Plant Guide to Santa Margarita River Trail, Fallbrook, North San Diego County

Plant Guide to Santa Margarita River Trail, Fallbrook, North San Diego County

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

The trailhead is about 2 miles north of downtown Fallbrook in northwestern San Diego County. It takes about 45 minutes from I-5 / SR76 in Oceanside to drive to the trailhead, and about 30 minutes from Temecula to the trailhead.
Directions to the trailhead:
From I-15: First head to downtown Fallbrook by taking the Mission Road exit, 8 miles south of Temecula, turning west (right) on Mission Road, and following the road into town. (On the west side of the freeway, Mission Road will curve north before heading west.) You'll pass through a stoplight at Stagecoach Drive, with a "Welcome to Fallbrook Avocado Capital" sign at a real estate office, continue winding through curves, and go through another stoplight near downtown at Brandon Road and head up a small hill. On the way down from that hill, the speed limit will change to 25 mph, and you'll pass through the stoplight at Main Street. The next block also has a stoplight, Pico Avenue, with a sign "to De Luz Road".
Take Pico Avenue north from its intersection with E. Mission Road. Pico Avenue turns into De Luz Road in one block, and you descend into the Santa Margarita River canyon with ~8 curves or so, and immediately at the bottom, junction with Sandia Creek Drive on your right.
To get to the parking lot for the Santa Margarita River Trail, go right on Sandia Creek Drive (it is almost like going straight, since De Luz Road curves left there.) Follow Sandia Creek Drive for 1-2 miles along the river, and just before it curves left to cross the river on an Arizona crossing, turn right into the parking lot for the Santa Margarita River Trail. There is a stream gauge in a concrete block building with an antenna on it in the parking lot.
This trail begins on the east end of the parking lot.
From SR76: Take the S. Mission Road exit ~12 miles east of I-5 in Oceanside and head north, the only possible direction, for about 6 miles. S. Mission Road will turn 90 degrees right at the north end of downtown Fallbrook and become E. Mission Road. Turn left after one block onto Pico Avenue, and follow the above directions from there.
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 69 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 our database.
Note that the planted species at the beginning of the trail have produced six species that are only found on this trail. We will remove the planted species from the next update of this histogram.

Number of Trails
Containing A Taxon Number Of Taxa
On This Trail % of Taxa
On This Trail
1 23 9%
2 11 4%
3 15 6%
4 13 5%
5 14 5%

1-5 76 28%
6-10 76 28%
11-15 53 20%
16-20 26 10%
21-25 13 5%
26-30 14 5%
31-35 9 3%
36-40 4 1%
Total Taxa 267 100%

We found 9 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.
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" Coverage
1/14/2002 1 to mile 0.60
11/28/2002 2 110 21 10 8 5 to mile 1.30
12/1/2002 3 127 15 7 9 7 to mile 1.68
4/3/2003 4 215 16 11 15 5 to mile 1.28
5/27/2003 5 245 10 9 17 2 to mile 1.41
5/31/2003 6 261 7 8 16 3 to mile 1.30
11/25/2003 7 276 4 10 12 3 complete trail, mile 2.53 (265 taxa to mile 1.68)

We thank Kay Madore for her assistance on 4/3/03, and the Southern California Botanists Group on 5/31/03.
The Plant Guide

Version for printing, without lines and other text on this page: html (11 pages) or pdf Clickbook booklet (3 double-sided pages). (See printing instructions for an explanation of these options)

Mile S # id? Common Name Latin Name #here #all
0.00 Gate at east end of parking lot at Sandia Creek Drive just south of its Santa Margarita River crossing.
0.00 r 1 *foxtail barley Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum / 16
0.00 r 2 *wild oats Avena fatua / 13
0.00 r 3 *Italian rye-grass Lolium multiflorum / 8
0.00 r 4 *soft chess Bromus hordeaceus / 25
0.00 r 5 *white-stemmed filaree Erodium moschatum / 10
0.00 r 6 *California burclover Medicago polymorpha / 25
0.00 r 7 *sourclover Melilotus indicus 10 / 5 11
0.00 r 8 canyon clarkia Clarkia epilobioides / 5
0.00 r 9 *pineapple weed Chamomilla suaveolens / 12
0.00 r 10 Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum / 3
0.00 r 11 *ripgut brome Bromus diandrus / 33
0.00 r 12 *Crete weed Hedypnois cretica / 12
0.00 r 13 *shortpod mustard Hirschfeldia incana / 35
0.00 l 14 *knotweed Polygonum arenastrum / 6
0.00 l 15 California sagebrush Artemisia californica / 29
0.00 b 16 *bermuda grass Cynodon dactylon / 12
0.00 b 17 *windmill pink Silene gallica / 19
0.00 r 18 *tocalote Centaurea melitensis / 30
0.00 r (California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia; golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum)
0.00 Someone has scattered seeds from a wildflower mix here; the next nine species are from those seeds.
0.00 l 19 ~ *common corncockle Agrostemma githago⁺ / 1 1
0.00 l 20 ~ *Spanish cockle Vaccaria hispanica⁺ / 1 1
0.00 l 21 ~ elegant clarkia cultivar Clarkia unguiculata⁺ / 1 2
0.00 l 22 ~ baby blue eyes Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii⁺ / 1 8
0.00 l 23 ~ *Moroccan toad-flax Linaria maroccana⁺ / 1 1
0.00 l 24 *Lemon Mint Monarda citriodora⁺ / 1 1
0.00 r 25 *bachelor's button Centaurea cyanus⁺ / 1 1
0.00 r 26 *love-in-a mist Nigella damascena⁺ / 1 1
0.00 r 27 sp garden poppy similar to Iceland poppy⁺1
0.00 l 28 *red brome Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens / 32
0.00 l 29 *winter vetch Vicia villosa ssp. varia / 9
0.00 l 30 *prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola / 21
0.00 l 31 pygmy-weed Crassula connata 20 / 1 11
0.00 l 32 bur-ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa / 12
0.00 r 33 coastal goldenbush Isocoma menziesii⁺ 3 / 1 2
0.00 l 34 seaside heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum 4 / 2 6
0.00 r Sign: "Santa Margarita Trail, established by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy in cooperation with the Fallbrook Public Utility District, with the help of the Santa Margarita Riders. Dedicated to the memory of Irene McCullough."
0.00 l 35 *mouse-ear chickweed Cerastium glomeratum / 11
0.00 l 36 *sand spurrey Spergularia bocconei / 3
0.00 l 37 cotton-batting plant Gnaphalium stramineum / 9
0.00 l 38 cocklebur Xanthium strumarium 2 / 2 8
0.00 l 39 *rattail fescue Vulpia myuros var. myuros / 10
0.00 l 40 *narrowleaf filago Filago gallica / 27
0.00 l 41 California filago Filago californica / 12
0.00 l 42 *sow thistle Sonchus oleraceus / 20
0.00 l 43 *common groundsel Senecio vulgaris / 11
0.00 b 44 purple clarkia Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera 99 / 3 12
0.00 b 45 mule fat Baccharis salicifolia 20 / 3 26
0.00 r 46 *smooth cat's ear Hypochaeris glabra / 20
0.00 r 47 *long-beaked filaree Erodium botrys / 4
0.00 r 48 *goldentop Lamarckia aurea / 10
0.00 r 49 *rabbits-foot grass Polypogon monspeliensis 5 / 2 10
0.00 r 50 *annual blue grass Poa annua / 6
0.00 r 51 California-aster Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia 5 / 2 33
0.00 l 52 *white goosefoot Chenopodium album 2 / 1 11
0.00 l 53 horseweed Conyza canadensis 50 / 9 20
0.00 r 54 dwarf lupine Lupinus bicolor / 17
0.00 r 55 wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus⁺ 2 / 2 20
0.00 r 56 *slender wild oats Avena barbata / 18
0.00 l 57 angel's gilia Gilia angelensis / 5
0.00 l 58 California poppy Eschscholzia californica / 18
0.00 l 59 red maids Calandrinia ciliata / 8
0.01 r 60 western ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya 5 / 1 23
0.01 l 61 telegraph weed Heterotheca grandiflora 30 / 3 20
0.01 l 62 *Mediterranean schismus Schismus barbatus / 10
0.01 r 63 basketbush Rhus trilobata / 14
0.01 r 64 fiesta flower Pholistoma auritum var. auritum 99 / 9 9
0.01 r 65 ~ common fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia / 7
0.01 r 66 slender madia Madia gracilis 10 / 1 7
0.01 r (blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.01 r 67 giant wild rye Leymus condensatus 50 / 9 22
0.01 r (southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.01 r 68 *Bermuda buttercup Oxalis pes-caprae 20 / 3 5
0.02 r (heartleaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia)
0.02 l (California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum)
0.02 r 69 wild-cucumber Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus 30 / 9 29
0.02 r 70 coast live oak Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia 99 / 9 29
0.02 r (toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, and branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.03 r (blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.04 r Telephone pole
0.04 l Trail junction; horses go left and cross river; continue straight.
0.04 l (red willow, Salix laevigata, and narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua, behind it.)
0.04 b 71 branching phacelia Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia 99 / 9 19
0.04 b 72 small wirelettuce Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei⁺ 99 / 9 6
r 73 south coast morning-glory Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia 3 / 3 10
0.04 r 74 poison oak Toxicodendron diversilobum 99 / 9 28
r 75 *Italian thistle Carduus pycnocephalus 50 / 3 8
0.06 l 76 collar lupine Lupinus truncatus / 15
0.06 r 77 eucrypta Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia / 13
0.06 l 78 narrow-leaved miner's lettuce Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora / 8
0.06 l 79 desert wild grape Vitis girdiana 50 / 9 7
0.06 l 80 wild canterbury bells Phacelia minor / 12
0.06 l (western sycamore, Platanus racemosa)
0.06 l 81 *purple wild radish Raphanus sativus / 9
0.06 l 82 caterpillar phacelia Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida 99 / 9 8
0.06 l 83 *London rocket Sisymbrium irio / 6
0.06 r 84 mugwort Artemisia douglasiana 30 / 9 22
0.06 l 85 common bedstraw Galium aparine / 19
0.06 l 86 *white sweetclover Melilotus albus 10 / 5 5
0.06 r 87 California wild rose Rosa californica 20 / 6 9
0.07 r 88 California blackberry Rubus ursinus 99 / 9 11
0.07 r 89 heartleaf penstemon Keckiella cordifolia 20 / 5 18
0.07 r 90 sacapellote Acourtia microcephala / 11
0.07 r 91 *hedge mustard Sisymbrium officinale / 12
0.07 r 92 *field hedge-parsley Torilis arvensis / 3
0.07 r 93 hollyleaf redberry Rhamnus ilicifolia 20 / 9 29
0.07 l 94 red willow Salix laevigata 2 / 2 14
0.07 r 95 ? unk baby plant with lvs like bindweed
0.07 r 96 white nightshade Solanum douglasii 30 / 9 11
0.08 l 97 Hooker's evening-primrose Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima 10 / 1 3
0.08 r 98 *four-leaf polycarp Polycarpon tetraphyllum / 6
0.08 r 99 *common chickweed Stellaria media / 15
0.08 r 100 *petty spurge Euphorbia peplus / 6
0.08 l 101 hairy sand verbena Abronia villosa var. aurita 1 / 1 2
0.09 l 102 western sycamore Platanus racemosa 20 / 9 16
0.09 l 103 chaparral bush mallow Malacothamnus fasciculatus 20 / 9 8
0.09 b 104 ~ *curly dock Rumex crispus / 13
0.09 r 105 *scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis / 16
0.09 l 106 *poison hemlock Conium maculatum 99 / 3 5
0.09 r Small gully
0.11 r 107 creeping wild rye Leymus triticoides 5 / 1 5
0.11 r 108 purple snapdragon Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum / 8
0.11 r 109 pellitory Parietaria hespera var. hespera / 2
0.12 r (nit grass, Gastridium ventricosum)
0.13 r 110 *milk thistle Silybum marianum 20 / 1 8
0.13 l 111 blue elderberry Sambucus mexicana 10 / 9 33
0.13 r 112 *cheeseweed Malva parviflora / 11
0.13 Go up very small rise.
0.13 l 113 one-sided bluegrass Poa secunda ssp. secunda / 19
0.13 r 114 *henbit Lamium amplexicaule / 7
0.14 r (sacred datura, Datura wrightii)
0.14 l 115 *giant reed Arundo donax⁺ 1 / 1 6
0.14 l 116 narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium 20 / 9 35
0.16 l 117 *fennel Foeniculum vulgare 2 / 1 11
0.16 r (small-flowered nightshade, Solanum americanum)
0.16 r 118 blue dicks Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum / 26
0.16 r 119 slim vetch Vicia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana / 4
0.16 r 120 silver puffs Uropappus lindleyi / 16
0.16 l 121 black cottonwood Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa 20 / 3 7
0.16 Enter bouldery section.
0.16 r 122 giant needlegrass Achnatherum coronatum 20 / 3 15
0.16 r (saw-toothed goldenbush, Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides)
0.16 r 123 bush monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus 10 / 3 27
0.16 r 124 white sage Salvia apiana 20 / 3 25
0.16 r 125 small-flowered melica Melica imperfecta / 24
0.16 r 126 threadstem Pterostegia drymarioides / 13
0.16 r 127 California chalk lettuce Dudleya pulverulenta ssp. pulverulenta 20 / 3 7
0.16 r 128 California buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum 10 / 3 35
0.16 r 129 golden yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum / 35
0.16 r 130 tomcat clover Trifolium willdenovii / 8
0.16 r 131 long-stemmed buckwheat Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum 5 / 2 15
0.16 r 132 California suncup Camissonia californica / 12
0.16 l 133 arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis 5 / 3 24
0.16 r 134 ssp short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus 10 / 3 12
0.16 r 135 California brickellbush Brickellia californica 10 / 2 20
0.17 Trail used to split here briefly; go right on the upper trail. The lower trail is now overgrown.
0.17 l (oleander, Nerium oleander)
0.17 r 136 popcorn flower Cryptantha intermedia / 17
r 137 California mustard Guillenia lasiophylla / 4
r 138 goldback fern Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis 10 / 5 11
0.18 b 139 white everlasting Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum 10 / 5 29
0.18 r 140 Bishop's lotus Lotus strigosus / 18
0.18 r 141 San Diego morning-glory Calystegia macrostegia ssp. tenuifolia 3 / 3 15
0.18 142 chia Salvia columbariae / 15
0.18 r 143 Bigelow's spike-moss Selaginella bigelovii / 12
0.18 r 144 coffee fern Pellaea andromedifolia 20 / 9 16
0.18 r 145 lace-pod Thysanocarpus laciniatus / 4
0.18 r 146 cotton fern Cheilanthes newberryi 50 / 5 3
0.18 l 147 Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii 1 / 1 8
r liverworts with fruiting bodies on a 3 cm stem.
r 148 yellow pincushion Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula / 10
r 149 California thistle Cirsium occidentale var. californicum / 8
0.20 Short steep descent of a few steps to junction with former lower trail; continue rightish along the trail.
0.20 r 150 sweetbush Bebbia juncea var. aspera 3 / 1 6
0.20 r 151 Coulter's lupine Lupinus sparsiflorus / 7
0.21 r 152 three spot Osmadenia tenella 5 / 1 6
0.22 r 153 bicolored everlasting Gnaphalium bicolor 20 / 3 17
0.22 Jct. path to water on left; go right on trail which enters a brief up and down eroded area - watch your footing and stay on upper path whenever there appears to be a choice.
0.23 l 154 California brome Bromus carinatus var. carinatus 5 / 1 10
0.23 l 155 *creeping Australian saltbush Atriplex semibaccata 1 / 1 9
0.24 r (leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus)
0.24 l 156 meally white pincushion Chaenactis artemisiifolia / 5
0.24 r 157 saw-toothed goldenbush Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides 20 / 5 23
0.24 r 158 San Diego pea Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii / 12
0.24 r 159 bird's-foot fern Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata / 18
0.25 End bouldery section. Trail is now dead flat.
0.25 r A number of "core boulders" are eroding out of the rock on the cliff.
0.25 r 160 leafy daisy Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus / 27
0.27 l 161 *Australian brass-buttons Cotula australis / 9
0.27 l 162 coyote bush Baccharis pilularis 1 / 1 17
0.28 l 163 globe gilia Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia / 3
0.28 r More core boulders.
0.29 l 164 purple owl's clover Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta / 6
0.30 r 165 wide-throated yellow monkeyflower Mimulus brevipes / 5
0.30 l 80 cm purple owl's clover!
0.30 r Hillside of fiesta flower and blue larkspur.
0.30 r 166 Ramona clarkia Clarkia similis 20 / 5 1
0.30 Enter shade again.
0.30 167 *bull thistle Cirsium vulgare / 9
0.30 l 168 red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum 5 / 1 3
0.32 l 169 rattlesnake weed Daucus pusillus 20 / 5 12
0.32 r 170 *sweet alyssum Lobularia maritima 2 / 1 3
0.32 Bedded river deposits seen just ahead on left. Note the soot layer 90 cm down, which is either from a long-ago fire, or from an organic layer which burned in February 2002. This is getting harder to see as vegetation regrows.
0.32 Four massive western sycamores that survived the 2002 fire.
0.33 r 171 meadow-rue Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum 20 / 5 1
0.33 r 172 sp sticky false-gilia Allophyllum glutinosum 3 / 1 5
0.33 Enter "spooky forest".
0.33 173 California wood fern Dryopteris arguta 20 / 5 7
0.35 Cross dry drainage.
0.36 Horse Trail rejoins path, from left; continue straight.
0.37 r 174 common monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus 2 / 1 6
0.37 r 175 ? unk per with elliptic 85 x 35 mm lvs, including a petiole of 20 mm, in 'cauline rosettes'. Pix.
0.38 r Jct. brief alternate path to avoid mud in main trail.
0.38 l 176 canyon sunflower Venegasia carpesioides 5 / 1 1
0.39 b 177 *freeway daisy Osteospermum fruticosum 3 / 1 1
0.39 r 178 Chinese houses Collinsia heterophylla 50 / 5 10
0.39 r Alternate path rejoins main trail.
0.39 r 179 *smilo grass Piptatherum miliaceum 50 / 5 14
0.40 r 180 southern Indian pink Silene laciniata ssp. major / 10
0.40 b 181 Venus looking-glass Triodanis biflora 5 / 2 1
0.40 r 182 *pokeweed Phytolacca americana 5 / 2 1
0.40 r 183 *tree tobacco Nicotiana glauca 5 / 2 12
l (ear drops, Dicentra chrysantha formerly at this location.
0.41 l 184 California fuchsia Epilobium canum ssp. canum 1 / 1 10
0.41 r (Check vetch here for Vicia hassei, with fls well separated.)
0.42 r 185 tree clover Trifolium ciliolatum / 6
0.42 r 186 southern honeysuckle Lonicera subspicata var. denudata 30 / 5 27
0.42 b 187 *castor bean Ricinus communis 5 / 2 12
0.42 Trail rerouted a bit upstream and crossing improved in early 2003; cross dry drainage.
0.42 r (California chicory, Rafinesquia californica)
0.43 r 188 Fish's milkwort Polygala cornuta var. fishiae 99 / 9 2
0.44 l Jct. steep path to river; stay right.
0.47 r Note boulder that fell down from an obvious location just above it.
Large sinkhole in trail near here in early 2003.
0.47 r 189 blue wildrye Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus 5 / 1 15
0.47 r 190 *common cudweed Gnaphalium luteo-album 1 / 1 5
0.47 r 191 *brome fescue Vulpia bromoides / 3
0.49 r 192 California everlasting Gnaphalium californicum 20 / 5 22
0.49 r 193 San Diego mountain mahogany Cercocarpus minutiflorus 30 / 9 7
0.49 r 194 willowherb Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum 5 / 1 14
0.49 r 195 annual sunflower Helianthus annuus / 8
0.49 r 196 hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia 5 / 3 8
0.50 r 197 coast jepsonia Jepsonia parryi 30 / 1 8
r 198 small-flowered meconella Meconella denticulata 2 / 2 1
0.50 r 199 goldenstar Bloomeria crocea 5 / 1 6
0.50 r 200 sp woodland star Lithophragma affine 5 / 1 3
0.51 201 ~ saltgrass Distichlis spicata⁺ / 9
0.51 r 202 lanceleaf dudleya Dudleya lanceolata 30 / 3 15
0.52 r 203 California polypody Polypodium californicum / 10
0.53 l 204 *blessed thistle Cnicus benedictus 10 / 2 1
0.54 r 205 blue larkspur Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi 30 / 9 5
r 206 minute-flowered cryptantha Cryptantha micromeres 3 / 1 3
0.55 r Jct. big road; stay left.
0.55 r 207 Parish's purple nightshade Solanum parishii 30 / 5 10
0.56 l 208 small-flowered nightshade Solanum americanum 5 / 2 2
0.56 l 209 stinging nettle Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea 5 / 2 8
0.56 Cross stream.
0.56 r 210 ~ water cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum⁺ 5 / 2 8
0.56 r 211 *gopher plant Euphorbia lathyris⁺ 3 / 1 1
0.58 r Jct. big road (other terminus of road at mile 0.55); stay left.
0.59 r 212 whispering bells Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora / 5
0.62 r 213 golden ear drops Dicentra chrysantha 30 / 2 4
0.64 l Jct. path to water.
0.65 214 sp *water speedwell Veronica anagallis-aquatica / 1
0.68 r 215 black-hair nettle Hesperocnide tenella 1 / 1 2
0.69 l 216 cobwebby thistle Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale / 4
b 217 *English plantain Plantago lanceolata / 13
0.70 r 218 *little horseweed Conyza bonariensis / 10
0.72 l 219 California croton Croton californicus 20 / 5 4
0.72 l wild tarragon Artemisia dracunculus /
0.72 r Jct. big road; stay left.
0.72 b 220 dove weed Eremocarpus setigerus 20 / 3 10
0.72 r 221 Indian tobacco Nicotiana quadrivalvis 1 / 1 1
0.73 l 222 San Diego birdsfoot lotus Lotus hamatus / 7
0.74 r 223 Pacific sanicle Sanicula crassicaulis 20 / 3 9
0.74 l 224 triangular-fruit sedge Carex triquetra 10 / 1 10
0.80 l 225 toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia 3 / 3 33
0.80 226 hoaryleaf ceanothus Ceanothus crassifolius⁺ 5 / 3 10
0.80 227 ssp California oxalis Oxalis albicans 4 / 2 1
0.81 l A single small wirelettuce, Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei, with bright pink flowers. All the rest on the trail have pure white flowers.
0.81 Jct. path to water on left; go right on trail.
0.82 228 sp virgin's bower Clematis pauciflora 20 / 5 7
0.84 l Jct. road cut through hill.
0.84 l 229 *lesser swine cress Coronopus didymus 2 / 1 2
0.87 r Fencepost inside large pipe - property line marker?
0.89 l 230 sp Two baby pines planted in fall 2003. Pinus sp.⁺ 2 / 1
0.89 Trail splits; only horses to left; hikers and horses to right; go right.
0.91 Jct. path to right.
0.92 l 231 ~ Vasey's prickly pear Opuntia Xvaseyi 2 / 2 14
0.93 l 232 climbing bedstraw Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii / 13
0.99 Begin bouldery section again.
1.00 r 233 stinging lupine Lupinus hirsutissimus / 10
1.00 234 California lace fern Aspidotis californica 5 / 1 3
1.03 Trail junction; go right (left to river crossing)
1.03 Cross drainage.
1.03 l 235 chaparral yucca Yucca whipplei 30 / 5 13
1.08 r 236 ocellated Humboldt lily Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum 1 / 1 2
1.08 Trail jags right.
1.08 r Second small-flowered meconella, Meconella denticulata.
1.08 r 237 California maidenhair fern Adiantum jordanii 1 / 1 6
r 238 California chicory Rafinesquia californica 5 / 1 14
1.09 r 239 ~ Spanish clover Lotus purshianus var. purshianus / 14
1.10 r 240 miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata / 12
1.10 r Best area for California wood fern, Dryopteris arguta.
1.11 r 241 sugar bush Rhus ovata 20 / 5 16
1.13 Look at the beautiful boulders upstream, and then cross dry drainage.
1.15 r Bench without a back.
1.16 l 242 *nit grass Gastridium ventricosum / 13
1.18 Sign: "Crossing [left]; Trail [rightish]". Go rightish on the much-improved-in-late-2003 trail.
1.21 l 243 chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum 20 / 5 24
l 244 yellow mariposa lily Calochortus weedii var. weedii / 6
1.22 l 245 ~ intermediate sun-cups Camissonia intermedia 5 / 2 1
1.22 l wide-throated yellow monkeyflower Mimulus brevipes /
1.22 r Huge field of golden ear drops, Dicentra chrysantha.
1.22 Jct. dirt road. Go right, uphill, and turn left at the Y-jct, noted below, when you are just below the driveway to the house on the right of the dirt road.
1.23 r (twiggy wreath plant, Stephanomeria virgata)
1.24 l short-winged deerweed Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus /
1.24 l 246 fringed spineflower Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata / 4
1.25 l 247 Eastwood manzanita Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis 5 / 2 6
1.25 l 248 *statice Limonium sinuatum 10 / 1 1
1.25 r 249 Coulter's snapdragon Antirrhinum coulterianum 1 / 1 2
1.25 r 250 Jurupa Hills sun-cups Camissonia ignota 5 / 1 4
1.27 Turn around and see top of Rock Mountain peeking above ridgeline to north. Gavilan Mountain is the ridgeline to its east.
1.28 Y-jct. Take trail to left.
1.28 l Jct. Ridgetop Trail; sign dead ahead: "Hikers and Horses". Take a brief excursion on the Ridgetop Trail to see the following species:
251 ssp hooked skunkweed Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata 10 / 1 3
252 sapphire woolly-star Eriastrum sapphirinum 10 / 1 2
253 prostrate spineflower Chorizanthe procumbens 5 / 1 1
254 rockrose Helianthemum scoparium 5 / 1 8
1.29 255 comb-leaved nemacladus Nemacladus pinnatifidus 5 / 1 1
1.30 Back at main trail, turn left at sign: "hikers, horses" with directional arrows along trail.
1.30 l 256 laurel sumac Malosma laurina 5 / 2 25
1.31 r 257 mission manzanita Xylococcus bicolor 10 / 3 8
1.35 l 258 odora Porophyllum gracile 2 / 1 4
1.38 r 259 black sage Salvia mellifera 10 / 3 26
1.38 Y-jct. Go left.
1.40 Jct. road / path on left. Continue straight.
1.41 r 260 sp sedge Carex sp. 20 / 2
1.41 r 261 sp green dock? Rumex sp. /
1.41 Cross stream. (Check for Rorippa here, as first occurrence now.)
1.41 l 262 *dallis grass Paspalum dilatatum 4 / 1 4
1.41 r 263 umbrella sedge Cyperus eragrostis 5 / 1 3
1.41 r 264 canyon dodder Cuscuta subinclusa 1 / 1 1
1.45 The steep cut on the right is the firebreak marking the easternmost extent of the 2002 fire, marking the end of the burned area.
1.48 Woodrat's nest high in tree on right.
1.49 Trail curves right 90°.
1.50 T-jct, go left (right branch leads to "Sand Pit" and 500 foot trail).
1.53 virgin's bower Clematis pauciflora /
1.55 Cross dry drainage.
1.56 r 265 scrub oak X Engelmann oak Quercus berberidifolia X Q. engelmannii 3 / 3 11
1.61 Local high point on trail.
1.66 California oxalis Oxalis albicans /
1.68 Trail jags left into sandy region.
1.73 Local low point on trail; trail leaves sandy region.
1.76 Cross dry drainage.
1.83 Cross dry drainage.
1.84 l hoaryleaf ceanothus Ceanothus crassifolius /
1.85 r 266 stinking gourd Cucurbita foetidissima 5 / 1 5
1.89 Beginning here, the small wirelettuce, Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei, has predominantly 7-8 flowers per head and is taller than the previous plants.
2.00 r 267 Davidson's buckwheat Eriogonum davidsonii 5 / 2 15
2.03 Local high point on trail.
2.09 l 268 Torrey's hybrid oak Quercus Xacutidens 1 / 1 4
2.11 Trail curves left 90°
2.15 T-jct; go right (left trail leads to river crossing).
2.19 l Another candidate for saltgrass
2.24 r 269 sp *saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima 3 / 1 3
2.24 l 270 *mission cactus Opuntia ficus-indica 3 / 1 4
2.28 r Jct. Rainbow Creek Trail; stay left
2.30 Trail curves left 90° and crosses Rainbow Creek.
2.31 l 271 sp rush 6-12 feet tall Juncus sp. 10 / 1
2.33 Trail makes long curve left 90°
2.37 Trail makes long curve right 90°
2.40 r Grinding stone rock; jct. steep path uphill.
2.42 l 272 ? black locust? Robinia pseudoacacia?⁺ 8 / 1
2.44 l 273 ? Tree with long seed pods like catalpa, 30 cm x 13 mm, dehiscent at end.⁺11
2.48 r 274 sacred datura Datura wrightii 1 / 1 12
2.48 r 275 *horehound Marrubium vulgare 3 / 1 17
2.49 l Jct. trail to river crossing.
2.51 r 276 *Peruvian pepper tree Schinus molle 1 / 1 5
2.53 End trail at locked gate at the jct. of Willow Glen Road and North Stagecoach Lane. Turnaround and retrace your steps to the trailhead.

Comments On Specific Species

Various species. These are all species which have been planted here.
Isocoma menziesii. Distinguishing var. menziesii from var. vernonioides seems problematic using either the Munz key or the JM key. See Comments on the Jepson Manual and A Flora of Southern California by Munz.
Artemisia dracunculus, Ceanothus crassifolius. The first occurrence of each of these species died from the February 2002 fire. That first occurrence remains in the guide, but the first occurrence in 2003 is also given.
Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei. There appear to be two races on this trail. The plants from mile 0.0 to mile 1.3 have mostly 5-6 flowers per head. The plants around mile 2.0 have mostly 7-8 flowers per head. See Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei.
All blooms are pure white, except for a single plant at mile 0.81, which has bright pink flowers, and is growing immediately next to a normal plant with white flowers.
Distichlis spicata, Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, Euphorbia lathyris. The first occurrence of these species was gone in late 2003. The second occurrence is noted if one is present.
Arundo donax. This plant was killed in 2002 as part of the 5 year program to remove Arundo from the Santa Margarita River watershed.

Number of Trails Containing A Taxon	Number Of Taxa On This Trail	% of Taxa On This Trail
1	23	9%
2	11	4%
3	15	6%
4	13	5%
5	14	5%

1-5	76	28%
6-10	76	28%
11-15	53	20%
16-20	26	10%
21-25	13	5%
26-30	14	5%
31-35	9	3%
36-40	4	1%
Total Taxa	267	100%

Visit Date	Visit #	# taxa	# "?"	# "sp"	# "~"	# "ssp"	Coverage
1/14/2002	1						to mile 0.60
11/28/2002	2	110	21	10	8	5	to mile 1.30
12/1/2002	3	127	15	7	9	7	to mile 1.68
4/3/2003	4	215	16	11	15	5	to mile 1.28
5/27/2003	5	245	10	9	17	2	to mile 1.41
5/31/2003	6	261	7	8	16	3	to mile 1.30
11/25/2003	7	276	4	10	12	3	complete trail, mile 2.53 (265 taxa to mile 1.68)

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here	#all
0.00				Gate at east end of parking lot at Sandia Creek Drive just south of its Santa Margarita River crossing.
0.00	r	1		*foxtail barley	Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum	/	16
0.00	r	2		*wild oats	Avena fatua	/	13
0.00	r	3		*Italian rye-grass	Lolium multiflorum	/	8
0.00	r	4		*soft chess	Bromus hordeaceus	/	25
0.00	r	5		*white-stemmed filaree	Erodium moschatum	/	10
0.00	r	6		*California burclover	Medicago polymorpha	/	25
0.00	r	7		*sourclover	Melilotus indicus	10 / 5	11
0.00	r	8		canyon clarkia	Clarkia epilobioides	/	5
0.00	r	9		*pineapple weed	Chamomilla suaveolens	/	12
0.00	r	10		Carolina geranium	Geranium carolinianum	/	3
0.00	r	11		*ripgut brome	Bromus diandrus	/	33
0.00	r	12		*Crete weed	Hedypnois cretica	/	12
0.00	r	13		*shortpod mustard	Hirschfeldia incana	/	35
0.00	l	14		*knotweed	Polygonum arenastrum	/	6
0.00	l	15		California sagebrush	Artemisia californica	/	29
0.00	b	16		*bermuda grass	Cynodon dactylon	/	12
0.00	b	17		*windmill pink	Silene gallica	/	19
0.00	r	18		*tocalote	Centaurea melitensis	/	30
0.00	r			(California-aster, Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia; golden yarrow, Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum)
0.00				Someone has scattered seeds from a wildflower mix here; the next nine species are from those seeds.
0.00	l	19	~	*common corncockle	Agrostemma githago⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	l	20	~	*Spanish cockle	Vaccaria hispanica⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	l	21	~	elegant clarkia cultivar	Clarkia unguiculata⁺	/ 1	2
0.00	l	22	~	baby blue eyes	Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii⁺	/ 1	8
0.00	l	23	~	*Moroccan toad-flax	Linaria maroccana⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	l	24		*Lemon Mint	Monarda citriodora⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	r	25		*bachelor's button	Centaurea cyanus⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	r	26		*love-in-a mist	Nigella damascena⁺	/ 1	1
0.00	r	27	sp	garden poppy similar to Iceland poppy⁺1
0.00	l	28		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	/	32
0.00	l	29		*winter vetch	Vicia villosa ssp. varia	/	9
0.00	l	30		*prickly lettuce	Lactuca serriola	/	21
0.00	l	31		pygmy-weed	Crassula connata	20 / 1	11
0.00	l	32		bur-ragweed	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	/	12
0.00	r	33		coastal goldenbush	Isocoma menziesii⁺	3 / 1	2
0.00	l	34		seaside heliotrope	Heliotropium curassavicum	4 / 2	6
0.00	r			Sign: "Santa Margarita Trail, established by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy in cooperation with the Fallbrook Public Utility District, with the help of the Santa Margarita Riders. Dedicated to the memory of Irene McCullough."
0.00	l	35		*mouse-ear chickweed	Cerastium glomeratum	/	11
0.00	l	36		*sand spurrey	Spergularia bocconei	/	3
0.00	l	37		cotton-batting plant	Gnaphalium stramineum	/	9
0.00	l	38		cocklebur	Xanthium strumarium	2 / 2	8
0.00	l	39		*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros var. myuros	/	10
0.00	l	40		*narrowleaf filago	Filago gallica	/	27
0.00	l	41		California filago	Filago californica	/	12
0.00	l	42		*sow thistle	Sonchus oleraceus	/	20
0.00	l	43		*common groundsel	Senecio vulgaris	/	11
0.00	b	44		purple clarkia	Clarkia purpurea ssp. quadrivulnera	99 / 3	12
0.00	b	45		mule fat	Baccharis salicifolia	20 / 3	26
0.00	r	46		*smooth cat's ear	Hypochaeris glabra	/	20
0.00	r	47		*long-beaked filaree	Erodium botrys	/	4
0.00	r	48		*goldentop	Lamarckia aurea	/	10
0.00	r	49		*rabbits-foot grass	Polypogon monspeliensis	5 / 2	10
0.00	r	50		*annual blue grass	Poa annua	/	6
0.00	r	51		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	5 / 2	33
0.00	l	52		*white goosefoot	Chenopodium album	2 / 1	11
0.00	l	53		horseweed	Conyza canadensis	50 / 9	20
0.00	r	54		dwarf lupine	Lupinus bicolor	/	17
0.00	r	55		wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus⁺	2 / 2	20
0.00	r	56		*slender wild oats	Avena barbata	/	18
0.00	l	57		angel's gilia	Gilia angelensis	/	5
0.00	l	58		California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	/	18
0.00	l	59		red maids	Calandrinia ciliata	/	8
0.01	r	60		western ragweed	Ambrosia psilostachya	5 / 1	23
0.01	l	61		telegraph weed	Heterotheca grandiflora	30 / 3	20
0.01	l	62		*Mediterranean schismus	Schismus barbatus	/	10
0.01	r	63		basketbush	Rhus trilobata	/	14
0.01	r	64		fiesta flower	Pholistoma auritum var. auritum	99 / 9	9
0.01	r	65	~	common fiddleneck	Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia	/	7
0.01	r	66		slender madia	Madia gracilis	10 / 1	7
0.01	r			(blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum)
0.01	r	67		giant wild rye	Leymus condensatus	50 / 9	22
0.01	r			(southern honeysuckle, Lonicera subspicata var. denudata)
0.01	r	68		*Bermuda buttercup	Oxalis pes-caprae	20 / 3	5
0.02	r			(heartleaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia)
0.02	l			(California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum)
0.02	r	69		wild-cucumber	Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus	30 / 9	29
0.02	r	70		coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia	99 / 9	29
0.02	r			(toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, and branching phacelia, Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia)
0.03	r			(blue elderberry, Sambucus mexicana)
0.04	r			Telephone pole
0.04	l			Trail junction; horses go left and cross river; continue straight.
0.04	l			(red willow, Salix laevigata, and narrowleaf willow, Salix exigua, behind it.)
0.04	b	71		branching phacelia	Phacelia ramosissima var. latifolia	99 / 9	19
0.04	b	72		small wirelettuce	Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei⁺	99 / 9	6
	r	73		south coast morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. intermedia	3 / 3	10
0.04	r	74		poison oak	Toxicodendron diversilobum	99 / 9	28
	r	75		*Italian thistle	Carduus pycnocephalus	50 / 3	8
0.06	l	76		collar lupine	Lupinus truncatus	/	15
0.06	r	77		eucrypta	Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia	/	13
0.06	l	78		narrow-leaved miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora	/	8
0.06	l	79		desert wild grape	Vitis girdiana	50 / 9	7
0.06	l	80		wild canterbury bells	Phacelia minor	/	12
0.06	l			(western sycamore, Platanus racemosa)
0.06	l	81		*purple wild radish	Raphanus sativus	/	9
0.06	l	82		caterpillar phacelia	Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida	99 / 9	8
0.06	l	83		*London rocket	Sisymbrium irio	/	6
0.06	r	84		mugwort	Artemisia douglasiana	30 / 9	22
0.06	l	85		common bedstraw	Galium aparine	/	19
0.06	l	86		*white sweetclover	Melilotus albus	10 / 5	5
0.06	r	87		California wild rose	Rosa californica	20 / 6	9
0.07	r	88		California blackberry	Rubus ursinus	99 / 9	11
0.07	r	89		heartleaf penstemon	Keckiella cordifolia	20 / 5	18
0.07	r	90		sacapellote	Acourtia microcephala	/	11
0.07	r	91		*hedge mustard	Sisymbrium officinale	/	12
0.07	r	92		*field hedge-parsley	Torilis arvensis	/	3
0.07	r	93		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	20 / 9	29
0.07	l	94		red willow	Salix laevigata	2 / 2	14
0.07	r	95	?	unk baby plant with lvs like bindweed
0.07	r	96		white nightshade	Solanum douglasii	30 / 9	11
0.08	l	97		Hooker's evening-primrose	Oenothera elata ssp. hirsutissima	10 / 1	3
0.08	r	98		*four-leaf polycarp	Polycarpon tetraphyllum	/	6
0.08	r	99		*common chickweed	Stellaria media	/	15
0.08	r	100		*petty spurge	Euphorbia peplus	/	6
0.08	l	101		hairy sand verbena	Abronia villosa var. aurita	1 / 1	2
0.09	l	102		western sycamore	Platanus racemosa	20 / 9	16
0.09	l	103		chaparral bush mallow	Malacothamnus fasciculatus	20 / 9	8
0.09	b	104	~	*curly dock	Rumex crispus	/	13
0.09	r	105		*scarlet pimpernel	Anagallis arvensis	/	16
0.09	l	106		*poison hemlock	Conium maculatum	99 / 3	5
0.09	r			Small gully
0.11	r	107		creeping wild rye	Leymus triticoides	5 / 1	5
0.11	r	108		purple snapdragon	Antirrhinum nuttallianum ssp. nuttallianum	/	8
0.11	r	109		pellitory	Parietaria hespera var. hespera	/	2
0.12	r			(nit grass, Gastridium ventricosum)
0.13	r	110		*milk thistle	Silybum marianum	20 / 1	8
0.13	l	111		blue elderberry	Sambucus mexicana	10 / 9	33
0.13	r	112		*cheeseweed	Malva parviflora	/	11
0.13				Go up very small rise.
0.13	l	113		one-sided bluegrass	Poa secunda ssp. secunda	/	19
0.13	r	114		*henbit	Lamium amplexicaule	/	7
0.14	r			(sacred datura, Datura wrightii)
0.14	l	115		*giant reed	Arundo donax⁺	1 / 1	6
0.14	l	116		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	20 / 9	35
0.16	l	117		*fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	2 / 1	11
0.16	r			(small-flowered nightshade, Solanum americanum)
0.16	r	118		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	/	26
0.16	r	119		slim vetch	Vicia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana	/	4
0.16	r	120		silver puffs	Uropappus lindleyi	/	16
0.16	l	121		black cottonwood	Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa	20 / 3	7
0.16				Enter bouldery section.
0.16	r	122		giant needlegrass	Achnatherum coronatum	20 / 3	15
0.16	r			(saw-toothed goldenbush, Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides)
0.16	r	123		bush monkeyflower	Mimulus aurantiacus	10 / 3	27
0.16	r	124		white sage	Salvia apiana	20 / 3	25
0.16	r	125		small-flowered melica	Melica imperfecta	/	24
0.16	r	126		threadstem	Pterostegia drymarioides	/	13
0.16	r	127		California chalk lettuce	Dudleya pulverulenta ssp. pulverulenta	20 / 3	7
0.16	r	128		California buckwheat	Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum	10 / 3	35
0.16	r	129		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	/	35
0.16	r	130		tomcat clover	Trifolium willdenovii	/	8
0.16	r	131		long-stemmed buckwheat	Eriogonum elongatum var. elongatum	5 / 2	15
0.16	r	132		California suncup	Camissonia californica	/	12
0.16	l	133		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	5 / 3	24
0.16	r	134	ssp	short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	10 / 3	12
0.16	r	135		California brickellbush	Brickellia californica	10 / 2	20
0.17				Trail used to split here briefly; go right on the upper trail. The lower trail is now overgrown.
0.17	l			(oleander, Nerium oleander)
0.17	r	136		popcorn flower	Cryptantha intermedia	/	17
	r	137		California mustard	Guillenia lasiophylla	/	4
	r	138		goldback fern	Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis	10 / 5	11
0.18	b	139		white everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. microcephalum	10 / 5	29
0.18	r	140		Bishop's lotus	Lotus strigosus	/	18
0.18	r	141		San Diego morning-glory	Calystegia macrostegia ssp. tenuifolia	3 / 3	15
0.18		142		chia	Salvia columbariae	/	15
0.18	r	143		Bigelow's spike-moss	Selaginella bigelovii	/	12
0.18	r	144		coffee fern	Pellaea andromedifolia	20 / 9	16
0.18	r	145		lace-pod	Thysanocarpus laciniatus	/	4
0.18	r	146		cotton fern	Cheilanthes newberryi	50 / 5	3
0.18	l	147		Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii	1 / 1	8
	r			liverworts with fruiting bodies on a 3 cm stem.
	r	148		yellow pincushion	Chaenactis glabriuscula var. glabriuscula	/	10
	r	149		California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	/	8
0.20				Short steep descent of a few steps to junction with former lower trail; continue rightish along the trail.
0.20	r	150		sweetbush	Bebbia juncea var. aspera	3 / 1	6
0.20	r	151		Coulter's lupine	Lupinus sparsiflorus	/	7
0.21	r	152		three spot	Osmadenia tenella	5 / 1	6
0.22	r	153		bicolored everlasting	Gnaphalium bicolor	20 / 3	17
0.22				Jct. path to water on left; go right on trail which enters a brief up and down eroded area - watch your footing and stay on upper path whenever there appears to be a choice.
0.23	l	154		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	5 / 1	10
0.23	l	155		*creeping Australian saltbush	Atriplex semibaccata	1 / 1	9
0.24	r			(leafy daisy, Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus)
0.24	l	156		meally white pincushion	Chaenactis artemisiifolia	/	5
0.24	r	157		saw-toothed goldenbush	Hazardia squarrosa var. grindelioides	20 / 5	23
0.24	r	158		San Diego pea	Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii	/	12
0.24	r	159		bird's-foot fern	Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata	/	18
0.25				End bouldery section. Trail is now dead flat.
0.25	r			A number of "core boulders" are eroding out of the rock on the cliff.
0.25	r	160		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	/	27
0.27	l	161		*Australian brass-buttons	Cotula australis	/	9
0.27	l	162		coyote bush	Baccharis pilularis	1 / 1	17
0.28	l	163		globe gilia	Gilia capitata ssp. abrotanifolia	/	3
0.28	r			More core boulders.
0.29	l	164		purple owl's clover	Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta	/	6
0.30	r	165		wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	Mimulus brevipes	/	5
0.30	l			80 cm purple owl's clover!
0.30	r			Hillside of fiesta flower and blue larkspur.
0.30	r	166		Ramona clarkia	Clarkia similis	20 / 5	1
0.30				Enter shade again.
0.30		167		*bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare	/	9
0.30	l	168		red goosefoot	Chenopodium rubrum	5 / 1	3
0.32	l	169		rattlesnake weed	Daucus pusillus	20 / 5	12
0.32	r	170		*sweet alyssum	Lobularia maritima	2 / 1	3
0.32				Bedded river deposits seen just ahead on left. Note the soot layer 90 cm down, which is either from a long-ago fire, or from an organic layer which burned in February 2002. This is getting harder to see as vegetation regrows.
0.32				Four massive western sycamores that survived the 2002 fire.
0.33	r	171		meadow-rue	Thalictrum fendleri var. polycarpum	20 / 5	1
0.33	r	172	sp	sticky false-gilia	Allophyllum glutinosum	3 / 1	5
0.33				Enter "spooky forest".
0.33		173		California wood fern	Dryopteris arguta	20 / 5	7
0.35				Cross dry drainage.
0.36				Horse Trail rejoins path, from left; continue straight.
0.37	r	174		common monkeyflower	Mimulus guttatus	2 / 1	6
0.37	r	175	?	unk per with elliptic 85 x 35 mm lvs, including a petiole of 20 mm, in 'cauline rosettes'. Pix.
0.38	r			Jct. brief alternate path to avoid mud in main trail.
0.38	l	176		canyon sunflower	Venegasia carpesioides	5 / 1	1
0.39	b	177		*freeway daisy	Osteospermum fruticosum	3 / 1	1
0.39	r	178		Chinese houses	Collinsia heterophylla	50 / 5	10
0.39	r			Alternate path rejoins main trail.
0.39	r	179		*smilo grass	Piptatherum miliaceum	50 / 5	14
0.40	r	180		southern Indian pink	Silene laciniata ssp. major	/	10
0.40	b	181		Venus looking-glass	Triodanis biflora	5 / 2	1
0.40	r	182		*pokeweed	Phytolacca americana	5 / 2	1
0.40	r	183		*tree tobacco	Nicotiana glauca	5 / 2	12
	l			(ear drops, Dicentra chrysantha formerly at this location.
0.41	l	184		California fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. canum	1 / 1	10
0.41	r			(Check vetch here for Vicia hassei, with fls well separated.)
0.42	r	185		tree clover	Trifolium ciliolatum	/	6
0.42	r	186		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	30 / 5	27
0.42	b	187		*castor bean	Ricinus communis	5 / 2	12
0.42				Trail rerouted a bit upstream and crossing improved in early 2003; cross dry drainage.
0.42	r			(California chicory, Rafinesquia californica)
0.43	r	188		Fish's milkwort	Polygala cornuta var. fishiae	99 / 9	2
0.44	l			Jct. steep path to river; stay right.
0.47	r			Note boulder that fell down from an obvious location just above it.
				Large sinkhole in trail near here in early 2003.
0.47	r	189		blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus	5 / 1	15
0.47	r	190		*common cudweed	Gnaphalium luteo-album	1 / 1	5
0.47	r	191		*brome fescue	Vulpia bromoides	/	3
0.49	r	192		California everlasting	Gnaphalium californicum	20 / 5	22
0.49	r	193		San Diego mountain mahogany	Cercocarpus minutiflorus	30 / 9	7
0.49	r	194		willowherb	Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum	5 / 1	14
0.49	r	195		annual sunflower	Helianthus annuus	/	8
0.49	r	196		hollyleaf cherry	Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia	5 / 3	8
0.50	r	197		coast jepsonia	Jepsonia parryi	30 / 1	8
	r	198		small-flowered meconella	Meconella denticulata	2 / 2	1
0.50	r	199		goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	5 / 1	6
0.50	r	200	sp	woodland star	Lithophragma affine	5 / 1	3
0.51		201	~	saltgrass	Distichlis spicata⁺	/	9
0.51	r	202		lanceleaf dudleya	Dudleya lanceolata	30 / 3	15
0.52	r	203		California polypody	Polypodium californicum	/	10
0.53	l	204		*blessed thistle	Cnicus benedictus	10 / 2	1
0.54	r	205		blue larkspur	Delphinium parryi ssp. parryi	30 / 9	5
	r	206		minute-flowered cryptantha	Cryptantha micromeres	3 / 1	3
0.55	r			Jct. big road; stay left.
0.55	r	207		Parish's purple nightshade	Solanum parishii	30 / 5	10
0.56	l	208		small-flowered nightshade	Solanum americanum	5 / 2	2
0.56	l	209		stinging nettle	Urtica dioica ssp. holosericea	5 / 2	8
0.56				Cross stream.
0.56	r	210	~	water cress	Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum⁺	5 / 2	8
0.56	r	211		*gopher plant	Euphorbia lathyris⁺	3 / 1	1
0.58	r			Jct. big road (other terminus of road at mile 0.55); stay left.
0.59	r	212		whispering bells	Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora	/	5
0.62	r	213		golden ear drops	Dicentra chrysantha	30 / 2	4
0.64	l			Jct. path to water.
0.65		214	sp	*water speedwell	Veronica anagallis-aquatica	/	1
0.68	r	215		black-hair nettle	Hesperocnide tenella	1 / 1	2
0.69	l	216		cobwebby thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. occidentale	/	4
	b	217		*English plantain	Plantago lanceolata	/	13
0.70	r	218		*little horseweed	Conyza bonariensis	/	10
0.72	l	219		California croton	Croton californicus	20 / 5	4
0.72	l			wild tarragon	Artemisia dracunculus	/
0.72	r			Jct. big road; stay left.
0.72	b	220		dove weed	Eremocarpus setigerus	20 / 3	10
0.72	r	221		Indian tobacco	Nicotiana quadrivalvis	1 / 1	1
0.73	l	222		San Diego birdsfoot lotus	Lotus hamatus	/	7
0.74	r	223		Pacific sanicle	Sanicula crassicaulis	20 / 3	9
0.74	l	224		triangular-fruit sedge	Carex triquetra	10 / 1	10
0.80	l	225		toyon	Heteromeles arbutifolia	3 / 3	33
0.80		226		hoaryleaf ceanothus	Ceanothus crassifolius⁺	5 / 3	10
0.80		227	ssp	California oxalis	Oxalis albicans	4 / 2	1
0.81	l			A single small wirelettuce, Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei, with bright pink flowers. All the rest on the trail have pure white flowers.
0.81				Jct. path to water on left; go right on trail.
0.82		228	sp	virgin's bower	Clematis pauciflora	20 / 5	7
0.84	l			Jct. road cut through hill.
0.84	l	229		*lesser swine cress	Coronopus didymus	2 / 1	2
0.87	r			Fencepost inside large pipe - property line marker?
0.89	l	230	sp	Two baby pines planted in fall 2003.	Pinus sp.⁺	2 / 1
0.89				Trail splits; only horses to left; hikers and horses to right; go right.
0.91				Jct. path to right.
0.92	l	231	~	Vasey's prickly pear	Opuntia Xvaseyi	2 / 2	14
0.93	l	232		climbing bedstraw	Galium nuttallii ssp. nuttallii	/	13
0.99				Begin bouldery section again.
1.00	r	233		stinging lupine	Lupinus hirsutissimus	/	10
1.00		234		California lace fern	Aspidotis californica	5 / 1	3
1.03				Trail junction; go right (left to river crossing)
1.03				Cross drainage.
1.03	l	235		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	30 / 5	13
1.08	r	236		ocellated Humboldt lily	Lilium humboldtii ssp. ocellatum	1 / 1	2
1.08				Trail jags right.
1.08	r			Second small-flowered meconella, Meconella denticulata.
1.08	r	237		California maidenhair fern	Adiantum jordanii	1 / 1	6
	r	238		California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	5 / 1	14
1.09	r	239	~	Spanish clover	Lotus purshianus var. purshianus	/	14
1.10	r	240		miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata	/	12
1.10	r			Best area for California wood fern, Dryopteris arguta.
1.11	r	241		sugar bush	Rhus ovata	20 / 5	16
1.13				Look at the beautiful boulders upstream, and then cross dry drainage.
1.15	r			Bench without a back.
1.16	l	242		*nit grass	Gastridium ventricosum	/	13
1.18				Sign: "Crossing [left]; Trail [rightish]". Go rightish on the much-improved-in-late-2003 trail.
1.21	l	243		chamise	Adenostoma fasciculatum	20 / 5	24
	l	244		yellow mariposa lily	Calochortus weedii var. weedii	/	6
1.22	l	245	~	intermediate sun-cups	Camissonia intermedia	5 / 2	1
1.22	l			wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	Mimulus brevipes	/
1.22	r			Huge field of golden ear drops, Dicentra chrysantha.
1.22				Jct. dirt road. Go right, uphill, and turn left at the Y-jct, noted below, when you are just below the driveway to the house on the right of the dirt road.
1.23	r			(twiggy wreath plant, Stephanomeria virgata)
1.24	l			short-winged deerweed	Lotus scoparius var. brevialatus	/
1.24	l	246		fringed spineflower	Chorizanthe fimbriata var. fimbriata	/	4
1.25	l	247		Eastwood manzanita	Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. zacaensis	5 / 2	6
1.25	l	248		*statice	Limonium sinuatum	10 / 1	1
1.25	r	249		Coulter's snapdragon	Antirrhinum coulterianum	1 / 1	2
1.25	r	250		Jurupa Hills sun-cups	Camissonia ignota	5 / 1	4
1.27				Turn around and see top of Rock Mountain peeking above ridgeline to north. Gavilan Mountain is the ridgeline to its east.
1.28				Y-jct. Take trail to left.
1.28	l			Jct. Ridgetop Trail; sign dead ahead: "Hikers and Horses". Take a brief excursion on the Ridgetop Trail to see the following species:
		251	ssp	hooked skunkweed	Navarretia hamata ssp. hamata	10 / 1	3
		252		sapphire woolly-star	Eriastrum sapphirinum	10 / 1	2
		253		prostrate spineflower	Chorizanthe procumbens	5 / 1	1
		254		rockrose	Helianthemum scoparium	5 / 1	8
1.29		255		comb-leaved nemacladus	Nemacladus pinnatifidus	5 / 1	1
1.30				Back at main trail, turn left at sign: "hikers, horses" with directional arrows along trail.
1.30	l	256		laurel sumac	Malosma laurina	5 / 2	25
1.31	r	257		mission manzanita	Xylococcus bicolor	10 / 3	8
1.35	l	258		odora	Porophyllum gracile	2 / 1	4
1.38	r	259		black sage	Salvia mellifera	10 / 3	26
1.38				Y-jct. Go left.
1.40				Jct. road / path on left. Continue straight.
1.41	r	260	sp	sedge	Carex sp.	20 / 2
1.41	r	261	sp	green dock?	Rumex sp.	/
1.41				Cross stream. (Check for Rorippa here, as first occurrence now.)
1.41	l	262		*dallis grass	Paspalum dilatatum	4 / 1	4
1.41	r	263		umbrella sedge	Cyperus eragrostis	5 / 1	3
1.41	r	264		canyon dodder	Cuscuta subinclusa	1 / 1	1
1.45				The steep cut on the right is the firebreak marking the easternmost extent of the 2002 fire, marking the end of the burned area.
1.48				Woodrat's nest high in tree on right.
1.49				Trail curves right 90°.
1.50				T-jct, go left (right branch leads to "Sand Pit" and 500 foot trail).
1.53				virgin's bower	Clematis pauciflora	/
1.55				Cross dry drainage.
1.56	r	265		scrub oak X Engelmann oak	Quercus berberidifolia X Q. engelmannii	3 / 3	11
1.61				Local high point on trail.
1.66				California oxalis	Oxalis albicans	/
1.68				Trail jags left into sandy region.
1.73				Local low point on trail; trail leaves sandy region.
1.76				Cross dry drainage.
1.83				Cross dry drainage.
1.84	l			hoaryleaf ceanothus	Ceanothus crassifolius	/
1.85	r	266		stinking gourd	Cucurbita foetidissima	5 / 1	5
1.89				Beginning here, the small wirelettuce, Stephanomeria exigua ssp. deanei, has predominantly 7-8 flowers per head and is taller than the previous plants.
2.00	r	267		Davidson's buckwheat	Eriogonum davidsonii	5 / 2	15
2.03				Local high point on trail.
2.09	l	268		Torrey's hybrid oak	Quercus Xacutidens	1 / 1	4
2.11				Trail curves left 90°
2.15				T-jct; go right (left trail leads to river crossing).
2.19	l			Another candidate for saltgrass
2.24	r	269	sp	*saltcedar	Tamarix ramosissima	3 / 1	3
2.24	l	270		*mission cactus	Opuntia ficus-indica	3 / 1	4
2.28	r			Jct. Rainbow Creek Trail; stay left
2.30				Trail curves left 90° and crosses Rainbow Creek.
2.31	l	271	sp	rush 6-12 feet tall	Juncus sp.	10 / 1
2.33				Trail makes long curve left 90°
2.37				Trail makes long curve right 90°
2.40	r			Grinding stone rock; jct. steep path uphill.
2.42	l	272	?	black locust?	Robinia pseudoacacia?⁺	8 / 1
2.44	l	273	?	Tree with long seed pods like catalpa, 30 cm x 13 mm, dehiscent at end.⁺11
2.48	r	274		sacred datura	Datura wrightii	1 / 1	12
2.48	r	275		*horehound	Marrubium vulgare	3 / 1	17
2.49	l			Jct. trail to river crossing.
2.51	r	276		*Peruvian pepper tree	Schinus molle	1 / 1	5
2.53				End trail at locked gate at the jct. of Willow Glen Road and North Stagecoach Lane. Turnaround and retrace your steps to the trailhead.

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Plants of Southern California: Trail Guides

Copyright © 2002-2004 by Tom Chester and Jane Strong.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce any or all of this page as long as credit is given to us at this source:
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Comments and feedback: Tom Chester | Jane Strong
Updated 10 March 2004 (directions and travel times to trailhead updated 10 December 2007; booklet print version added 5 December 2010)