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Page Revised: 3/12/05 |
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Available Sites Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Date of Review 3/10/05 & 2/13/05 |
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See the photo gallery of
What’s Blooming at: http://www.nps.gov/samo/bloom/bloom.htm |
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The recent heavy rains
have damaged some of the Rec Area’s trails.
If you are not up to mud, stream crossings, and climbing into and out of
washouts you might want to call the park office to
check on trail conditions. |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Backbone Trail between Latigo and Kanan |
Date: 3/10/05 |
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This short section of the Backbone
trail is only 2.3 miles and consequently is easily done as a there-and-back
hike. As the number of blooming flowers increases it become more difficult to
select highlights, but they would have to include Bush Poppy, Purple
Nightshade, Milkmaids, Indian Paintbrush, Bush Lupine, Wild Sweet Pea, Blue
Dicks, Globe Gilia, Crimson Pitcher Sage, Blue-eyed Grass, and both Parry's and
Sticky Phacelia. Also seen were at least four
additional species of Lupines including Dove, Collar, Succulent and Coulter's
Lupine, California Filago, Popcorn Flower, Black Mustard, Caterpillar Phacelia,
Chamise, both Bush and Canyon Sunflower, Golden Yarrow, both Greenbark and
Bigpod Ceanothus, Eucrypta, Miners Lettuce, Pacific Sanicle, Wild Morning
Glory, Wild Cucumber, Bush Monkey Flower, California Peony, California
Buckwheat, Elderberry, Greenbark Ceanothus, both Red and White-stem Filaree,
Shiny Lomatium, Scrub Oak, Annual and Climbing Bedstraw, Hollyleaf Redberry,
Poison Oak, Black Walnut, Bur-clover, Common Fiddleneck, Common Groundsel,
Deerweed, and Two-tone Everlasting. All told about 50 species in bloom. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Rocky Oaks |
Loop Trail to Grotto |
Date: 3/7/05 |
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We just had a quick go-round on the
southern-most trail to grotto area, but viewed some of the most robust CA
poppies and chocolate lilies ever. The lilies were tucked under some chaparral
in a soggy section, with 2-foot flower stalks and multiple wide blooms. Some
of the other dozen species included a less common lupine (bajada?),
canyon sunflower, milkmaids, popcorn and star lily. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Rancho Sierra Vista |
Satwiwa loop |
Date: 3/6/05 |
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The meadow areas of loop are
overgrown with mature, non-native grasses and grains and the usual mix of
mustard, radish and purple vetch flowers. However, the hillsides and upper part
of loop had a good selection of native blooms including the first-in-area
windmill and Indian pinks, chamise, blue-eyed grass, black sage and toyon. Other notables included bevies of blue dicks,
shooting stars, hedge nettle, fiddlenecks and a patch of johnny-jump-ups
(violets). All told, about 30 species with more popping all the time. (JG) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Paramount Ranch |
Various Trails |
Date: 3/5/2005 |
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Coyote Trail (fair)
- Creek alongside trail is currently flowing, adding sound and beauty to the
first section of this short trail. Owls clover, fiddleneck, and blue dicks
are common at the beginning and a few wooly blue curls, California poppies,
and big pod ceanothus are blooming towards the connection with the Hacienda
Trail. Trail has ruts due to rain flowing down the center of the trail. Lower Hacienda
Trail (good) - Trail is muddy with standing water in the center of the trail
but is passable. Small patches of Johnny Jump-ups, California poppies and
vetch are common. A couple varieties of lupine are just starting to bloom.
This trail gives an opportunity to see rolling hills of green grass, dotted
with patches of yellow and orange. Backdrop Trail (fair)
- Several variety of blue bloomers can be found, chia, prickly lupine, blue
dicks, greenbark ceanothus, Parry's phacelia, and blue larkspur. Other
species that can be discovered are windmill pink, prickly phlox, and bigpod
ceanothus. Trail has muddy sections. Note: This trail connects to the Bwana
Trail which has standing water on the trail and is very muddy at this time.
Flowers along the Bwana trail are poor.
(KL) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair
to Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa Trail |
Date: 3/4/05 |
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This report is just a brief update
done on a wet trail between the rains. I only traveled about a mile up the
Mishe Mokwa trail, principally to check on the status of the Chocolate Lilies
since they were so close to blooming on my last hike. I found about a half
dozen plants in bloom. These few seemed far ahead of the majority that are
not as close to blooming. The predicted hot weather of the coming week could
change that quickly. (TV) |
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Cold Creek Preserve
Area |
Various Trails |
Date: 3/3/05 |
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On March 3, 2005
we hiked along a couple of adjacent trails off Stunt Road. In the Cold Creek
Preserve. The 1 1\4 mile round trip trail along upper Cold Creek was first explored
and then the Calabasas Motorway to Calabasas Peak was traveled for about 3
miles round trip. Including the grasses, 55 species were found to be blooming
rating a good. The trail along Cold Creek was muddy in a few places, but
readily traversable. The babbling of the brook was approaching a roar as the
volume of water flowing is still considerable. Seen along this trail was red
stem filaree, greenbark ceanothus, hedge mustard and several types and sizes
of toadstools and lots of lush moss. Golden yarrow, wild cucumber, blue
dicks, pineapple weed and bur clover were plentiful. Purple nightshade, a few
canyon sunflowers, and wild sweet peas were also in bloom. Numerous milkmaids
were present and a lot of snakeroot, but only a few in full bloom. Miner's
lettuce was plentiful and lush and a few baby blue eyes were spotted. Hairy
leaved ceanothus was displaying its blue flowers as was black sage. Some
Venus hair fern was seen as was a fair amount of two-tone everlasting. The
usual morning glory was in bloom as was the less commonly seen mustard
evening primrose. The strigose lotus, windmill pink and London rocket were
also discovered. Some of the grasses displaying their new inflorescences were
slender oats, ripgut brome, wild oats, red brome
and Madrid brome. On the trail up to
Calabasas Peak several lupines were present: Coulter's, collared, dove,
hillside and in profuse quantity the beautiful red/purple stinging lupine. In
several large stands along the trail were popcorn flower and a few fiddlenecks.
Amongst the phacelias seen were the sticky phacelia, fern-leaf, and fiesta
flower. A number of wishbone bushes, bush sunflower and elderberry were also
exhibiting flowers. A few bush monkey flowers were present and a lot of
Chilean clover. A single collarless Calif. poppy and several prickly phlox
were also in bloom. The only red was a few brilliant coast paint brushes. The
fragrant and brilliant yellow of the Spanish broom was sprinkled along the
way. Black mustard, Calif. buckwheat, coast live oak, big-pod ceanothus, and
sour clover completed the floral bouquet for the day. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Malibu Creek State Park |
High Road to Visitor
Center |
Date: 3/1/05 |
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Flowers are starting
to bloom nicely here, but you have to look carefully. Take the path marked
'back country trails' (Crags Road) and see colorful displays of wildflowers
emerging from the grasses: small golden yellow bur clover flowers, blue balls
of globe gilia, baby blue eyes, reddish purple balls of owl's clover and
darker blue curls of phacelia mixed with the white stars of wild cucumber
vines and the occasional violet-purple whorls of chia. Highlights are the contrasting colors of
the flowers and the occasional willow trees covered with white fluff. Taking
the high road when the road splits (the low road is not passable) brings you
under the oaks to the bridge. Views of the creek are excellent, in fact,
Malibu Creek is so big it seems more like Malibu River. Frogs are croaking,
Sara's Orange Tip butterflies are flying and swallows are swooping. Spring
flowers are expected to get better each week.
(SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Circle X Ranch |
Mishe Mokwa and
Sandstone Peak Trails |
Date: 2/15/05 |
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This six mile loop is quite popular,
and while it often lags the nearby Canyon View trail in flower diversity, it
more than makes up in grandeur of views. If you don't want to do the whole
six mile loop and are mostly interested in flowers then the section from the
trailhead to split rock usually shows three-quarters of the flowers of the
whole loop. However, this same section can have significant mud even several
days after a rain. In places the mud is unavoidable and located on steep
slopes where footing can become slippery and treacherous. In this case a
walking stick can be quite helpful. Highlights include a massive display
of Shooting Stars, both Hoary and Hairy-leaved Ceanothus, much Wild Cucumber,
Prickly Phlox, Mustard Evening Primrose, both Eastwood and Bigberry
Manzanita, Blue Larkspur, Blue Dicks, a few early Woolly Blue Curls,
Skullcap, many Chaparral Current still going strong, and California Peony. It
is worth mentioning that a few of the many Chocolate Lilies are getting very
near blooming. Other species found in bloom include
many Woolly Lomatium, Deerweed, Black Sage, Small Evening Primrose, Popcorn
flower, Yellow Monkey Flower, Hollyleaf Cherry, Hollyleaf Redberry, Purple
Nightshade, Narrow-leaved Fringe-pod, Peppergrass, Narrow-leaved and Annual
Bedstraw, Two-tone Everlasting, Virgin's Bower, Southern Tauschia, Wild Sweet
Pea, California Saxifrage, Coast Goldfields, Golden Yarrow, Turkey Pea, a few
stray California Laurel blossoms, Eucrypta, Arroyo Willow, Milkmaids, Common
Fiddleneck, Red- and White-stem Filaree, Long-beaked Filaree, Common
Groundsel, Black Mustard, Bur Clover, a couple of Bigpod Ceanothus, Chamise,
and Redshank, and one Pitcher Sage blossom. All told 52 species but many
still only lightly represented. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Rocky Oaks |
Various trails |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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Winter
storms have filled the pond at Rocky Oaks to the highest level seen in years.
The picnic table that was formerly beside the water is now in the water which
did not seem to bother the ducks floating on the pond. Most of the trails
were pretty muddy and only a few flowers were starting to bloom. The
highlights were seeing several large buckbrush
(ceanothus cuneatus) in full bloom and several giant chocolate lilies. These
lily plants that are generally less than a foot tall were two feet tall and
just about to bloom. The area will definitely be worth a trip back to see
those blooms. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Bonsall Trailhead |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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The Bonsall Trailhead for Zuma Canyon
Trail was re-opened this week. A rough new trail now bypasses the washed out
section. We checked out the by pass and found many things already in full
bloom here. Chaparral sunflower has large burst of yellow flowers, a few
elderberry are starting as are deerweed, mustard, and wild cucumber. As soon
as the new section joins the old trail, the trail becomes very muddy. We
re-traced our steps and enjoyed good views of the new streambed and flowing
water. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Zuma/Trancas Canyons |
Newton Trailhead |
Date: 2/13/05 |
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Most people are taking this trail to
see the Newton Waterfall, and as they walk down the trail beside the north facing
rock face, you can certainly hear the waterfall. You may also notice the
beautiful greenbark ceanothus bushes and wild cucumber vines, but unless you
make a point to look down, you will pass by
some of the most interesting small plants seen in some time. These
small plants, mosses, lichens and ferns are beautiful, delicate and well
worth looking at. Little white flowers of California lace pod and
shepherd’s purse stand out against the background of dark rock.
Lichens, mosses, and ferns (goldback fern,
bird’s foot fern, and coastal wood fern) look like a tropical rain
forest. Interspersed among them are larkspurs (delphinium patens),
miner’s lettuce, saxifrage and small flowered meconella,
a quite small white flower with six petals that is a member of the poppy
family. Virgin’s bower and canyon sunflower are ready to bloom, but not
out yet. (SB) |
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Naturalist's rating: Just
beginning |
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Circle X Ranch |
Canyon View Trail |
Date: 2/12/05 |
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This trail, running from the
Sandstone Peak trailhead to the campgrounds passes through several ecosystems
and consequently often has a wide variety of flowers represented. The trail
drains well and is mostly dry and pleasant going even a few hours after a
heavy rain, although the grass is now getting high enough in places to get
shoes wet if done immediately after a rain. As it crosses a rock-bottomed
creek and follows above the West Fork of the Arroyo Sequit it is frequently
serenaded by the sound of running and falling water. Be sure to take a quick
side trip of a few hundred yards and walk part way down the Grotto trail just
below the small falls. This short “flower alley” is worth any
flower enthusiast’s time. Highlights include masses of Blue Dicks,
a large patch of Globe Gila, a small but dense patch of Skullcap, California
Peony, frequent scatterings of Wishbone Bush, many Wild Cucumber, Hollyleaf
Cherry, masses of Greenbark Ceanothus, what my wife and I call “The
Valley of the Blue Curls,” a nice spray of Virgin's Bower, Shooting
Stars, both Purple and White Nightshade, both Succulent and Stinging Lupine,
Blue Larkspur, several Collarless California Poppy, a few Owl Clover, and a
single Parry's Phacelia. It is always fun to see a new flower for the first
time and for me it was the Twining Snapdragon. Completing the list we saw Wild
Morning Glory, Common Fiddleneck, Popcorn Flower, Mule Fat, Miners Lettuce,
Black Sage, Common Groundsel, Black Mustard, Woolly Aster, Henbit, Eucrypta,
California Black Walnut, California Laurel, Mustard Evening Primrose,
Narrow-leaved Fringe-pod, Golden Yarrow, Yellow Monkey Flower, Chaparral
Current, Hollyleaf Redberry, California Saxifrage, Pineapple Weed, Mountain
Mahogany, Elderberry, Western Sycamore, Deerweed, Pacific Sanicle, Telegraph
Weed, Small Evening Primrose, California Buckwheat, Strigose Lotus, both Bush
and Canyon Sunflower, both Yellow Sweet and Bur Clover, both Red-stem and
White-stem Filaree, both Shiny and Woolly Lomatium, Felt-leaved, California,
and Two-toned Everlasting, and Narrow-leaved, Climbing and Annual Bedstraw.
We also saw several examples of Poison Oak in bloom -- a good reason to stay
safe by staying on the trail. All told a count of 65 different species in
bloom but since many have not yet really hit their stride we can't give as
high a rating as we otherwise might. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Grotto Trail |
Date: 2/4/05 |
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The trail is dry except for a few muddy
patches that are easy to avoid. Getting to the grotto itself is a little
different than a month ago because the stream bed has shifted a bit and a few
sections are still flooded. We counted forty three different
species in bloom but most are only lightly represented. Highlights include
many Greenbark Ceanothus, Purple Nightshade, and Wild Cucumber. In the reds
the California Peony is well along while the Crimson Pitcher Sage is just
beginning. Chaparral Currant, Milkmaids, scatterings of Wild Sweet Pea and a
few Winter Vetch blossoms add pink to the landscape. In the blues a large
patch of Stinging Lupine is close to the almost open buds of the Wishbone
Bush. Near the first waterfall several Blue Larkspur are open with a promise
of many more to come. Blue Dicks were plentiful in the grassy meadow. For
yellows we have along the lower trail both Bush Sunflower and Canyon
Sunflower with Telegraph Weed and Deerweed near the upper end. The whites
were well represented by Wild Cucumber, Wild Morning Glory, Virgin's Bower,
White Nightshade, and Popcorn Flower. Also in bloom along this trail were
California Everlasting, Two-tone Everlasting, Felt-leaf Everlasting,
California Buckwheat, Red-stem Filaree, Redberry, Bur-clover, Woolly Aster,
Elderberry, Yellow Sweet Clover, Pineapple Weed, Poison Oak, Mountain
Mahogany, Mule Fat, Miner’s Lettuce, Narrow-leaved Bedstraw, Black
Sage, Oxalis, Southern Tauschia, Arroyo Willow, Common Groundsel, and Black
Mustard. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Leo Carrillo / Arroyo Sequit |
Nicholas Flat / Arroyo Sequit Loop
Trail |
Date: 2/3/05 |
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On 2/3/05 we hiked two areas just a
few miles apart, Nicholas Flat and Arroyo Sequit. We first entered the trail off
Decker School Road and made a clockwise loop around the Nicholas Flat Area.
We found the large pond to be full but extremely muddy, but with none of the
water plants yet revived. We did find purple nightshade, wild cucumber, wild
sweet peas and even some Vinca major blooming.
Miner's lettuce was plentiful and snake root was starting to flower. A few
fuchsia-flowered gooseberries, poison oak and hedge mustard also were in
flower. Greenback ceanothus, both white and blue blossomed were conspicuously
positioned along the way. In the grassy areas many fiddlenecks and some
horehound were blooming along with slender oats and Calif. everlasting. Red
stem filaree and blue dick were also present in the grasslands mostly. Some
arroyo willow were sporting their catkins and the bur clover held aloft its
tiny yellow flower. Some hold-over Western ragweed was seen and the canyon
sunflower was starting to bloom. Scarlet pitcher sage, bush monkey flower,
black sage, deer weed, bush sunflowers and morning glory were also encountered.
The masses of shooting stars continue to delight as does the coast
paintbrush. Some hog fennel was spotted as well as popcorn flower, dandelion,
several yucca, chaparral current and bigpod ceanothus and the tiny common
groundsel. The trail was dry but deeply rutted with loose stones from the
recent rains, requiring more attention to the trail than one would really
like. This loop is about 3.5 miles and the bloom rating is still fair with
about 22 species found to be in bloom. The second part of the hike was over
the 1.5 mile loop at nearby Arroyo Sequit. Many of the same plants seen at
Nicholas Flat were also seen on this part of the hike, but additionally wooly
lomatium, holly-leaf redberry, Calif. peony, and Bermuda buttercup. Also seen
were gum plant, prickly phlox, chamise (budding), and shiny lomatium.
Two-tone everlasting and felt-leaf everlasting were found as were elderberry,
telegraph weed, and eucrypta. The prize, for me, was several Indian warriors,
the first that I have found. The bloom rating was fair and the two creek
crossings which had been washed out were found to be significant obstacles
since they were sheer eight foot banks that someone had hacked some foot
holds in to aid in descending and ascending. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Rancho Sierra Vista / |
Wendy and Upper
Sycamore Canyon Trails |
Date: 1/25/05 |
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On Jan. 25, 2005 we hiked down the Wendy
Trail and made a 5.5 mile loop around the area returning from the South along
the Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail with a stop at the Waterfall before returning
to the trail head on Portrero Canyon Rd. The
weather was cool and comfortable, the trail dry in most places and the
flowering species observed numbered 54 warranting a good rating for the first
time this year. Across the grasslands the wild radish dominated with colors
of lavender, lavender and white, white, yellow and rose observed. The usual
hedge mustard was present, but the less frequently seen hog fennel and
Johnny-jump-ups were also seen. Blue dick, big-pod ceanothus, morning glory,
deerweed and a single rose in a large stand of wild rose were observed along
the way. Red stem filaree and quite a few shooting stars were on display as
well. Amongst the grasses in flower were both wild and slender oats and
foxtail barley. Bush lupine were seen as well as stinging lupine. Several
small stands of fiddleneck were in bloom as was the arroyo willow. Other
trees blooming were an eucalyptus globulus, Calif.
laurel and what appeared to be a domestic apricot along the trail to the
waterfall. Bush sunflower and canyon sunflower were passed as were three of
the everlasting: Calif., velvet leaf, and two-toned. The ubiquitous telegraph weed, common
groundsel and some coyote bush and ragweed were still hanging around from
last year. Horehound and black sage were both starting to bloom and the
green-bark ceanothus was thick on the hillsides with a few adding their
bouquet along the trail. The first popcorn flower, wishbone bush, and golden
yarrow for this year were starting to bloom. The sow thistle and wild
cucumber were still blooming as well as a couple of wooly asters and purple
sage. There was a lot of wild sweet pea seen and a few scarlet pitcher sage
blooming. Holly leaf redberry, and chaparral current and poison oak displayed
their blooms in various locations. Seen for the first time this year was
miner's lettuce and fiesta flower. Virgin's bower was blooming wildly as it
crawled over the adjacent chaparral. Milkmaid and blue larkspur and eucrypta
was spotted along the trail to the waterfall. Also seen in passing were some
bur clover and Calif. collarless poppy. The water fall was pouring copious quantities
of water down its cascade and the babble of the running water in the stream
was a constant sound to be heard throughout the hike up the Upper Sycamore
Canyon trail. Even the accursed "macadam road" was a pleasant walk
since we chose to go down it and hike back up via the Upper Sycamore Canyon
Trail. (RWM) |
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Naturalist's rating: Good |
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Circle X Ranch |
Backbone Trail below
Triunfo Peak |
Date: 1/22/05 |
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This Hike ran from the Eastern intersection
of the Backbone trail with Yerba Buena Road to the Sandstone Peak trailhead,
a distance of about 5.5 miles. We are now seeing new flowers every trip out
and counted twenty-four species in bloom (including the weedy ones like black
Mustard and Common Groundsel). Ceanothus were represented by Bigpod,
Greenbark and the beginnings of a few Hairy-leaved Ceanothus. Bush Sunflower,
Hollyleaf Redberry, Wild Cucumber and Chaparral Current were plentiful in
spots as were Woolly Lomatium and Purple Nightshade. The diminutive Bur
Clover, Small Evening Primrose and Popcorn Flower were only seen in only a
few scattered locations and required a sharp eye. Black Sage and Deerweed had
begun to bloom in several locations and although already blooming elsewhere I
saw my first Morning Glory, Wild Peony and Yellow Monkey Flower blooming here
at Circle X this day. Just below the Mishe Mokwa trail we encountered a
good-sized field of Shooting Stars. Scattered holdouts from the last blooming
season included a few Twiggy Wreath Plants, some Coyote Brush, and even a
Rock Rose. (TV) |
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Naturalist's rating: Fair |
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Santa
Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 401 West
Hillcrest Drive Ph.
805-370-2301 web. www.nps.gov/samo |
Thank
you for your
contributions: Sheila
Braden |
If you
would like to contribute to the wildflower report: e-mail: or phone
him at 310-457-6408 |
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