Plant Guide to Laws Loop (Willow Creek Trail, Laws Camp, Caramba Trail), San Jacinto Mountains

Plant Guide to Laws Loop (Willow Creek Trail, Laws Camp, Caramba 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
The Plant Guide
Comments On Specific Species
Introduction

This Loop begins at Saddle Junction, and follows the Willow Creek Trail to the junction with the connector trail that heads to Laws Junction on the Caramba Trail. The guide then follows the Caramba Trail back to Saddle Junction.
The Willow Creek Trail begins at Saddle Junction, which is at the top of the Devils Slide Trail in the San Jacinto Mountains. It heads E-NE from Saddle Junction, crosses Willow Creek at mile 1.41, and meets the connector trail at mile 1.84.
Interestingly, there seems to be no formal name for this trail. Robinson, in his 1986 San Bernardino Mountain Trails, simply says At Saddle Junction take the trail fork leading northeast, marked "Willow Creek" and "Long Valley".
(Add complete description)
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 66 trails in my database when this histogram was made. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found on this trail among the trails in my database.
Histogram not updated since 2004!

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 4 12%
2 2 6%
3 4 12%
4 3 9%
5 1 3%

1-5 14 42%
6-10 10 30%
11-15 7 21%
16-20 1 3%
21-25 1 3%
Total Taxa 33 100%

I found 10 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 entry 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"
6/13/2002 1 12 4
6/20/2002 2 32 7 10 0 0
8/28/2003 3 43 4 9 3 1

The fieldwork on 6/13/02 was only cursory, noting just a few species from memory. On both 6/20/02 and 8/28/03, the trail was surveyed only up to mile 0.58, Skunk Cabbage Junction.
The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (8 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (2 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin trail at Saddle Junction; elevation 8075 feet (2460 m)
0.00 b 1 Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 99 / 9 15
0.00 b 2 white fir Abies concolor 99 / 9 15
0.01 l Sign: "Skunk Cabbage; Willow Creek; Long Valley" with an arrow pointing ahead.
0.02 b 3 Sierra Nevada lotus Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis 99 / 9 3
0.02 l 4 pinegrove gayophytum Gayophytum oligospermum⁺ 30 / 5 12
0.02 l (San Gabriel beardtongue, Penstemon labrosus; Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.02 b 5 one-seeded pussypaws Calyptridium monospermum 50 / 3 3
0.03 r (Elmer's needlegrass, Achnatherum occidentale ssp. pubescens)
0.03 r (squirreltail, Elymus elymoides)
0.05 b 6 Parish's snowberry Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii 99 / 9 7
0.06 Trail turns left 90°
0.07 l 7 San Gabriel beardtongue Penstemon labrosus /
0.07 l (western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.07 l 8 Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii 99 / 5
0.07 l 9 groundsmoke Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum 99 / 2
0.07 l 10 changeable phacelia Phacelia mutabilis 99 / 9 5
0.09 b 11 fragile sheath sedge Carex fracta 99 / 9 4
0.09 r (Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
0.09 r 12 western wallflower Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum 50 / 9 12
0.09 b 13 fringed brome Bromus ciliatus /
0.09 r 14 Nevada cinquefoil (now only off-trail here; seen on-trail one year) Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis 10 / 3 26
0.09 Cross dry drainage.
0.09 r 15 Brewer's monkeyflower Mimulus breweri 5 / 1 15
0.09 r (musk monkeyflower, Mimulus moschatus; larger mountain monkeyflower, Mimulus tilingii)
0.09 l 16 bracken Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens 99 / 9 7
0.09 r 17 wax currant Ribes cereum var. cereum 20 / 9 14
0.12 r (pine lousewort, Pedicularis semibarbata)
0.13 r 18 San Jacinto lupine Lupinus hyacinthinus 99 / 9 2
0.13 r 19 pine lousewort Pedicularis semibarbata 50 / 9
0.13 l 20 white catch-fly Silene verecunda ssp. platyota 50 / 9 7
0.13 l (spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata)
0.16 l 21 Cleveland's horkelia Horkelia clevelandii 5 / 1
0.19 r (California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.19 b 22 spotted coralroot Corallorhiza maculata 30 / 9 1
0.19 r (pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.19 l (mountain mugwort, Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta)
0.30 l (slender wheatgrass, Elymus trachycaulus)
0.31 l 23 purple false-gilia Allophyllum divaricatum 5 / 1
0.34 r 24 mountain mugwort Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta 99 / 9 4
0.37 r 25 little false-solomon's-seal Smilacina stellata 20 / 2 3
0.37 l 26 plain mariposa lily Calochortus invenustus 5 / 2
0.37 l 27 ~ Check for pine violet Viola pinetorum ssp. pinetorum 2 / 1 1
0.37 r (California brome, Bromus carinatus var. carinatus)
0.37 b 28 yarrow Achillea millefolium 40 / 5 9
0.37 r (ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.38 l 29 squirreltail Elymus elymoides 50 / 9
0.39 r 30 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 50 / 9 10
0.39 b 31 blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus 50 / 9 14
0.39 l 32 Check for Elmer's needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale ssp. pubescens 2 / 2 1
0.39 l Check for (wild tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus)
0.39 r 33 ranger's buttons Sphenosciadium capitellatum 30 / 5 3
0.39 r (lemon lily, Lilium parryi)
0.40 r View of Skunk Cabbage Meadow
0.41 l 34 Kentucky blue grass Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis / 2
0.41 b 35 abrupt-beak sedge Carex abrupta 5 / 1 22
0.41 l 36 musk monkeyflower Mimulus moschatus 99 / 1
0.41 l 37 Idaho bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis / 42
0.41 b 38 mountain carpet clover Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum /
0.41 b first on-trail Nevada cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis, in 2011
0.41 l 39 glandular willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. glandulosum 5 / 1
0.41 l 40 western bistort Polygonum bistortoides 5 / 1
0.41 b 41 slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata 10 / 2 2
0.41 l 42 Parish's yampah Perideridia parishii 5 / 1 14
0.41 l 43 ~ western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre 10 / 1
0.41 l 44 slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata 50 / 3
0.41 r 45 mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis 1 / 1
0.42 l 46 lemon lily Lilium parryi 20 / 3
0.42 r (Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
0.45 r 47 goldenrod Solidago californica 50 / 5 22
0.46 Cross small drainage
0.47 b 48 rigid hedge-nettle Stachys ajugoides var. rigida 20 / 2
0.48 r 49 long-anthered rush Juncus macrandrus 10 / 1
0.48 r 50 larger mountain monkeyflower Mimulus tilingii 50 / 9
0.48 l 51 tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides 10 / 1
0.48 b 52 thyme-leaved speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa 10 / 1
0.48 l 53 swamp sedge Carex senta 30 / 3
0.48 l 54 small white violet Viola macloskeyi 2 / 1 19
0.48 Cross wet drainage with a low depression to the left.
0.48 r 55 floriferous monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus 20 / 2
0.48 b 56 spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata 10 / 1
0.52 r Skunk Cabbage Jct.: elevation ~8000 feet (2438 m); jct. trail to Tahquitz Valley; continue ahead; trail flat for next 0.3 miles
0.61 r 57 pinedrops Pterospora andromedea 20 / 9
0.61 l 58 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus 99 / 9
0.61 l Jct. trail to campsite
0.74 b 59 San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus 30 / 9
0.74 r Jct. trail to campsite
0.77 Leave bracken and wet area
0.78 l (*downy brome, Bromus tectorum)
0.80 60 Trail resumes descent
0.81 b 61 Wright's buckwheat Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum 50 / 9
0.81 l (green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula)
0.81 b 62 mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordulatus 40 / 9
0.88 Cross moist drainage and ascend briefly
0.89 l 63 broad-leaved lotus Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius /
0.93 r short-flowered monardella Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora 30 / 9
0.93 r (naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum)
0.94 Cross small dry drainage
0.98 r 64 ~ Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana 10 / 3
0.98 Cross drainage; willows resprouting here from small lightning-caused fire in 2000, but kept low by deer
0.99 b 65 San Jacinto buckwheat Eriogonum apiculatum 50 / 5
1.01 l 66 bitter cherry Prunus emarginata 99 / 9
1.01 Cross small drainage
1.01 r 67 zig-zag gayophytum Gayophytum heterozygum /
1.06 l (bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
1.09 Cross small drainage
1.10 l (incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
1.12 r (Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii)
1.12 l ? (~Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; Sierra gooseberry, Ribes roezlii var. roezlii)
1.13 Trail curves left at ridge
1.15 r (fir dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium abietinum)
1.16 r 68 California black oak Quercus kelloggii 1 / 1
1.17 l 69 hybrid manzanita Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea 1 / 1
1.18 l 70 giant red paintbrush?? Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata?? 1 / 1
1.19 l (canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
1.25 (Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
1.25 Trail curves left at ridge
1.26 b 71 bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens 50 / 9
1.31 b 72 green-leaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula 50 / 9
1.32 b 73 sugar pine Pinus lambertiana /
1.35 l sp (Cordylanthus sp.)
1.36 r (snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
1.36 l 74 pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata 20 / 1
1.38 r 75 beaked penstemon Penstemon rostriflorus /
1.38 r 76 mountain pink currant Ribes nevadense 10 / 2
1.41 r 77 western columbine Aquilegia formosa 5 / 2
1.41 b 78 pearlwort Sagina saginoides 5 / 1
1.41 b 79 brittle bladder fern Cystopteris fragilis 1 / 1
1.41 l (streambank lotus, Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius)
1.41 Cross Willow Creek; local low point; elevation ~7800 feet (2377 m)
1.41 r 80 ~ tall mannagrass Glyceria elata 5 / 1
1.41 l 81 glaucus willowherb Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum 50 / 9
1.41 r 82 western azalea Rhododendron occidentale 10 / 2
1.42 r 83 fir dwarf-mistletoe Arceuthobium abietinum 5 / 1
1.55 b 84 Grinnell's beardtongue Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii 2 / 1
1.58 Local high point; elevation ~7880 feet (2402 m)
1.70 r 85 yellow willow Salix lutea 2 / 2
1.70 Cross creek (short tributary to Willow Creek) with running water; local low point; elevation 7840 feet (2390 m)
1.76 Trail turns right 90°
1.84 r Jct trail to Laws; local high point; elevation ~7900 feet (2408 m); turn right and go to Laws Camp
1.84 l Sign: "TBS"
1.84 l 86 ~ Holboell's rock-cress Arabis holboellii 5 / 1
1.91 l 87 naked buckwheat Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum 40 / 9
1.93 l 88 California fuchsia Epilobium canum 20 / 3
1.93 r 89 canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis 20 / 9
1.97 Trail curves right at drainage and then curves left
2.00 r View of entire Tahquitz ridge
2.06 b Trail makes half circle on right on flattened spot; many dead firs with dead fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum here
2.09 Good view of desert
2.17 Switchback left
2.20 Long switchback right
2.21 l (nearby incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
2.21 r ~ (pine dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium campylopodum)
2.28 Switchback left
2.28 r (California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia)
2.32 l 90 beautiful hulsea Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha 10 / 2
2.33 Trail curves right
2.41 r 91 incense-cedar Calocedrus decurrens 20 / 3
2.47 r (Interesting green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, which split a boulder)
2.57 Switchback left
2.64 l Check to make sure this honking grass is Poa pratensis
2.67 Trail curves right
2.71 l ~ (~willowherb, ~Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ?)
2.71 Cross Willow Creek again; elevation 7440 feet (2268 m)
2.72 r Sign: "Willow Creek (back); Long Valley (back)"; Trail turns left 90°
2.74 b 92 breakfast bedstraw Kelloggia galioides 50 / 3
2.74 r 93 ~ slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus 20 / 9
2.74 r (Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
2.76 l (Campsites on other side of Willow Creek)
2.76 r 94 Hall's brome Bromus orcuttianus var. hallii /
2.83 Laws Jct.; jct. Caramba Trail; go right on it; low point on loop, elevation ~7425 feet (2263 m)
3.18 r 95 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus 2 / 2
3.20 l (Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; only ones seen in 2007)
3.24 r 96 Sierra gooseberry Ribes roezlii var. roezlii /
3.27 r 97 tall trisetum Trisetum canescens /
3.27 Cross lush creek without water
3.27 l 98 sp bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei /
3.28 l 99 thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus 10 / 1
3.28 l (California geranium, Geranium californicum, along bank of creek)
3.35 Trail curves left at small drainage
(closer California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
3.66 l First good view of Tahquitz Creek
3.71 l 100 splendid gilia Gilia splendens ssp. splendens 50 / 5
3.73 r 101 Utah service-berry Amelanchier utahensis 1 / 1
3.76 Cross drainage in moist area
3.86 r
3.89 r 102 spear-leaved mountain dandelion Agoseris retrorsa 3 / 1
3.90 r 103 Fendler's meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri 10 / 3
3.97 b 104 Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus 10 / 1
3.98 Cross moist drainage
3.99 r Sign: "Candy's Creek"
4.44 Jct. trail to Skunk Cabbage Meadow (r) and Tahquitz Meadow (l)
5.04 Saddle Junction; end loop
Need to look for:
fir mistletoe Phoradendron pauciflorum / 7

Comments On Specific Species

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	4	12%
2	2	6%
3	4	12%
4	3	9%
5	1	3%

1-5	14	42%
6-10	10	30%
11-15	7	21%
16-20	1	3%
21-25	1	3%
Total Taxa	33	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
6/13/2002	1	12	4
6/20/2002	2	32	7	10	0	0
8/28/2003	3	43	4	9	3	1

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin trail at Saddle Junction; elevation 8075 feet (2460 m)
0.00	b	1		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9	15
0.00	b	2		white fir	Abies concolor	99 / 9	15
0.01	l			Sign: "Skunk Cabbage; Willow Creek; Long Valley" with an arrow pointing ahead.
0.02	b	3		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	99 / 9	3
0.02	l	4		pinegrove gayophytum	Gayophytum oligospermum⁺	30 / 5	12
0.02	l			(San Gabriel beardtongue, Penstemon labrosus; Parish's snowberry, Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii)
0.02	b	5		one-seeded pussypaws	Calyptridium monospermum	50 / 3	3
0.03	r			(Elmer's needlegrass, Achnatherum occidentale ssp. pubescens)
0.03	r			(squirreltail, Elymus elymoides)
0.05	b	6		Parish's snowberry	Symphoricarpos rotundifolius var. parishii	99 / 9	7
0.06				Trail turns left 90°
0.07	l	7		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	/
0.07	l			(western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.07	l	8		Fremont's goosefoot	Chenopodium fremontii	99 / 5
0.07	l	9		groundsmoke	Gayophytum diffusum ssp. parviflorum	99 / 2
0.07	l	10		changeable phacelia	Phacelia mutabilis	99 / 9	5
0.09	b	11		fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	99 / 9	4
0.09	r			(Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
0.09	r	12		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	50 / 9	12
0.09	b	13		fringed brome	Bromus ciliatus	/
0.09	r	14		Nevada cinquefoil (now only off-trail here; seen on-trail one year)	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis	10 / 3	26
0.09				Cross dry drainage.
0.09	r	15		Brewer's monkeyflower	Mimulus breweri	5 / 1	15
0.09	r			(musk monkeyflower, Mimulus moschatus; larger mountain monkeyflower, Mimulus tilingii)
0.09	l	16		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	99 / 9	7
0.09	r	17		wax currant	Ribes cereum var. cereum	20 / 9	14
0.12	r			(pine lousewort, Pedicularis semibarbata)
0.13	r	18		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	99 / 9	2
0.13	r	19		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	50 / 9
0.13	l	20		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	50 / 9	7
0.13	l			(spotted coralroot, Corallorhiza maculata)
0.16	l	21		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii	5 / 1
0.19	r			(California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
0.19	b	22		spotted coralroot	Corallorhiza maculata	30 / 9	1
0.19	r			(pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea)
0.19	l			(mountain mugwort, Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta)
0.30	l			(slender wheatgrass, Elymus trachycaulus)
0.31	l	23		purple false-gilia	Allophyllum divaricatum	5 / 1
0.34	r	24		mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	99 / 9	4
0.37	r	25		little false-solomon's-seal	Smilacina stellata	20 / 2	3
0.37	l	26		plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	5 / 2
0.37	l	27	~	Check for pine violet	Viola pinetorum ssp. pinetorum	2 / 1	1
0.37	r			(California brome, Bromus carinatus var. carinatus)
0.37	b	28		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	40 / 5	9
0.37	r			(ranger's buttons, Sphenosciadium capitellatum)
0.38	l	29		squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	50 / 9
0.39	r	30		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	50 / 9	10
0.39	b	31		blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus	50 / 9	14
0.39	l	32		Check for Elmer's needlegrass	Achnatherum occidentale ssp. pubescens	2 / 2	1
0.39	l			Check for (wild tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus)
0.39	r	33		ranger's buttons	Sphenosciadium capitellatum	30 / 5	3
0.39	r			(lemon lily, Lilium parryi)
0.40	r			View of Skunk Cabbage Meadow
0.41	l	34		Kentucky blue grass	Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis	/	2
0.41	b	35		abrupt-beak sedge	Carex abrupta	5 / 1	22
0.41	l	36		musk monkeyflower	Mimulus moschatus	99 / 1
0.41	l	37		Idaho bentgrass	Agrostis idahoensis	/	42
0.41	b	38		mountain carpet clover	Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum	/
0.41	b			first on-trail Nevada cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. nevadensis, in 2011
0.41	l	39		glandular willowherb	Epilobium ciliatum ssp. glandulosum	5 / 1
0.41	l	40		western bistort	Polygonum bistortoides	5 / 1
0.41	b	41		slender cinquefoil	Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata	10 / 2	2
0.41	l	42		Parish's yampah	Perideridia parishii	5 / 1	14
0.41	l	43	~	western marsh cudweed	Gnaphalium palustre	10 / 1
0.41	l	44		slender hairgrass	Deschampsia elongata	50 / 3
0.41	r	45		mat muhly	Muhlenbergia richardsonis	1 / 1
0.42	l	46		lemon lily	Lilium parryi	20 / 3
0.42	r			(Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii)
0.45	r	47		goldenrod	Solidago californica	50 / 5	22
0.46				Cross small drainage
0.47	b	48		rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	20 / 2
0.48	r	49		long-anthered rush	Juncus macrandrus	10 / 1
0.48	r	50		larger mountain monkeyflower	Mimulus tilingii	50 / 9
0.48	l	51		tinker's penny	Hypericum anagalloides	10 / 1
0.48	b	52		thyme-leaved speedwell	Veronica serpyllifolia ssp. humifusa	10 / 1
0.48	l	53		swamp sedge	Carex senta	30 / 3
0.48	l	54		small white violet	Viola macloskeyi	2 / 1	19
0.48				Cross wet drainage with a low depression to the left.
0.48	r	55		floriferous monkeyflower	Mimulus floribundus	20 / 2
0.48	b	56		spike bentgrass	Agrostis exarata	10 / 1
0.52	r			Skunk Cabbage Jct.: elevation ~8000 feet (2438 m); jct. trail to Tahquitz Valley; continue ahead; trail flat for next 0.3 miles
0.61	r	57		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	20 / 9
0.61	l	58		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	99 / 9
0.61	l			Jct. trail to campsite
0.74	b	59		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	30 / 9
0.74	r			Jct. trail to campsite
0.77				Leave bracken and wet area
0.78	l			(downy brome, Bromus tectorum*)
0.80		60		Trail resumes descent
0.81	b	61		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. subscaposum	50 / 9
0.81	l			(green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula)
0.81	b	62		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	40 / 9
0.88				Cross moist drainage and ascend briefly
0.89	l	63		broad-leaved lotus	Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius	/
0.93	r			short-flowered monardella	Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora	30 / 9
0.93	r			(naked buckwheat, Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum)
0.94				Cross small dry drainage
0.98	r	64	~	Scouler's willow	Salix scouleriana	10 / 3
0.98				Cross drainage; willows resprouting here from small lightning-caused fire in 2000, but kept low by deer
0.99	b	65		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	50 / 5
1.01	l	66		bitter cherry	Prunus emarginata	99 / 9
1.01				Cross small drainage
1.01	r	67		zig-zag gayophytum	Gayophytum heterozygum	/
1.06	l			(bush chinquapin, Chrysolepis sempervirens)
1.09				Cross small drainage
1.10	l			(incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
1.12	r			(Grinnell's beardtongue, Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii)
1.12	l		?	(~Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; Sierra gooseberry, Ribes roezlii var. roezlii)
1.13				Trail curves left at ridge
1.15	r			(fir dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium abietinum)
1.16	r	68		California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	1 / 1
1.17	l	69		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	1 / 1
1.18	l	70		giant red paintbrush??	Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata??	1 / 1
1.19	l			(canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis)
1.25				(Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
1.25				Trail curves left at ridge
1.26	b	71		bush chinquapin	Chrysolepis sempervirens	50 / 9
1.31	b	72		green-leaf manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula	50 / 9
1.32	b	73		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	/
1.35	l		sp	(Cordylanthus sp.)
1.36	r			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
1.36	l	74		pipsissewa	Chimaphila umbellata	20 / 1
1.38	r	75		beaked penstemon	Penstemon rostriflorus	/
1.38	r	76		mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	10 / 2
1.41	r	77		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	5 / 2
1.41	b	78		pearlwort	Sagina saginoides	5 / 1
1.41	b	79		brittle bladder fern	Cystopteris fragilis	1 / 1
1.41	l			(streambank lotus, Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius)
1.41				Cross Willow Creek; local low point; elevation ~7800 feet (2377 m)
1.41	r	80	~	tall mannagrass	Glyceria elata	5 / 1
1.41	l	81		glaucus willowherb	Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum	50 / 9
1.41	r	82		western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	10 / 2
1.42	r	83		fir dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium abietinum	5 / 1
1.55	b	84		Grinnell's beardtongue	Penstemon grinnellii var. grinnellii	2 / 1
1.58				Local high point; elevation ~7880 feet (2402 m)
1.70	r	85		yellow willow	Salix lutea	2 / 2
1.70				Cross creek (short tributary to Willow Creek) with running water; local low point; elevation 7840 feet (2390 m)
1.76				Trail turns right 90°
1.84	r			Jct trail to Laws; local high point; elevation ~7900 feet (2408 m); turn right and go to Laws Camp
1.84	l			Sign: "TBS"
1.84	l	86	~	Holboell's rock-cress	Arabis holboellii	5 / 1
1.91	l	87		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	40 / 9
1.93	l	88		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum	20 / 3
1.93	r	89		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	20 / 9
1.97				Trail curves right at drainage and then curves left
2.00	r			View of entire Tahquitz ridge
2.06	b			Trail makes half circle on right on flattened spot; many dead firs with dead fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum here
2.09				Good view of desert
2.17				Switchback left
2.20				Long switchback right
2.21	l			(nearby incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens)
2.21	r		~	(pine dwarf-mistletoe, Arceuthobium campylopodum)
2.28				Switchback left
2.28	r			(California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia)
2.32	l	90		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	10 / 2
2.33				Trail curves right
2.41	r	91		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	20 / 3
2.47	r			(Interesting green-leaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, which split a boulder)
2.57				Switchback left
2.64	l			Check to make sure this honking grass is Poa pratensis
2.67				Trail curves right
2.71	l		~	(~willowherb, ~Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ?)
2.71				Cross Willow Creek again; elevation 7440 feet (2268 m)
2.72	r			Sign: "Willow Creek (back); Long Valley (back)"; Trail turns left 90°
2.74	b	92		breakfast bedstraw	Kelloggia galioides	50 / 3
2.74	r	93	~	slender wheatgrass	Elymus trachycaulus	20 / 9
2.74	r			(Fendler's meadow-rue, Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri)
2.76	l			(Campsites on other side of Willow Creek)
2.76	r	94		Hall's brome	Bromus orcuttianus var. hallii	/
2.83				Laws Jct.; jct. Caramba Trail; go right on it; low point on loop, elevation ~7425 feet (2263 m)
3.18	r	95		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	2 / 2
3.20	l			(Martin's paintbrush, ~Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii; only ones seen in 2007)
3.24	r	96		Sierra gooseberry	Ribes roezlii var. roezlii	/
3.27	r	97		tall trisetum	Trisetum canescens	/
3.27				Cross lush creek without water
3.27	l	98	sp	bigleaf lupine	Lupinus polyphyllus var. burkei	/
3.28	l	99		thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	10 / 1
3.28	l			(California geranium, Geranium californicum, along bank of creek)
3.35				Trail curves left at small drainage
				(closer California corn lily, Veratrum californicum var. californicum)
3.66	l			First good view of Tahquitz Creek
3.71	l	100		splendid gilia	Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	50 / 5
3.73	r	101		Utah service-berry	Amelanchier utahensis	1 / 1
3.76				Cross drainage in moist area
3.86	r
3.89	r	102		spear-leaved mountain dandelion	Agoseris retrorsa	3 / 1
3.90	r	103		Fendler's meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri var. fendleri	10 / 3
3.97	b	104		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	10 / 1
3.98				Cross moist drainage
3.99	r			Sign: "Candy's Creek"
4.44				Jct. trail to Skunk Cabbage Meadow (r) and Tahquitz Meadow (l)
5.04				Saddle Junction; end loop
				Need to look for:
				fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	/	7

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

Copyright © 2002-2011 by Tom Chester and Dave Stith.
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/willow_creek.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester
Updated 25 July 2011.