EBRPD
MT. DIABLO STATE PARK
April 28, 2014
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We had been looking for something new during these mild April days, and found just the trail on Mt. Diablo. It was reasonably short with just around 5 miles if you include the peak trail. It had incredible views,. And while some might consider the recent burn a negative, they are fascinating botanically.
We started out at the trailhead where the Summit Road meets the North Peak Trail and headed east. The trail remains fairly flat as it winds around to the Devils Pulpit with great views
along the way with flowers being abundant among the occasional blackened trees. From here is descends quickly towards the Gap Fire Road before going up again to the North Peak. We were lucky enough to have a camping spot at Juniper Campground, and I must admit, a stroll down Deer Flat Road after dinner
provided us with some of the most abundant fields of wildflowers we have ever seen, not to mention a spectacular sunset
See our Park page for more information.
Blooming Plants Not Photographed:
NN=Non Native
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
Agoseris grandiflora (Mt. Dandelion)
Allium unifolium (1 leaf onion)
Amsinckia intermedia (Fiddleneck)
Arabis breweri Brewer’s Rock Cress)
Calandrinia ciliata (Red Maids)
Cardamine californica (Milk Maids)
Carduus pycnocephalus (Italian Thistle)NN
Castilleja exserta (Purple Owls Clover)
Ceanothus cuneatus (Buck Brush)
Chlorogalum pomeridianum (Soap Plant)
Clarkia purpurea (Wine Cups)
Claytonia perfoliata (Miner’s Lettuce)
Clematis ligusticifolia (Virgin’s Bower)
Collinsia heterophylla (Chinese Houses)
Collinsia sparsiflora (Blue Eyed Mary)
Cynoglossum grande (Hounds Tongue)
Delphinium nudicaule(Red Larkspur)
Delphinium patens (Zig Zag Larkspur)
Dodecatheon hendersonii (Shooting Star)
Ericamerica linearifolia (Goldenbush)
Eriodictyon californicum (Yerba Santa)
Erodium cicutarium (Red Stemmed Filaree)NN
Eriophyllum lanatum (Wooly Sunflower)
Erysimum capitatum (Wallflower)
Eschscholzia californica (Ca. Poppy)
Fritillaria affinis var. affinis (Checker Lily)
Gilia tricolor (Bird’s Eye Gilia)
Grindelia camporum (Great Valley Gumplant)
Hemizonia congesta (Hayfield Tarweed)
Hypochaeris glabra (Smooth Cat’s Ears)NN
Lathyrus vestitus (Hillside Pea)
Lithophragma affine (Woodland Star)
Lupinus albifrons (Silver Bush Lupine)
Lupinus nanas (Sky Lupine)
Madia sativa (Chilean Tarweed)
Marah fabaceous (Wild Cucumber)
Mimulus aurantiacus (Sticky Money Flower)
Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii (Baby Blue Eyes)
Phacelia distans (Distant Phacelia)
Phacelia imbricata (Imbricate Phacelia)
Plagiobothrys nothofulvus (Popcorn Flower)
Ptelea crenulata (Hopseed Bush)
Quercus agrifolia (Coast Live Oak)
Sambucus mexicana (Blue Elderberry)
Sanicula crassicaulis (Snakeroot)
Scrophularia californica (Bee Plant)
Scutellaria tuberosa (Danny’s Skull Cap)
Senecio aronicoides (Butterweed)
Senecio vulgaris (Common Groundsel)NN
Solanum umbelliferum (Blue Witch)
Thysanocarpus curvipes (Fringe Pod)
Toxicodendron diversilobum (Poison Oak)
Toxicoscordion fremontii (Fremont’s Star Lily)
Trifolium hirtum (Rose Clover)NN
Trifolium willdenovii (Tom Cat Clover)
Viola purpurea ssp. quercetorum (Oak Violet)
Wyethia helenioides (Grey Mule Ears)
Ferns & Allies Not Photographed:
Pellaea mucronata (Bird’s Foot Fern)
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