old Grayback, San Gorgonio Peak
3.93	r	100		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	5 / 1	7
4.02				Switchback left at drainage; elevation 9740 feet (2970 m)
4.06				Highest limber pine, Pinus flexilis.
4.11	r	101		fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	5 / 1	6
4.33				Fish Creek Saddle; elevation 9805 feet (2989 m); end trail guide.

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Plants With Voucher Records for Heart Bar Area in Calflora
Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2004 by Tom Chester.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to me at this source:
http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/upper_fish_creek.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 13 August 2004.