Anza-Borrego: Plant Guide To Hellhole Canyon Trail

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 trail is probably the second most popular one in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, after the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, for several good reasons. The trail is close to the Visitor Center, with the parking area clearly visible from S22, the road that many people take on the way toward the Visitor Center. Botanically, the trail passes through many diverse environments, offering a sampler of much of the flora of the area. The trail ends at the most treasured destination in a desert - a shady palm grove, with year-round water and a pretty waterfall.
Hellhole Canyon itself burned almost completely in the August 2002 Pines Fire, down below the lowest tree (a sycamore) at the mouth. But in March 2005, three years of rainy seasons later, you'd be hard pressed to note this if it weren't for the burned trunks of the trees and a few dead burned shrubs. Even here in the desert, the shrubs and trees are busy resprouting, and the lush annual growth in 2005 hides much of the evidence of the burn.
The last fire prior to 2002 was 1975, when the entire drainage was burned (Schad 1986). Schad also comments in 1986 that recent floods have gouged out a small chasm (5-10 feet deep) in the sandy floor of the canyon.
Highlights of This Trail

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 90 trails in our database when this histogram was made; 6 of those trails, including this one, are in Anza-Borrego State Park. A number of "1" means the taxon has only been found only on this list, among all the trails in our database; numbers of "6" or smaller may indicate taxa found only in this area. The other Anza-Borrego Trails are very incomplete.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 9 6%
2 28 20%
3 22 15%
4 14 10%
5 5 4%

1-5 78 55%
6-10 21 15%
11-15 8 6%
16-20 16 11%
21-25 7 5%
26-30 3 2%
31-35 1 1%
36-40 2 1%
41-45 3 2%
46-50 2 1%
51-55 1 1%
Total Taxa 142 100%

We found 10 additional taxa not in the above table, since they have not been fully identified yet. The unidentified ones are marked with ?, sp or ssp 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"
3/25/2005 1 117 3 6 15 2
10/21/2005 2 128 3 7 11 2
10/25/2005 3 134 3 7 9 3
10/29/2005 4 152 2 7 15 3

We thank Michael Charters and Richard Sapiro for help with the 10/29/05 fieldwork.
Botanical Trip Reports

21 October 2005
25 October 2005
29 October 2005
The Plant Guide

The mileages up to Maidenhair Falls have been adjusted to a detailed GPS recording of the trail, and hence should be accurate to 0.01 miles.
Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page (8 pages)

mile s # id Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Begin guide at use trail from middle of west end of parking lot, not at the sign at the entrance to the lot; elevation ~880 feet (270 m)
0.00 b 1 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus 99 / 9 17
0.00 b 2 small-seeded spurge Chamaesyce polycarpa 99 / 9 14
0.00 c 3 *redstem filaree Erodium cicutarium 99 / 9 52
0.00 l 4 California suncup Camissonia californica 99 / 9 19
0.00 l 5 indigo bush Psorothamnus schottii 30 / 9 5
0.00 l 6 ~ hairy-podded pepper-grass Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum 99 / 9 3
0.00 r 7 ~ bearded cryptantha Cryptantha barbigera 99 / 9 2
0.00 r 8 ocotillo Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens 20 / 9 5
0.00 l 9 Fremont pincushion Chaenactis fremontii 99 / 9 4
0.00 b 10 cheesebush Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola 20 / 9 4
0.00 l 11 desert dandelion Malacothrix glabrata 99 / 9 4
0.00 l 12 desert star Monoptilon bellioides 99 / 9 2
0.00 l 13 California filago Filago californica 99 / 9 16
0.00 r Check for Sonoran spurge, Chamaesyce micromera
0.01 r 14 desert trumpet Eriogonum inflatum⁺ 10 / 9 2
0.01 r 15 dwarf filago Filago depressa 20 / 5 2
0.01 r 16 sp different Cryptantha Cryptantha sp. /
0.01 r 17 wire-lettuce Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora 5 / 5 5
0.01 l 18 purple mat Nama demissum var. demissum 2 / 2 3
0.01 l 19 gander's cholla Opuntia ganderi 50 / 9 4
0.01 l 20 ssp eastern glandular nemacladus Nemacladus glanduliferus var. orientalis 1 / 1 1
0.01 b 21 ~ Schott's calico Loeseliastrum schottii 2 / 1 3
0.01 r 22 common phacelia Phacelia distans 99 / 9 8
0.01 r 23 downy dalea Dalea mollissima 1 / 1 2
0.01 r 24 burroweed Ambrosia dumosa 5 / 5 6
0.02 r 25 California fagonia Fagonia laevis 3 / 3 3
0.02 r 26 sp comb bur Pectocarya sp. 1 / 1
0.02 r 27 brittle spineflower Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu 10 / 9 3
0.03 l 28 New Mexico ditaxis Ditaxis neomexicana 50 / 9 1
0.03 l 29 creosote bush Larrea tridentata 10 / 9 4
0.03 r 30 small-flowered poppy Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora 50 / 9 4
0.04 r Jct. with the trail from the sign.
0.04 l Jct. faint use trail
0.05 r 31 short-bannered coastal lotus Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus 50 / 9 3
0.05 r 32 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum 1 / 1 43
0.05 r 33 chinch-weed Pectis papposa var. papposa 30 / 9 1
0.07 l 34 ssp alkali western tansy-mustard Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum 50 / 9 5
0.07 r 35 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus 1 / 1 29
0.09 World's largest Cryptantha - check for id.
0.10 r 36 Emory's rock-daisy Perityle emoryi 20 / 9 3
0.10 l 37 Coulter's lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus 99 / 9 10
0.11 r 38 *Asian mustard Brassica tournefortii 99 / 9 4
0.13 b 39 brittlebush Encelia farinosa 50 / 9 6
0.13 b 40 chia Salvia columbariae 99 / 9 21
0.14 r 41 whispering bells Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora 20 / 9 10
0.15 l 42 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens 50 / 9 48
0.19 l Jct. old road
0.20 l Jct. California Riding and Hiking Trail (to Culp Valley); stay right
0.23 l 43 fivewing spiderling Boerhavia intermedia 99 / 9 2
0.23 r Jct. use trail (to Visitor Center?)
0.23 l 44 narrowleaf ditaxis Ditaxis lanceolata 50 / 9 3
0.24 r 45 Wallace's woolly daisy Eriophyllum wallacei 99 / 9 3
0.24 l Sign: (hikers ok, no horses)
0.24 r 46 sp suncup Camissonia sp. /
0.24 b 47 chuparosa Justicia californica 50 / 9 4
0.24 r 48 brown-eyed primrose Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii 50 / 9 4
0.27 l (rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus)
0.27 r 49 beavertail cactus Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris 10 / 9 7
0.27 r 50 thick-leaved ground cherry Physalis crassifolia 5 / 5 3
0.27 l 51 common fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia 99 / 9 14
0.29 l (desert agave, Agave deserti)
0.30 l Jct. with small wash
r 52 rock hibiscus Hibiscus denudatus⁺ 1 / 1 2
0.34 l 53 catclaw Acacia greggii 30 / 9 3
0.35 l First bit of shade, from two tall ocotillos.
0.36 l (star gilia, Gilia stellata)
0.38 r 54 Bigelow's monkeyflower Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii 99 / 9 2
0.39 r 55 desert chicory Rafinesquia neomexicana 10 / 9 4
0.41 l 56 desert lavender Hyptis emoryi 30 / 9 4
0.47 l Jct. wash; stay right
0.50 l 57 Parish's poppy Eschscholzia parishii 2 / 2 3
0.50 l (teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii)
0.56 l 58 desert agave Agave deserti 5 / 2 2
0.58 Enter open flattish gravelly area; second bit of shade from two more tall ocotillos
0.63 r 59 Engelmann's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus engelmannii 2 / 2 3
0.64 r 60 teddy-bear cholla Opuntia bigelovii 50 / 9 2
0.65 l Jct. wash coming in almost parallel to this trail
0.68 l 61 star gilia Gilia stellata 1 / 1 3
0.68 l 62 ? unk annual
0.70 l 63 ~ hairy six-weeks fescue Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella 20 / 5 2
0.70 Enter a teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii forest.
0.70 l (Mojave ragwort, Senecio mohavensis)
0.72 l 64 California trixis Trixis californica var. californica 3 / 3 3
0.73 l 65 Parish's viguiera Viguiera parishii 10 / 9 2
0.73 l 66 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida 5 / 2 2
0.77 r Sign: "Warning"; but the object of the warning is missing on the sign.
0.77 r (California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus)
0.89 r Jct old road; look directly north at a close double peak; the rightmost peak is "Ode" at 1510 feet (460 m)
0.90 r 67 trailing four o'clock Allionia incarnata 5 / 1 3
0.90 r 68 needle grama Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides 20 / 5 4
0.91 l 69 fringed amaranth Amaranthus fimbriatus 10 / 9 2
1.07 l 70 ~ wishbone plant Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa 2 / 2 2
1.14 l 71 San Felipe dogweed Adenophyllum porophylloides 4 / 4 2
1.17 l Jct. faint blocked-off old road or broad trail; trail curves right 90°
1.19 Cross small drainage
1.20 r Jct. blocked-off path to creek; trail turns left 90°
1.37 Canyon wall on left now getting close; canyon wall on right now separates Hellhole Canyon from Flat Cat Canyon
1.38 r 72 wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor 10 / 9 18
1.44 r Jct. faint use trail to creek
1.44 Creek now 20 feet away; trail now parallels creek
1.52 Y-jct; stay right
1.54 r Sign: "Mountain Lion Area"
1.54 r (desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata)
1.61 r 73 Nevada ephedra Ephedra nevadensis 1 / 1 1
1.62 r 74 woolly lipfern Cheilanthes parryi 4 / 4 2
1.62 Climb up first 3 foot boulder
1.62 r 75 Vasey's sage Salvia vaseyi 1 / 1 2
1.69 l 76 strigose lotus Lotus strigosus 20 / 9 27
1.70 l 77 white fiesta flower Pholistoma membranaceum 99 / 9 3
1.70 l 78 pellitory Parietaria hespera var. hespera 99 / 9 6
1.70 l 79 *Oriental mustard Sisymbrium orientale 10 / 2 11
1.71 l Check if two unknown baby plants in 10/05 grow up to be new taxa, and what the dead ~"birdcage" plant is
1.71 l 80 odora Porophyllum gracile 1 / 1 5
1.71 r (African daisy, Dimorphotheca sinuata)
1.72 Trail becomes braided from here on at times; take right branch which will cross the stream
1.72 l 81 southern Chinese houses Collinsia concolor 20 / 6 2
1.72 b 82 *sourclover Melilotus indicus 50 / 9 18
1.72 Cross stream, now on right side of it.
1.72 l 83 globe gilia Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia 30 / 6 7
1.73 l 84 California poppy Eschscholzia californica 1 / 1 25
1.74 Large patch of Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii
1.78 r 85 desert-willow Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata 20 / 5 2
1.80 Trail curves right 40° up bank on right of creek; nice rest spot in creek just ahead that is shaded beginning at ~2 hours before sunset
1.81 l 86 sacred datura Datura wrightii 20 / 5 16
1.85 r 87 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 10 / 9 8
1.86 r 88 *nettle-leaved goosefoot Chenopodium murale 10 / 3 3
1.86 Cross stream to left
1.86 l (apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua)
l Look for the locations of Lotus rigidus, and Dicentra chrysantha.
1.89 Trail is overgrown with bushes in places beyond here
1.89 r 89 apricot mallow Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua 20 / 9 2
1.90 Trail curves right 80° down to cross creek
1.91 l 90 bladderpod Isomeris arborea 2 / 2 8
1.91 Cross stream to right
1.93 Cross stream to left
1.96 I took left braid of trail here; start climbing over boulders regularly and pushing through desert willows occasionally on all braids of trail
1.99 l 91 western sycamore Platanus racemosa 2 / 2 24
1.99 r 92 yellow-stem bush mallow Malacothamnus densiflorus 10 / 9 2
2.00 r 93 prickly poppy Argemone munita 5 / 2 7
2.00 r 94 linear-leaved stillingia Stillingia linearifolia 3 / 1 1
2.01 l 95 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus 20 / 1 46
2.01 Rejoin better braid of trail now in the stream; go left on it, upstream; trail gradually leaves the stream to the right
2.01 l (smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum in distance)
2.01 l 96 short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 3 / 2 17
2.02 l 97 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 3 / 1 25
2.02 l 98 desert baccharis Baccharis sergiloides 6 / 4 7
2.02 l Check for ayenia
2.06 l (red willow, Salix laevigata)
2.06 l 99 sugar bush Rhus ovata⁺ 4 / 4 25
2.07 l 100 Nealley three-awn Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi 1 / 1 2
2.08 l ~ (~desert apricot, ~Prunus fremontii; California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
l 101 goldfields Lasthenia californica 2 / 1 9
2.10 l (California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
2.12 l 102 scarlet spiderling Boerhavia coccinea 10 / 1 1
2.12 Take left braid of trail, squeezing through narrow passageway between boulders; a mortero is just ahead on right braid of trail.
2.13 Cross stream to left
2.13 r 103 ~ *whorled dock Rumex conglomeratus 1 / 1
2.13 l 104 desert tobacco Nicotiana obtusifolia 2 / 1 2
2.13 r 105 red willow Salix laevigata 5 / 3 17
2.14 b 106 narrowleaf willow Salix exigua 1 / 1 7
2.15 r 107 *prickly sow thistle Sonchus asper ssp. asper 2 / 1 20
2.15 l 108 ~ caterpillar phacelia Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida 5 / 1 12
2.15 l 109 bajada lupine Lupinus concinnus 1 / 1 9
2.15 l 110 narrow-leaved miner's lettuce Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora 3 / 1 17
2.15 r 111 sp wild cucumber or desert star-vine Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus or Brandegea bigelovii 2 / 2
2.15 r 112 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 3 / 2 37
2.15 l 113 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana 1 / 1 45
2.16 Cross stream to right
2.16 l 114 smoothleaf yerba santa Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum 1 / 1 3
2.16 l 115 California fan palm Washingtonia filifera 10 / 3 3
2.16 l 116 Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii 2 / 2 10
2.16 l (mountain California-fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium
2.18 r 117 ~ Davidson's buckwheat Eriogonum davidsonii 3 / 1 18
2.19 Cross stream to left
2.19 l 118 ssp silver wormwood Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana⁺ 2 / 2 2
2.20 Cross stream to right and rejoin right braid of trail
2.24 Meet stream and head upstream
2.25 b 119 mountain California-fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium 10 / 1 6
2.25 r 120 deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens 1 / 1 21
2.25 l 121 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 1 / 1 19
2.26 b 122 desert lotus Lotus rigidus 3 / 2 1
2.26 r 123 wild celery Apiastrum angustifolium 5 / 1 12
2.26 c Check for ayenia
2.26 124 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides 3 / 1 26
2.26 r 125 Mojave ragwort Senecio mohavensis⁺ 5 / 1 3
2.26 l 126 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 10 / 1 20
2.27 Leave stream to right
2.28 r 127 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 10 / 1 35
2.29 c 128 horseweed Conyza canadensis 1 / 1 41
2.29 b 129 *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola 5 / 1 38
2.29 r 130 slender wreathplant Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei 1 / 1 15
2.31 r 131 desert brickellia Brickellia desertorum 1 / 1 2
2.33 l 132 ~ trailing townula Sarcostemma hirtellum 10 / 1 1
2.33 Trail is difficult to follow here; it appears to go straight, but it doesn't. Turn left and clamber over big rock on left.
2.34 Trail branches here. Left branch crosses stream and climbs steeply up around Maidenhair Falls (see below for its guide). The right branch goes to Maidenhair Falls. The following species are in the stream crossing.
2.34 l 133 sp *tamarisk Tamarix sp.⁺ 2 / 1
2.34 l 134 ~ rigid hedge-nettle Stachys ajugoides var. rigida 5 / 1 14
2.34 l 135 ~ cotton-batting plant Gnaphalium stramineum 5 / 1 18
2.34 l 136 *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album 5 / 1 8
2.34 l 137 California loosestrife Lythrum californicum 20 / 1 2
2.34 l 138 scarlet monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis 5 / 1 16
2.34 l 139 ~ Hooker's evening-primrose Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima 2 / 1 10
2.34 l 140 ~ *water speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica 5 / 1 4
2.34 l 141 *common plantain Plantago major 5 / 1 8
2.34 Return to right branch if you are heading to Maidenhair Falls
2.34 l 142 *fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum 1 / 1 10
2.34 l 143 white nightshade Solanum douglasii 1 / 1 16
144 climbing milkweed Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii / 1 4
2.35 145 iris-leaved rush Juncus xiphioides 20 / 2 1
2.35 r 146 maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris 10 / 1 2
2.35 Base of Maidenhair Falls; elevation ~1700 feet (520 m); cross stream to left and climb to top of Falls for next two species
2.36 b 147 ~ water cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum 10 / 1 12
2.36 b 148 littleseed muhly Muhlenbergia microsperma 20 / 1 3
Return to trailhead, or return to mile 2.34 and continue upstream.

2.34 Guide to continue beyond turnoff to Maidenhair Falls at mile 2.34, only giving new species not given above; cross stream to left and begin climbing steeply
2.36 Begin steep descent
l 149 sp desert thorn Lycium sp. /
2.36 l 150 silver puffs Uropappus lindleyi 1 / 1 22
2.36 l 151 sp different Cryptantha Cryptantha sp. /
2.37 Trail to upper falls continues on left of stream; the following species are on the use path to the right toward the stream.
2.37 r (intermediate larkspur, Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum)
2.39 Cross stream to right if you took the use path.
2.39 (Newberry's velvet mallow, Horsfordia newberryi)
2.45 Cross stream to left; rejoin main trail up-canyon
2.49 l 152 ? big galleta? Pleuraphis rigida? 1 / 1
2.51 Cross stream to right
2.53 Cross stream to left
2.55 Waterfall similar to Maidenhair Falls at 1880 feet (575 m); turnaround and retrace your route to the trailhead
5.10 Back at Trailhead

Comments On Specific Species

Eriogonum inflatum. The subspecies inflatum and deflatum are bogus, and were eliminated as valid species in the 2005 Flora of North America treatment. The plants here exhibit stems that range from not inflated at all, to nearly fully inflated below nodes. The inflation apparently depends on the amount of available moisture.
Hibiscus denudatus. The location of the only plant that is on the trail was not recorded; it is someplace in the next half mile of trail.
Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana. Several large plants are found immediately off-trail at this location; several plants are found on-trail on the alternate braids of the trail.
Rhus ovata. The first specimen on the trail was burned in the 2002 Pines Fire, and is resprouting.
Senecio mohavensis. The just-off-trail plants at mile 0.70 are normal specimens of this species. The on-trail plants at mile 2.16 are normal in every respect except their lower leaves. The normally-broad lower leaves have been replaced by the narrow upper leaves for these plants!
Tamarix sp.. Two plants about 2-3 feet tall were present on 10/29/05, and were eliminated.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	9	6%
2	28	20%
3	22	15%
4	14	10%
5	5	4%

1-5	78	55%
6-10	21	15%
11-15	8	6%
16-20	16	11%
21-25	7	5%
26-30	3	2%
31-35	1	1%
36-40	2	1%
41-45	3	2%
46-50	2	1%
51-55	1	1%
Total Taxa	142	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"
3/25/2005	1	117	3	6	15	2
10/21/2005	2	128	3	7	11	2
10/25/2005	3	134	3	7	9	3
10/29/2005	4	152	2	7	15	3

mile	s	#	id	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Begin guide at use trail from middle of west end of parking lot, not at the sign at the entrance to the lot; elevation ~880 feet (270 m)
0.00	b	1		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	99 / 9	17
0.00	b	2		small-seeded spurge	Chamaesyce polycarpa	99 / 9	14
0.00	c	3		*redstem filaree	Erodium cicutarium	99 / 9	52
0.00	l	4		California suncup	Camissonia californica	99 / 9	19
0.00	l	5		indigo bush	Psorothamnus schottii	30 / 9	5
0.00	l	6	~	hairy-podded pepper-grass	Lepidium lasiocarpum var. lasiocarpum	99 / 9	3
0.00	r	7	~	bearded cryptantha	Cryptantha barbigera	99 / 9	2
0.00	r	8		ocotillo	Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens	20 / 9	5
0.00	l	9		Fremont pincushion	Chaenactis fremontii	99 / 9	4
0.00	b	10		cheesebush	Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola	20 / 9	4
0.00	l	11		desert dandelion	Malacothrix glabrata	99 / 9	4
0.00	l	12		desert star	Monoptilon bellioides	99 / 9	2
0.00	l	13		California filago	Filago californica	99 / 9	16
0.00	r			Check for Sonoran spurge, Chamaesyce micromera
0.01	r	14		desert trumpet	Eriogonum inflatum⁺	10 / 9	2
0.01	r	15		dwarf filago	Filago depressa	20 / 5	2
0.01	r	16	sp	different Cryptantha	Cryptantha sp.	/
0.01	r	17		wire-lettuce	Stephanomeria pauciflora var. pauciflora	5 / 5	5
0.01	l	18		purple mat	Nama demissum var. demissum	2 / 2	3
0.01	l	19		gander's cholla	Opuntia ganderi	50 / 9	4
0.01	l	20	ssp	eastern glandular nemacladus	Nemacladus glanduliferus var. orientalis	1 / 1	1
0.01	b	21	~	Schott's calico	Loeseliastrum schottii	2 / 1	3
0.01	r	22		common phacelia	Phacelia distans	99 / 9	8
0.01	r	23		downy dalea	Dalea mollissima	1 / 1	2
0.01	r	24		burroweed	Ambrosia dumosa	5 / 5	6
0.02	r	25		California fagonia	Fagonia laevis	3 / 3	3
0.02	r	26	sp	comb bur	Pectocarya sp.	1 / 1
0.02	r	27		brittle spineflower	Chorizanthe brevicornu var. brevicornu	10 / 9	3
0.03	l	28		New Mexico ditaxis	Ditaxis neomexicana	50 / 9	1
0.03	l	29		creosote bush	Larrea tridentata	10 / 9	4
0.03	r	30		small-flowered poppy	Eschscholzia minutiflora ssp. minutiflora	50 / 9	4
0.04	r			Jct. with the trail from the sign.
0.04	l			Jct. faint use trail
0.05	r	31		short-bannered coastal lotus	Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus	50 / 9	3
0.05	r	32		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	1 / 1	43
0.05	r	33		chinch-weed	Pectis papposa var. papposa	30 / 9	1
0.07	l	34	ssp	alkali western tansy-mustard	Descurainia pinnata ssp. halictorum	50 / 9	5
0.07	r	35		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	1 / 1	29
0.09				World's largest Cryptantha - check for id.
0.10	r	36		Emory's rock-daisy	Perityle emoryi	20 / 9	3
0.10	l	37		Coulter's lupine	Lupinus sparsiflorus	99 / 9	10
0.11	r	38		*Asian mustard	Brassica tournefortii	99 / 9	4
0.13	b	39		brittlebush	Encelia farinosa	50 / 9	6
0.13	b	40		chia	Salvia columbariae	99 / 9	21
0.14	r	41		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	20 / 9	10
0.15	l	42		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	50 / 9	48
0.19	l			Jct. old road
0.20	l			Jct. California Riding and Hiking Trail (to Culp Valley); stay right
0.23	l	43		fivewing spiderling	Boerhavia intermedia	99 / 9	2
0.23	r			Jct. use trail (to Visitor Center?)
0.23	l	44		narrowleaf ditaxis	Ditaxis lanceolata	50 / 9	3
0.24	r	45		Wallace's woolly daisy	Eriophyllum wallacei	99 / 9	3
0.24	l			Sign: (hikers ok, no horses)
0.24	r	46	sp	suncup	Camissonia sp.	/
0.24	b	47		chuparosa	Justicia californica	50 / 9	4
0.24	r	48		brown-eyed primrose	Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii	50 / 9	4
0.27	l			(rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus)
0.27	r	49		beavertail cactus	Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris	10 / 9	7
0.27	r	50		thick-leaved ground cherry	Physalis crassifolia	5 / 5	3
0.27	l	51		common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	99 / 9	14
0.29	l			(desert agave, Agave deserti)
0.30	l			Jct. with small wash
	r	52		rock hibiscus	Hibiscus denudatus⁺	1 / 1	2
0.34	l	53		catclaw	Acacia greggii	30 / 9	3
0.35	l			First bit of shade, from two tall ocotillos.
0.36	l			(star gilia, Gilia stellata)
0.38	r	54		Bigelow's monkeyflower	Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii	99 / 9	2
0.39	r	55		desert chicory	Rafinesquia neomexicana	10 / 9	4
0.41	l	56		desert lavender	Hyptis emoryi	30 / 9	4
0.47	l			Jct. wash; stay right
0.50	l	57		Parish's poppy	Eschscholzia parishii	2 / 2	3
0.50	l			(teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii)
0.56	l	58		desert agave	Agave deserti	5 / 2	2
0.58				Enter open flattish gravelly area; second bit of shade from two more tall ocotillos
0.63	r	59		Engelmann's hedgehog cactus	Echinocereus engelmannii	2 / 2	3
0.64	r	60		teddy-bear cholla	Opuntia bigelovii	50 / 9	2
0.65	l			Jct. wash coming in almost parallel to this trail
0.68	l	61		star gilia	Gilia stellata	1 / 1	3
0.68	l	62	?	unk annual
0.70	l	63	~	hairy six-weeks fescue	Vulpia octoflora var. hirtella	20 / 5	2
0.70				Enter a teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii forest.
0.70	l			(Mojave ragwort, Senecio mohavensis)
0.72	l	64		California trixis	Trixis californica var. californica	3 / 3	3
0.73	l	65		Parish's viguiera	Viguiera parishii	10 / 9	2
0.73	l	66		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. bipinnatifida	5 / 2	2
0.77	r			Sign: "Warning"; but the object of the warning is missing on the sign.
0.77	r			(California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus var. cylindraceus)
0.89	r			Jct old road; look directly north at a close double peak; the rightmost peak is "Ode" at 1510 feet (460 m)
0.90	r	67		trailing four o'clock	Allionia incarnata	5 / 1	3
0.90	r	68		needle grama	Bouteloua aristidoides var. aristidoides	20 / 5	4
0.91	l	69		fringed amaranth	Amaranthus fimbriatus	10 / 9	2
1.07	l	70	~	wishbone plant	Mirabilis bigelovii var. retrorsa	2 / 2	2
1.14	l	71		San Felipe dogweed	Adenophyllum porophylloides	4 / 4	2
1.17	l			Jct. faint blocked-off old road or broad trail; trail curves right 90°
1.19				Cross small drainage
1.20	r			Jct. blocked-off path to creek; trail turns left 90°
1.37				Canyon wall on left now getting close; canyon wall on right now separates Hellhole Canyon from Flat Cat Canyon
1.38	r	72		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor	10 / 9	18
1.44	r			Jct. faint use trail to creek
1.44				Creek now 20 feet away; trail now parallels creek
1.52				Y-jct; stay right
1.54	r			Sign: "Mountain Lion Area"
1.54	r			(desert-willow, Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata)
1.61	r	73		Nevada ephedra	Ephedra nevadensis	1 / 1	1
1.62	r	74		woolly lipfern	Cheilanthes parryi	4 / 4	2
1.62				Climb up first 3 foot boulder
1.62	r	75		Vasey's sage	Salvia vaseyi	1 / 1	2
1.69	l	76		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	20 / 9	27
1.70	l	77		white fiesta flower	Pholistoma membranaceum	99 / 9	3
1.70	l	78		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	99 / 9	6
1.70	l	79		*Oriental mustard	Sisymbrium orientale	10 / 2	11
1.71	l			Check if two unknown baby plants in 10/05 grow up to be new taxa, and what the dead ~"birdcage" plant is
1.71	l	80		odora	Porophyllum gracile	1 / 1	5
1.71	r			(African daisy, Dimorphotheca sinuata)
1.72				Trail becomes braided from here on at times; take right branch which will cross the stream
1.72	l	81		southern Chinese houses	Collinsia concolor	20 / 6	2
1.72	b	82		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	50 / 9	18
1.72				Cross stream, now on right side of it.
1.72	l	83		globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	30 / 6	7
1.73	l	84		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	1 / 1	25
1.74				Large patch of Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii
1.78	r	85		desert-willow	Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata	20 / 5	2
1.80				Trail curves right 40° up bank on right of creek; nice rest spot in creek just ahead that is shaded beginning at ~2 hours before sunset
1.81	l	86		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	20 / 5	16
1.85	r	87		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	10 / 9	8
1.86	r	88		*nettle-leaved goosefoot	Chenopodium murale	10 / 3	3
1.86				Cross stream to left
1.86	l			(apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua)
	l			Look for the locations of Lotus rigidus, and Dicentra chrysantha.
1.89				Trail is overgrown with bushes in places beyond here
1.89	r	89		apricot mallow	Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua	20 / 9	2
1.90				Trail curves right 80° down to cross creek
1.91	l	90		bladderpod	Isomeris arborea	2 / 2	8
1.91				Cross stream to right
1.93				Cross stream to left
1.96				I took left braid of trail here; start climbing over boulders regularly and pushing through desert willows occasionally on all braids of trail
1.99	l	91		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	2 / 2	24
1.99	r	92		yellow-stem bush mallow	Malacothamnus densiflorus	10 / 9	2
2.00	r	93		prickly poppy	Argemone munita	5 / 2	7
2.00	r	94		linear-leaved stillingia	Stillingia linearifolia	3 / 1	1
2.01	l	95		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	20 / 1	46
2.01				Rejoin better braid of trail now in the stream; go left on it, upstream; trail gradually leaves the stream to the right
2.01	l			(smoothleaf yerba santa, Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum in distance)
2.01	l	96		short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	3 / 2	17
2.02	l	97		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	3 / 1	25
2.02	l	98		desert baccharis	Baccharis sergiloides	6 / 4	7
2.02	l			Check for ayenia
2.06	l			(red willow, Salix laevigata)
2.06	l	99		sugar bush	Rhus ovata⁺	4 / 4	25
2.07	l	100		Nealley three-awn	Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi	1 / 1	2
2.08	l		~	(~desert apricot, ~Prunus fremontii; California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium)
	l	101		goldfields	Lasthenia californica	2 / 1	9
2.10	l			(California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera)
2.12	l	102		scarlet spiderling	Boerhavia coccinea	10 / 1	1
2.12				Take left braid of trail, squeezing through narrow passageway between boulders; a mortero is just ahead on right braid of trail.
2.13				Cross stream to left
2.13	r	103	~	*whorled dock	Rumex conglomeratus	1 / 1
2.13	l	104		desert tobacco	Nicotiana obtusifolia	2 / 1	2
2.13	r	105		red willow	Salix laevigata	5 / 3	17
2.14	b	106		narrowleaf willow	Salix exigua	1 / 1	7
2.15	r	107		*prickly sow thistle	Sonchus asper ssp. asper	2 / 1	20
2.15	l	108	~	caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	5 / 1	12
2.15	l	109		bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus	1 / 1	9
2.15	l	110		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	3 / 1	17
2.15	r	111	sp	wild cucumber or desert star-vine	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus or Brandegea bigelovii	2 / 2
2.15	r	112		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	3 / 2	37
2.15	l	113		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	1 / 1	45
2.16				Cross stream to right
2.16	l	114		smoothleaf yerba santa	Eriodictyon trichocalyx var. lanatum	1 / 1	3
2.16	l	115		California fan palm	Washingtonia filifera	10 / 3	3
2.16	l	116		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	2 / 2	10
2.16	l			(mountain California-fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium
2.18	r	117	~	Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	3 / 1	18
2.19				Cross stream to left
2.19	l	118	ssp	silver wormwood	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana⁺	2 / 2	2
2.20				Cross stream to right and rejoin right braid of trail
2.24				Meet stream and head upstream
2.25	b	119		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	10 / 1	6
2.25	r	120		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	1 / 1	21
2.25	l	121		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	1 / 1	19
2.26	b	122		desert lotus	Lotus rigidus	3 / 2	1
2.26	r	123		wild celery	Apiastrum angustifolium	5 / 1	12
2.26	c			Check for ayenia
2.26		124		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	3 / 1	26
2.26	r	125		Mojave ragwort	Senecio mohavensis⁺	5 / 1	3
2.26	l	126		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	10 / 1	20
2.27				Leave stream to right
2.28	r	127		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	10 / 1	35
2.29	c	128		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	1 / 1	41
2.29	b	129		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	5 / 1	38
2.29	r	130		slender wreathplant	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei	1 / 1	15
2.31	r	131		desert brickellia	Brickellia desertorum	1 / 1	2
2.33	l	132	~	trailing townula	Sarcostemma hirtellum	10 / 1	1
2.33				Trail is difficult to follow here; it appears to go straight, but it doesn't. Turn left and clamber over big rock on left.
2.34				Trail branches here. Left branch crosses stream and climbs steeply up around Maidenhair Falls (see below for its guide). The right branch goes to Maidenhair Falls. The following species are in the stream crossing.
2.34	l	133	sp	*tamarisk	Tamarix sp.⁺	2 / 1
2.34	l	134	~	rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	5 / 1	14
2.34	l	135	~	cotton-batting plant	Gnaphalium stramineum	5 / 1	18
2.34	l	136		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	5 / 1	8
2.34	l	137		California loosestrife	Lythrum californicum	20 / 1	2
2.34	l	138		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1	16
2.34	l	139	~	Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	2 / 1	10
2.34	l	140	~	*water speedwell	Veronica anagallis-aquatica	5 / 1	4
2.34	l	141		*common plantain	Plantago major	5 / 1	8
2.34				Return to right branch if you are heading to Maidenhair Falls
2.34	l	142		*fountain grass	Pennisetum setaceum	1 / 1	10
2.34	l	143		white nightshade	Solanum douglasii	1 / 1	16
		144		climbing milkweed	Sarcostemma cynanchoides ssp. hartwegii	/ 1	4
2.35		145		iris-leaved rush	Juncus xiphioides	20 / 2	1
2.35	r	146		maidenhair fern	Adiantum capillus-veneris	10 / 1	2
2.35				Base of Maidenhair Falls; elevation ~1700 feet (520 m); cross stream to left and climb to top of Falls for next two species
2.36	b	147	~	water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum	10 / 1	12
2.36	b	148		littleseed muhly	Muhlenbergia microsperma	20 / 1	3
				Return to trailhead, or return to mile 2.34 and continue upstream.

2.34				Guide to continue beyond turnoff to Maidenhair Falls at mile 2.34, only giving new species not given above; cross stream to left and begin climbing steeply
2.36				Begin steep descent
	l	149	sp	desert thorn	Lycium sp.	/
2.36	l	150		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	1 / 1	22
2.36	l	151	sp	different Cryptantha	Cryptantha sp.	/
2.37				Trail to upper falls continues on left of stream; the following species are on the use path to the right toward the stream.
2.37	r			(intermediate larkspur, Delphinium parishii ssp. subglobosum)
2.39				Cross stream to right if you took the use path.
2.39				(Newberry's velvet mallow, Horsfordia newberryi)
2.45				Cross stream to left; rejoin main trail up-canyon
2.49	l	152	?	big galleta?	Pleuraphis rigida?	1 / 1
2.51				Cross stream to right
2.53				Cross stream to left
2.55				Waterfall similar to Maidenhair Falls at 1880 feet (575 m); turnaround and retrace your route to the trailhead
5.10				Back at Trailhead

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Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2005 by Tom Chester and Kay Madore
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/sd/plants/guides/anza_borrego/hellhole_canyon.html
Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Kay Madore
Last update: 28 December 2005.