Plant Guide to Deer Springs / Suicide Rock Trail, San Jacinto Mountains

Mile	S	#	id?	Common Name	Latin Name	#here
0.00				Begin at trailhead (road entrance blocked by huge log directly across from Idyllwild County Park entrance); elevation 5620 feet (1710 m). The area here has been nuked of most native plants and the area mulched to prevent their regrowth. (:-( In wet area west of trailhead: lesser paintbrush, Castilleja minor ssp. spiralis
0.00	l			(green miner's lettuce, Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis; volcanic gilia, Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis)
0.00	r	1		Jeffrey pine	Pinus jeffreyi	99 / 9
0.00	l	2		pine dwarf-mistletoe	Arceuthobium campylopodum+	1 / 1
0.00	b	3		pink-bracted manzanita	Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea	99 / 9
0.00	r	4		Wright's buckwheat	Eriogonum wrightii var. membranaceum	99 / 9
0.00	l	5		*downy brome	Bromus tectorum	99 / 9
0.00	b	6		pineland buckwheat	Eriogonum molestum	20 / 5
0.00	r	7		San Jacinto buckwheat	Eriogonum apiculatum	50 / 9
0.00	l	8		Parish' Jacumba milk-vetch	Astragalus douglasii var. parishii	15 / 2
0.00	r	9		scarlet bugler	Penstemon centranthifolius	2 / 1
0.00	l	10		spear-leaved mountain dandelion	Agoseris retrorsa	15 / 5
0.00	l	11		beautiful hulsea	Hulsea vestita ssp. callicarpha	10 / 3
0.00	l	12		squirreltail	Elymus elymoides	99 / 9
0.00	b	13		coastal gilia	Gilia diegensis	20 / 3
0.00	b	14		showy bajada lupine	Lupinus concinnus ssp. optatus	99 / 9
0.00	b	15		strigose lotus	Lotus strigosus	99 / 9
0.00	l	16		mountain red-root cryptantha	Cryptantha micrantha var. lepida	99 / 9
0.00	b	17		pinegrove groundsmoke	Gayophytum oligospermum	30 / 3
0.00	r	18		bur-ragweed	Ambrosia acanthicarpa	5 / 2
0.00	r			(slender everlasting, Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale; splendid gilia, Gilia splendens ssp. splendens)
0.00	l			(incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens; California black oak, Quercus kelloggii)
0.00	b	19		California-aster	Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia	99 / 9
0.01	r	20		canyon live oak	Quercus chrysolepis	99 / 9
0.01	l	21		leafy daisy	Erigeron foliosus var. foliosus	99 / 9
0.01	l			Sign: "3E17 (left-right)"
0.01	r	22		Jepson's blue wildrye	Elymus glaucus ssp. jepsonii	30 / 9
0.02	r			Display Board: "Deer Springs Trail…"; trail turns left 90°
0.02				Trail is now lined with pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
0.03	r			(Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri)
0.03	l	23		goldenrod	Solidago californica	99 / 9
0.03	r			(Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa)
0.04	r	24		mountain grape-soda lupine	Lupinus excubitus var. austromontanus	50 / 9
0.04	r			(narrowleaf bedstraw Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium)
0.04	l	25		California black oak	Quercus kelloggii	99 / 9
0.05	r	26		San Bernardino rubber rabbitbrush	Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. bernardinus	50 / 9
0.05	l	27		whisker-brush	Linanthus ciliatus	99 / 9
0.05	l	28		southern mountain woolly-star	Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum	99 / 3
0.05	l	29		chaparral whitethorn	Ceanothus leucodermis	10 / 9
0.06	l	30		narrowleaf bedstraw	Galium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium	99 / 9
0.06	b	31		southern honeysuckle	Lonicera subspicata var. denudata	50 / 9
0.07	l	32		California elegant rock-cress	Arabis sparsiflora var. californica	45 / 5
0.07	r			(California coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica; Fremont's monkeyflower, Mimulus fremontii)
0.08	l	33		*rattail fescue	Vulpia myuros	99 / 1
0.08	r	34		small fescue	Vulpia microstachys	99 / 9
0.08	r	35		silky lotus	Lotus heermannii var. heermannii	99 / 9
0.08	r	36		interior live oak	Quercus wislizeni var. frutescens	99 / 9
0.08	b	37		bristly bird's beak	Cordylanthus rigidus ssp. setigerus	20 / 1
0.08	r			(Indian milkweed, Asclepias eriocarpa)
0.09	r	38		California coffeeberry	Rhamnus californica+	10 / 9
0.09	b	39		golden yarrow	Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum	99 / 9
0.09	l	40		Lemmon's linanthus	Linanthus lemmonii	99 / 5
0.09	l			(Martin's paintbrush, Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii)
0.10	l	41		June grass	Koeleria macrantha	99 / 9
0.11	l	42		incense-cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	50 / 9
0.12	b			(mountain California-fuchsia, Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium; Cleveland's horkelia, Horkelia clevelandii; sticky cinquefoil, Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa)
0.12	r			(yarrow, Achillea millefolium; blue dicks, Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum; hairy wood rush, Luzula comosa; dense-flowered rein orchid, Piperia elongata; tree clover, Trifolium ciliolatum; mountain carpet clover, Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum)
0.12				Cross small drainage with culvert; switchback left
0.12	b	43		California brome	Bromus carinatus var. carinatus	60 / 9
0.12	r	44		blue dicks	Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum	99 / 9
0.12	r			(Parish's tauschia, Tauschia parishii)
0.12	l	45		mountain mugwort	Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. incompta	99 / 9
0.12	l	46		deergrass	Muhlenbergia rigens	50 / 9
0.13	r	47		small-head field clover	Trifolium microcephalum	99 / 3
0.13	r	48		tomcat clover	Trifolium willdenovii	50 / 3
0.13	r	49		slender everlasting	Gnaphalium canescens ssp. thermale	40 / 9
0.13	b	50		Cleveland's horkelia	Horkelia clevelandii	10 / 3
0.13	c	51		dwarf madia	Madia minima+	1 / 1
~0.13	l	52		mountain California-fuchsia	Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium	50 / 9
0.14	l			(birch-leaf mountain-mahogany, Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides)
0.14	l			(Jones' prickly-nut cryptantha, Cryptantha muricata var. jonesii)
0.14	l	53		volcanic gilia	Gilia ochroleuca ssp. exilis	99 / 9
0.14	r	54		Mexican rush	Juncus mexicanus	99 / 1
0.14	b	55		dense-flowered rein orchid	Piperia elongata	2 / 1
0.14	r	56		spike primrose	Epilobium densiflorum	3 / 1
0.14	r	57		Pacific rush	Juncus effusus var. pacificus	10 / 1
0.14	r	58		yarrow	Achillea millefolium	20 / 3
0.15	r	59		Kentucky blue grass	Poa pratensis ssp. agassizensis	10 / 1
0.15	r	60		swamp sedge	Carex senta	20 / 3
0.15	r	61		arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis	5 / 1
0.15	r	62	~	giant red paintbrush	Castilleja miniata ssp. miniata	3 / 1
0.15	r	63	?	flat-leaved rush or blue-eyed grass	Juncus sp. or Sisyrinchium bellum	10 / 1
0.15	r			(snow-plant, Sarcodes sanguinea)
0.17	l	64		Indian milkweed	Asclepias eriocarpa	99 / 5
0.18	r	65		*red brome	Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens	10 / 1
0.18	l			Jct. use trail from parking area
0.20	r			Ten wood posts blocking off road
0.20	l	66		sugar pine	Pinus lambertiana	50 / 9
0.20				Trail curves right
0.24	b	67		oak mistletoe	Phoradendron villosum	99 / 9
0.24				Trail turns right 90°; do not continue ahead on road
0.24	l			Sign: "No dogs beyond this point; wilderness permit required 1/4 mile ahead"; end nuking of landscape
0.24	l	68		San Bernardino sun-cup	Camissonia confusa	99 / 9
0.26				Trail curves right
0.26	r	69		thread plant	Nemacladus longiflorus var. longiflorus	2 / 1
0.28	b	70		Coulter pine	Pinus coulteri	50 / 9
0.29	l		~	(California chicory, Rafinesquia californica)
0.29	l	71		Jones' prickly-nut cryptantha	Teh, SW, D; < 6600 feetCryptantha muricata var. jonesii	99 / 9
0.30	l	72		Parish's tauschia	Tauschia parishii	45 / 5
0.31				Switchback left
0.31	r	73		coast-range melic	Melica imperfecta	10 / 2
0.32	r	74		splendid gilia	Gilia splendens ssp. splendens	99 / 3
0.34	r	75		green miner's lettuce	Claytonia parviflora ssp. viridis	40 / 3
0.34				Trail curves right
0.39	l	76		Fremont's monkeyflower	Mimulus fremontii	99 / 9
0.39	r	77		goldenstar	Bloomeria crocea	3 / 1
0.39	r			(curve-flowered skullcap, Scutellaria siphocampyloides)
0.39				Cross small drainage
~0.39		78	sp	grey popcorn flower	Plagiobothrys canescens	1 / 1
0.39	r	79		seashore bentgrass	Agrostis pallens	10 / 1
0.39	r	80		Martin's paintbrush	Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii	30 / 6
0.42	l	81		western needlegrass	Achnatherum occidentale	5 / 2
0.43	l	82		mustang mint	Monardella lanceolata	10 / 2
0.44	l			(scattered blazing star, Mentzelia dispersa, 50 feet from trail)
0.44	b	83		sticky cinquefoil	Potentilla glandulosa ssp. reflexa	30 / 5
0.44	l	84		mountain carpet clover	Trifolium monanthum var. grantianum	20 / 1
0.44				Cross small drainage
0.44	b	85		curve-flowered skullcap	Scutellaria siphocampyloides	5 / 1
0.46				Trail turns right 90°
0.48				Trail gradually curves left
0.53				Switchback left
0.55				Switchback right
0.56				Switchback left
0.56	r			(Coulter's snapdragon, Antirrhinum coulterianum)
0.56	r	86		hollyleaf redberry	Rhamnus ilicifolia	3 / 3
0.60	r			(chaparral yucca, Yucca whipplei)
0.59	r	87		wide-throated yellow monkeyflower	Mimulus brevipes	4 / 2
0.59				Cross small drainage
0.63	b	88		whorledleaf penstemon	Keckiella ternata var. ternata	43 / 2
0.64				Switchback right
0.64	l	89		birch-leaf mountain-mahogany	Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides	2 / 2
0.65	r			Boulder with scooped-out "seat"
0.67				Trail curves left at ridge
0.67	b	90		chaparral yucca	Yucca whipplei	3 / 1
0.68				Switchback left
0.70	r	91		scattered blazing star	Mentzelia dispersa	30 / 2
0.71	l	92		hybrid manzanita	Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea	4 / 3
0.73				Switchback right
0.73				Switchback left; sign: "Mount San Jacinto State Park Wilderness"
0.73	r	93		diamond-petaled clarkia	Clarkia rhomboidea	50 / 3
0.73	r	94		forest sedge	Carex multicaulis	15 / 5
0.74	r	95		imbricate phacelia	Phacelia imbricata ssp. patula	30 / 9
0.75	r	96		snow-plant	Sarcodes sanguinea	10 / 5
0.77				Switchback right
0.78	l			(white fir, Abies concolor)
0.79				Switchback left; jct. use trail to viewpoint 0.02 miles distant with California cliff-brake, Pellaea mucronata var. californica
0.82				Local high point on trail
0.83	l	97		twiggy wreath plant	Stephanomeria virgata	8 / 3
0.84				Local low point on trail
0.84	r			(purple nightshade, Solanum xanti)
0.87	l	98		chickweed oxytheca	Oxytheca caryophylloides	50 / 1
0.91				Cross small drainage with big rocks and pipe on left above trail; trail curves right
0.92	l	99		white catch-fly	Silene verecunda ssp. platyota	20 / 2
0.94		100		sand cress	Calyptridium monandrum	5 / 1
0.94				Switchback left
0.94				Switchback right
0.97	l	101		Sierra Nevada lotus	Lotus nevadensis var. nevadensis	99 / 9
0.97				This area has some really old specimens of chaparral whitethorn, Ceanothus leucodermis, and pink-bracted manzanita, Arctostaphylos pringlei ssp. drupacea
0.98				Long switchback left
0.99				Switchback right
1.01				Switchback left
1.04	r			View of Tahquitz Lookout
1.07				Local high point on trail, followed quickly by local low point
1.09	l	102		California thistle	Cirsium occidentale var. californicum	3 / 1
1.09	l	103		false monkeyflower	Mimulus pilosus	20 / 1
1.10	b	104		broad-leaved lotus	Lotus crassifolius var. crassifolius	20 / 2
	r			Jct. use trail
1.11	b	105		pine cryptantha	Cryptantha simulans	21 / 1
1.12	l	106	sp	goosefoot yellow violet	Viola purpurea ssp. quercetorum	3 / 1
1.12				Trail curves right
1.14				Switchback left
1.15	b	107		western morning-glory	Calystegia occidentalis ssp. fulcrata	54 / 2
1.16	l	108		bracken	Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens	99 / 9
1.17	l	109		southern miner's lettuce	Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana	5 / 1
1.18	l	110		plain mariposa lily	Calochortus invenustus	30 / 3
1.18	l	111		white fir	Abies concolor	50 / 9
1.19	l	112		pinedrops	Pterospora andromedea	5 / 3
1.21	b	113		western azalea	Rhododendron occidentale	50 / 5
1.21	b	114		woodland strawberry	Fragaria vesca+	99 / 2
1.21	r	115		little prince's pine	Chimaphila menziesii+	3 / 1
1.21	b			(western columbine, Aquilegia formosa; Durango root, Datisca glomerata; glaucus willowherb, Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum; lemon lily, Lilium parryi; mountain pink currant, Ribes nevadense; thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus)
1.22				Switchback left
1.23				Switchback right
1.24				Switchback left
1.25				Switchback right
1.25	r	116	?	unk young plants	?	5 / 1
1.25	l	117		naked buckwheat	Eriogonum nudum var. pauciflorum	20 / 9
1.26	r			Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, hit by lightning. Many trees here have been struck by lightning.
1.29				Cross small drainage where trail curves right
1.30				Trail turns left 90°; enter Mistletoe Row
1.37				Species found in meadowy area along drainage (Idyllwild Creek) to right, not found elsewhere on trail to Suicide Rock:
		OT		white hawkweed	Hieracium albiflorum	8 / 1
		OT		Scouler's St. Johnswort	Hypericum formosum var. scouleri	5 / 1
		OT		willow-leaved dock	Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus	1 / 1
		OT		spotted coralroot	Corallorhiza maculata	13 / 1
1.45	r	118		San Jacinto lupine	Lupinus hyacinthinus	99 / 5
1.47				(incense-cedar mistletoe, Phoradendron libocedri, at top of tree in distance)
1.48	r			(Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii; California wild rose, Rosa californica)
1.49	b	119		mountain pink currant	Ribes nevadense	50 / 3
1.49	l	120		fragile sheath sedge	Carex fracta	2 / 1
1.49	l	121	~	rigid hedge-nettle	Stachys ajugoides var. rigida	10 / 2
1.49	r	122		western columbine	Aquilegia formosa	2 / 1
1.49				Cross the main drainage we've been hiking along, informally called “Idyllwild Creek”, which has abundant western azalea, Rhododendron occidentale, here; elevation 6480 feet (1975 m)
1.49	r			live plants of woodland strawberry in 2015	Fragaria vesca	/
1.49	b	123		lemon lily	Lilium parryi	10 / 2
1.49	l	124		Parish's lupine	Lupinus latifolius var. parishii	10 / 3
1.49				Switchback right
1.50	l			(western wallflower, Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum; live plants of little prince's pine, Chimaphila menziesii, in 2015)
1.55				Switchback left
1.58				Switchback right
1.61	l			Field of southern mountain woolly-star, Eriastrum densifolium ssp. austromontanum
1.66	r			Cross small drainage
1.73				Switchback left
1.81				Cross small drainage
1.85				Trail turns right 90° at ridge
1.86				Trail turns right 90° again
1.93				Cross small drainage
1.94				Switchback left
1.94	b	125		short-flowered monardella	Monardella nana ssp. tenuiflora	20 / 2
1.95	l	126		granite prickly phlox	Leptodactylon pungens	3 / 2
1.98				Cross small drainage
2.04				Cross small saddle on ridge
2.06	b	127		San Gabriel beardtongue	Penstemon labrosus	20 / 2
2.10	r	128		western wallflower	Erysimum capitatum ssp. capitatum	5 / 1
2.13	l	129		woodland spurge	Euphorbia palmeri	1 / 1
2.18	b	130		sapphire woolly-star	Eriastrum sapphirinum	10 / 1
2.22				Jct. trail to Suicide Rock; elevation ~6900 feet (2105 m). Sign: "(r): Suicide Rock 1 mi; (back): Highway 243 2.3 mi; (ahead) Strawberry Jct. 1.8 mi, Little Round Valley 5.5 mi, San Jacinto Peak 7.0 mi".
2.22				Suicide Rock Trail: Turn right on trail to Suicide Rock; species numbering is continued from lower portion of trail
2.26	l	131		Nevin's bird's beak	Cordylanthus nevinii	20 / 3
2.28	l	132		mountain whitethorn	Ceanothus cordulatus	10 / 5
2.28				Cross small drainage
2.34	r			(Largest stand at SnJt of Parish's lupine, Lupinus latifolius var. parishii, ~150 feet long and 20 feet wide)
2.48	l	133		Yosemite sedge	Carex sartwelliana	5 / 1
2.49	l			(rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.62	l			(Beautiful hanging garden of rock goldenbush, Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata)
2.66	r			(Scouler's willow, Salix scouleriana)
2.66				Cross small drainage
2.73	b			(subarctic lady-fern, Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum)
2.73	r		ssp	(willowherb, Epilobium ciliatum; streambank lotus, Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius)
2.73	l		?	(maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris; Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii; unk rosette like one-sided wintergreen?, Orthilia secunda?)
2.73		134		scarlet monkeyflower	Mimulus cardinalis	5 / 1
2.73				Cross Marion Creek, with flowing water, elevation ~7080 feet (2160 m). Up the creek out of sight is the happy home of Parish's burning bush, Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii, with hundreds of plants; brittle bladder fern, Cystopteris fragilis; white bog orchid, Platanthera leucostachys; and California geranium, Geranium californicum, at a 30 feet waterfall above the other species
2.77	r			Sign: "San Jacinto Wilderness"; honking Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, and incense-cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, trees here
2.91				Switchback left
2.93				Switchback right
2.94				Switchback left
2.99				Cross small drainage
3.06				Trail turns left 90°
3.14	r			Last two plants of hybrid manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula X A. pringlei ssp. drupacea, on trail
3.19	b	135		pine lousewort	Pedicularis semibarbata	5 / 1
3.24				Switchback left
3.30	l			(fir mistletoe, Phoradendron pauciflorum)
3.35	b			Field of San Jacinto lupine, Lupinus hyacinthinus
3.40				End trail on top of the white cliffsides of Suicide Rock, elevation 7440 feet (2268 m); Suicide Rock itself is ~90 feet above you. Return to jct. with Deer Springs Trail
				Species only found off-trail in route to Suicide Rock
2.73				maidenhair fern	Adiantum capillus-veneris	OT /
0.56				Coulter's snapdragon	Antirrhinum coulterianum	OT /
2.73				subarctic lady-fern	Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum	OT /
0.00				lesser paintbrush	Castilleja minor ssp. spiralis	OT /
1.37				spotted coralroot	Corallorhiza maculata	OT /
1.21				Durango root	Datisca glomerata	OT /
2.73			ssp	willowherb	Epilobium ciliatum	OT /
1.21				glaucus willowherb	Epilobium glaberrimum ssp. glaberrimum	OT /
2.49				rock goldenbush	Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata	OT /
2.73				Parish's burning bush	Euonymus occidentalis var. parishii	OT /
1.37				white hawkweed	Hieracium albiflorum	OT /
1.37				Scouler's St. Johnswort	Hypericum formosum var. scouleri	OT /
2.73				streambank lotus	Lotus oblongifolius var. oblongifolius	OT /
0.12				hairy wood rush	Luzula comosa	OT /
0.79				California cliff-brake	Pellaea mucronata var. californica	OT /
1.47				incense-cedar mistletoe	Phoradendron libocedri	OT /
3.30				fir mistletoe	Phoradendron pauciflorum	OT /
0.03				ponderosa pine	Pinus ponderosa	OT /
0.31			~	California chicory	Rafinesquia californica	OT /
1.48				California wild rose	Rosa californica	OT /
1.21				thimbleberry	Rubus parviflorus	OT /
1.37				willow-leaved dock	Rumex salicifolius var. denticulatus	OT /
2.66				Scouler's willow	Salix scouleriana	OT /
0.84				purple nightshade	Solanum xanti	OT /
0.12				tree clover	Trifolium ciliolatum	OT /

http://tchester.org/sb/plants/guides/deer_springs.html
Updated 8 June 2015.