Plant Guide to Cactus Spring Trail, Santa Rosa Mountains

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00	r			Begin guide just past southeast corner of parking lot, at fire hydrant; elevation ~4045 feet (1233 m). Plants in parking lot not seen on trail: Russian thistle, Salsola tragus; thyme-leafed spurge, Chamaesyce serpyllifolia ssp. serpyllifolia
0.00	b	1		matchweed	Gutierrezia sarothrae+	99 / 9	12
0.00	r	2		red shanks	Adenostoma sparsifolium	99 / 9	3
0.00	l	3		Pima rhatany	Krameria erecta	30 / 9	4
0.00	l	4		desert scrub oak	Quercus cornelius-mulleri	99 / 9	2
0.00	b	5	sp	Vasey's prickly-pear?	Opuntia vaseyi?+	50 / 9
0.00	r	6	~	narrowleaf goldenbush	Ericameria linearifolia	50 / 9	5
0.00	r	7		Parish's needlegrass	Achnatherum parishii	50 / 9	8
0.00	b	8		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	30 / 9	6
0.00	b	9	~	Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	30 / 9	19
0.00	b	10	~	*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	30 / 1	57
0.00	r	11	~	bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus+	99 / 9	30
0.00	l	12		rattlesnake weed	Chamaesyce albomarginata	30 / 9	12
0.00	l	13		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	58
0.00	l	14		cupped-leaf ceanothus	Ceanothus greggii var. perplexans	30 / 9	8
0.00	l	15		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	50 / 9	33
0.00	l	16	sp	peppergrass or tansy-mustard	Lepidium or Descurainia sp.	10 / 1
0.00				End fence
0.00	b	17		Mojave prickly-pear	Opuntia erinacea var. erinacea	30 / 9	1
0.00	r	18	~	short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus+	99 / 9	25
0.00	l	19		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	30 / 9	27
0.00	l	20	sp	popcorn flower	Cryptantha sp.	10 / 3
0.00	b	21		desert globemallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua var. rugosa	20 / 3	1
0.00	b	22		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium	50 / 9	20
0.00	r			Signpost: "Please stay on designated routes only"
0.01	b	23		Mohave yucca	Yucca schidigera	30 / 9	8
0.01	r	24		desert agave	Agave deserti	30 / 9	5
0.02	r	25		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	5 / 1	9
0.02	b	26	~	*tumble-mustard	Sisymbrium altissimum+	20 / 3	11
0.02	l	27		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	1 / 1	6
0.02	l			(fringed amaranth, Amaranthus fimbriatus; western bernardia, Bernardia myricifolia)
0.03	r	28		desert needlegrass	Achnatherum speciosum	50 / 9	3
0.03	r	29		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9	24
0.03	l	30		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	30 / 9	5
0.03	r	31	~	desert woolly-star	Eriastrum eremicum ssp. eremicum	5 / 2	1
0.03	l			(fluff grass, Erioneuron pulchellum)
0.03	r	32		Parry's nolina	Nolina parryi	30 / 9	1
0.05	l			(California juniper, Juniperus californica; lotebush, Ziziphus parryi var. parryi)
0.07	l	33		turpentine broom	Thamnosma montana	10 / 9	1
0.09	r			(pinyon pine, Pinus monophylla)
0.11		34	sp	prostrate annual grass	?	1 / 1
0.12	l	35	~	desert bitterbrush	Purshia tridentata var. glandulosa	10 / 2	2
0.12	l	36		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	40 / 9	3
0.12	l	37		side-oats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	30 / 9	1
0.12	l	38		pinyon pine	Pinus monophylla	20 / 9	3
0.13	r	39		basketbush	Rhus trilobata	3 / 2	26
0.13	b	40		smoothleaf yerba santa	Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum+	10 / 3	4
0.13	r	41	~	desert almond	Prunus fasciculata var. fasciculata	5 / 2	1
0.13	r	42		fringed amaranth	Amaranthus fimbriatus	3 / 1	6
0.13	r	43		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	2 / 1	52
0.13	r			(bur-ragweed, Ambrosia acanthicarpa)
0.13	r			Cross small drainage, which briefly joins road
0.13	r	44		white mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula	10 / 5	4
0.13	r	45	~	scarlet bugler	Penstemon centranthifolius	5 / 1	10
0.13	l	46		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	5 / 3	21
0.13		47		Parish three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. parishii	10 / 9	2
0.13	l			Small drainage exits road
0.13	l		sp	(suncup, Camissonia sp.; grass with spreading inflorescence like poa)
0.13	r	48		giant four o'clock	Mirabilis multiflora var. pubescens	5 / 3	2
0.14	r	49		climbing milkweed	Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii+	2 / 1	6
0.14	r	50		narrow-leaved brickellia	Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia	10 / 3	1
0.16	b	51		bur-ragweed	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	5 / 1	19
0.16				(Acton's encelia, Encelia actoni)
0.17				T-jct. with road; turn right on it
0.19	l			Jct. Cactus Spring Trail; turn left and take it
0.19	r			Sign: "Cactus Spring Trail 5E01 (ahead); Sawmill Trail 5E03 (right)"
0.20	l	52		Acton's encelia	Encelia actoni	5 / 2	2
0.20	r			Display board: "Cactus Springs Trail ..."
0.21	l	53		desert lotus	Lotus rigidus	50 / 9	4
0.22	r			(bigberry manzanita, Arctostaphylos glauca)
0.22	r			Sign: "Bikes prohibited in Santa Rosa Wilderness"
0.24	r			(slender bedstraw, Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum)
0.26	r			Jct. small drainage that joins trail
0.28	l	54		bigberry manzanita	Arctostaphylos glauca	50 / 9	11
0.28	l			(hollyleaf redberry, Rhamnus ilicifolia)
0.31	l			(chia, Salvia columbariae)
0.31	l	55		fluff grass	Erioneuron pulchellum	20 / 5	1
0.32				Y-jct; old road continues straight; take trail to right
0.32	r			Sign: "Cactus Spring Trail 5E01; Horsethief Creek 2 1/4 mi; Cactus Spring 4 mi; Agua Alta Spring 10 mi"
0.33	r			Wilderness Sign-In Box (for permit)
0.33	l	56		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	5 / 5	46
0.34	l	57		trailing four-o'clock	Mirabilis pumila	20 / 3	1
0.34	l	58		western bernardia	Bernardia myricifolia	99 / 9	3
0.34	b	59		California juniper	Juniperus californica	10 / 9	3
0.34				Local low point on trail; elevation 4000 feet (1219 m)
0.36				Minor local high point on trail
0.38	l			(bird's-foot fern, Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata)
0.38	l	60		chia	Salvia columbariae	30 / 9	24
0.38				Jct. small drainage that joins trail
0.40				Trails leaves small drainage; minor local low point on trail
0.40	b			(beavertail cactus, Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris)
0.40	l			Definite bristly bird's beak, Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus, here
0.40	l	61		odora	Porophyllum gracile	20 / 9	9
0.40	b	62		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. nodosum	20 / 5	4
0.42				Minor local high point on trail
0.43	b	63		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	20 / 9	10
0.43	r	64	sp	fescue?	Vulpia? sp.	20 / 1
0.44	r	65	sp	milk-vetch	Astragalus sp.	20 / 2
0.44	r			Woodrat's nest
0.46	r	66		Gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	2 / 2	7
0.47	r	67		woolly Indian paintbrush	Castilleja foliolosa	30 / 5	7
0.47	r	68		little-leaved chaparral beard-tongue	Keckiella antirrhinoides var. microphylla	20 / 5	2
0.48	l			(desert apricot, Prunus fremontii)
0.49				Trail rounds ridge and curves right 90°
0.50	r	69		white sage	Salvia apiana	30 / 9	39
0.50	b	70		desert apricot	Prunus fremontii	20 / 9	4
0.51	b			(San Jacinto beardtongue, Penstemon clevelandii var. connatus)
0.51	r	71		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	20 / 9	12
0.52	r	72		catclaw	Acacia greggii	20 / 5	6
0.53	r			Jct. use trail; our trail curves left
0.53	l			(California fuchsia, Epilobium canum+)
0.53				Cross Deep Canyon drainage; local low point; elevation 3880 feet (1183 m)
0.53	r	73		baby California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	3 / 3	29
0.53	b	74		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	30 / 5	23
0.53	r	75		desert baccharis	Baccharis sergiloides	30 / 5	2
0.53	r	76	~	western false-indigo	Amorpha fruticosa	20 / 4	1
0.53	b	77		canyon dodder	Cuscuta subinclusa	3 / 2	2
0.53	b	78		desert olive	Forestiera pubescens	10 / 1	2
0.54	r	79		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	10 / 9	42
0.54	l		~	(red willow, Salix laevigata)
0.55	l	80		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens+	1 / 1	10
0.55	l			Very old junked car, truck and water tank
0.55	r	81		hollyleaf cherry	Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia	2 / 2	13
0.56				Enter marble area and the so-called "Dolomite Mine"
0.59	l			(pancake prickly-pear, Opuntia chlorotica)
0.60	r			Jct. road
0.60	l	82		San Jacinto beardtongue	Penstemon clevelandii var. connatus	20 / 5	1
0.61	l	83		lotebush	Ziziphus parryi var. parryi	20 / 9	3
0.62	b	84		thick-leaved yerba santa	Eriodictyon crassifolium var. crassifolium+	10 / 2	8
0.62				Y-jct; stay right; old mine road is to left; local high point; elevation ~3940 feet (1200 m)
0.64				Cross small drainage and trail turns left 90°
0.73				Cross small drainage; local low point; elevation ~3900 feet (1190 m)
0.74	l			Jct. (short?) road
0.75	b	85	~	flat-topped buckwheat	Eriogonum deflexum var. deflexum	20 / 1	1
0.76	r			Check for different Cryptantha and Astragalus
0.79	r	86		ashy silk tassel	Garrya flavescens	3 / 3	7
0.82	l			Jct. mine road shaped like a "U" tangent to our trail
0.83	r			Jct. road; sign: "Be prepared for hazardous conditions beyond this point"
0.83	r	87		slender bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. gracillimum	10 / 9	4
0.84				Local high point on trail; elevation ~3930 feet (1198 m)
0.85				Minor local low point on trail
0.88				Second of two minor local high points on trail; begin steep downhill - watch your footing!
0.88	r	88	sp	mariposa lily	Calochortus sp.	10 / 5
0.91	r	89	~	desert monardella	Monardella nana ssp. arida+	30 / 5	1
0.91	l	90	ssp	California spear-leaved brickellia	Brickellia arguta	1 / 1
0.91	l			First of several specimens of desert scrub oak, Quercus cornelius-mulleri, with some much-larger leaves that are much-greener above
0.91	r	91		beady lipfern	Cheilanthes covillei	20 / 9	3
0.92	b	92	~	perennial rock-cress	Arabis perennans	20 / 5	4
0.95				Cross small drainage
0.95	l	93		dense mistletoe (on juniper)	Phoradendron densum	1 / 1	1
0.96				Now on ridge between the two close drainages; note the normal-looking Eriodictyon crassifolium plants here.
0.97	r	94		Santa Rosa Mtns. linanthus	Linanthus floribundus ssp. hallii	20 / 9	1
0.99				Trail zigzags right then left
0.99	r			(Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii)
1.00				Cross drainage; local low point; elevation ~3840 feet (1170 m)
1.00	b	95		southern goldenrod	Solidago confinis	20 / 3	2
1.01	r	96	~	phlox-leaved bedstraw	Galium andrewsii ssp. andrewsii+	30 / 5	5
1.03				Local high point on trail
1.05	r	97		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum	50 / 7	17
1.06	r			Check if these young stems are Baccharis sergiloides or Solanum sp.
1.06	r	98		white-flowering currant	Ribes indecorum	1 / 1	26
1.06	r	99		rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	10 / 2	18
1.06				Cross drainage; local low point; elevation ~3820 feet (1165 m)
1.06	b	100		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	1 / 1	38
1.06	r			adult California brickellbush, Brickellia californica
1.06	l	101	~	southern California silver-lotus	Lotus argophyllus var. argophyllus	1 / 1	3
1.08	l			Trap-door spider's door
1.11	r	102		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	3 / 3	31
1.17	l			Sign: "Santa Rosa Wilderness"
1.18				Local high point on trail; elevation ~3930 feet (1198 m)
1.21	r	103		rock buckwheat	Eriogonum saxatile	20 / 5	12
1.29				Cross drainage
1.30	l			(jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis)
1.34	l	104		jojoba	Simmondsia chinensis	2 / 2	4
1.39	b	105		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	10 / 2	5
1.39				Enter big patch of prickly pear cactus on unusual steep planar slope perhaps caused by undercutting of slope by creek and landsliding
1.47	r	106	sp	like poa with spreading inflorescence	?	/
1.48				Cross small side drainage
1.49				Cross main drainage
1.49				Cross main drainage again
1.50	l	107		cane bluestem	Bothriochloa barbinodis	20 / 4	3
1.50				Cross main drainage again
1.50	l		~	(white desert-primrose, Oenothera caespitosa ssp. marginata)
1.51	l	108		narrowleaf willow	Salix exigua	5 / 2	10
1.52	r	109		slender everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale	10 / 3	4
1.52	r			Small drainage joins trail
1.60				Cross drainage to its left
1.61	r			(desert dudleya, Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides)
1.63				Cross drainage to its right
1.66	r	110	~	California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	1 / 1	13
1.67	r	111	~	desert dudleya	Dudleya saxosa ssp. aloides	10 / 2	3
1.68	b	112		smooth scouring rush	Equisetum laevigatum	5 / 3	4
1.68	r			Cross side drainage
1.70	l	113		narrowleaf monardella	Monardella linoides ssp. linoides	5 / 3	2
1.71				Minor local high point on trail
1.73				Cross creek with water; local low point on trail; elevation ~3640 feet (1110 m)
1.73	b	114		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	10 / 1	19
1.73	b	115		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	1 / 1	27
1.73	l	116		Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	1 / 1	11
1.74	r		~	(southern cattail, Typha domingensis)
1.75	r			(stream orchid, Epipactis gigantea)
1.75	r	117	~	velvet ash	Fraxinus velutina	1 / 1	4
1.75	r			(wild grape, Vitis girdiana)
1.77	r	118		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	1 / 1	59
1.83	r	119		mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	2 / 1	7
1.84				Local high point on trail; elevation ~3740 feet (1140 m)
1.93				Check mileage to drainage
1.93				Trail joins drainage
1.99	l	120		baby teddy-bear cholla	Opuntia bigelovii	1 / 1	7
2.01	l	121		pancake prickly-pear	Opuntia chlorotica	5 / 2	1
2.06				Trail leaves drainage to left
2.11				Trail crosses drainage to right
2.13				Cross major drainage which joins Horsethief Creek just downstream; local low point; elevation ~3560 feet (1085 m); (check mileage: is this actually 2.20?)
2.15				Local high point
2.20	l			(Old horse corral made from manzanita branches)
2.27				Trail turns left 90°
2.28				Switchback right
2.30				Switchback left
2.31				Switchback right
2.32				Switchback left
2.33	l	122		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	1 / 1	12
2.34				Cross Horsethief Creek; elevation ~3480 feet (1060 m)
2.34				Trail turns right 90°
2.35	l	123	~	wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	10 / 1	22
2.35				Y-jct; Trail is left branch; shady rest spot is right branch; go right
2.36	l	124		honey mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana	1 / 1	5
2.37	r	125		wild grape	Vitis girdiana	1 / 1	8
2.37	r	126		*Bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	10 / 1	35
2.37	l	127		Torrey's scrub oak	Quercus acutidens+	5 / 1	27
				(Just upstream: ~spreading fleabane, ~Erigeron divergens)

http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/cactus_spring.html
Updated 30 March 2007.