Old San Gabriel Canyon Road
See Plants and Wildflowers in the San Gabriel Mountains at Dan's Hiking PagesSee El Encanto Azusa River Wilderness Park at Dan's Hiking Pages - Photo gallery, July 15, 2007
As the weekend approached I knew I would not be able to go hiking since I had a plate full of household tasks. But as Sunday afternoon wore on, I had a window for a walk, so I headed over to El Encanto Trail (AKA Old San Gabriel Canyon Road) at Azusa River Wilderness Park. This is the site of the former El Encanto Restaurant and now operated as a park by San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. Actually it’s still not much more than a large parking lot overlooking the river, but they have big plans for the site.
El Encanto is only minutes from my house and sits just inside the mouth of the San Gabriel River. I’ve driven past it numerous times over the years, as has anyone who has driven up Hwy 39 into the mountains, but I’ve only hiked the trail once.
The trail is an old service road (Old San Gabriel Canyon Road) that begins at the south end of the parking lot and follows the canyon wall high above the winding river and ends a mile later just past an old gauging station. I figured it would be a good chance to see what plants might lend themselves to be photographed.
4:13 p.m. - Begin walk. The sun feels good after an overcast and cool weekend. The plants in bloom are typical of what I’ve been seeing in recent weeks...California buckwheat, golden yarrow, sunflower, mustard, bush monkeyflower, scarlet larkspur, Botta’s clarkia (farewell to spring), white sage, yucca, tree tobacco, morning glory, everlasting, thistle, etc. But then I saw a dudleya that I’ve only read about. I know it may sound silly to get excited over a plant, but I found myself delighted by this serendipitous discovery. Below is my “rare” find along with some other plants I captured on the walk.
Globe gilia (
Gilia capitata) / Phlox family (Polemoniaceae)
Native / Annual herb / Blooms April to July
Mediterranean mustard or shortpod mustard (
Hirschfeldia incana) / Mustard family (Brassicaceae)
Non-native / Biennial or perennial herb / Blooms April to October
San Gabriel Mountains dudleya (
Dudleya densiflora) Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae)
Dudleya densiflora / Stonecrop Family (Crassulaceae)
Native / Perennial herb / Blooms June to July
According to the interpretive sign in Fish Canyon,
Dudleya deniflora was first verified in 1919 in Fish Canyon. This is a rare species that apparently only grows in three places in the front range canyons of the San Gabriels. It generally is found in steep, rocky, granitic cliff and canyon walls from 800-2000 feet in elevation.
San Gabriel Mountains dudleya (
Dudleya densiflora) Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae)
According to Cliff and Gabi McLean, there are five species of
Dudleya in the San Gabriel foothills and canyons. Canyon dudleya (
Dudleya cymosa) and lanceleaf dudleya (
Dudleya lanceolata) are the most common.
Dudleya densiflora is rare.
Red valerian (
Centranthus rubber) / Valerian family (Valerianaceae)
Non-native / Perennial herb or subshrub / Blooms April to August
This popular garden plant is grown for its ornamental flowers. It escaped and ended up here. There is quite a bit of it in this section of trail.
Poison oak (
Toxicodendron diversilobum) / Sumac family (Anacardiaceae)
Native / Perennial shrub or vine / Blooms February to May (small whitish flowers)
The leaves usually turn colorful in autumn and fall off for a leafless winter, but sometimes some of the leaves get confused with what season it is, seen here 9 days before summer begins. Contact with the plant causes rash or worse for most people, usually starting one to three days after contact.
Castor bean (
Ricinus communis) / Spurg family (Euphorbiaceane)
Non-native (invasive) / Shrub / Blooms most of year
Note that it has both red (female) and white (male) flowers. Neither have petals, only sepals.
Castor bean (
Ricinus communis) / Spurg family (Euphorbiaceane)
Non-native (invasive) / Shrub / Blooms most of year
A closer look at the white (male) flowers. The seeds are extremely poisonous.
Dodder (
Cuscuta spp.) / Dodder family (Cuscutaceae)
Native / annual herb or vine / Blooms May to November
It is widespread in the San Gabriels and beyond. Dodder is a leafless parasite that takes its food supply from a host plant.
Blue elderberry or Mexican elderberry (
Sambucus mexicana) / Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae)
Native / Deciduous tree or shrub. Blooms March to September
Blue elderberry or Mexican elderberry (
Sambucus mexicana) / Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae)
Native / Deciduous tree or shrub. Blooms March to September
Ripe elderberry fruit is used to make pies, jellies, and wine. The green fruit is poisonous.
Wishbone bush (
Mirabilis californica) / Four O’clock family (Nyctaginaceae)
Native / Perennial herb / Blooms March to July
5:24 - While shooting the wishbone bush my battery dies. I reach into my pocket to get the backup battery and it’s not there. I thought for sure I put it there. So I sauntered along cameraless just enjoying the setting. After passing the gauging station I went another 150 yards to where the trial disappears into a jumble of boulders. At 5:42 I turn around and enjoy a brisk walk back.
6:01 - Finish hike. What a nice outing to cap the weekend. Not much distance (about 2 miles r.t.) but taking the time to focus on plants is satisfying. I am always thankful that we live so close to such wonderful natural resources.
See Plants and Wildflowers in the San Gabriel Mountains at Dan's Hiking PagesSee El Encanto Azusa River Wilderness Park at Dan's Hiking Pages - Photo gallery, July 15, 2007
See Garcia Trail Description on Dan's Hiking Pages
7:22 - Begin hike. The weather is warm and the sun low in the sky. With the sun setting at 8:05, I’m hoping to get a good sunset picture. But I see the sun will be setting behind the mountains stretching to the west and be out of sight long before 8:05, so I’ll have to get the shot from the trail. There is a real beauty this time of day. I’m not paying much attention to plants but some of the blooms include buckwheat, golden yarrow, scarlet penstemon, cliff aster, sunflower, mustard, everlasting, yucca, deerweed, Douglas nightshade, clarkia, fountain grass, tree tobacco, elderberry, and lupine (one occurrence on the summit). 
There are lots people on the trail; the majority are young adults. My pace is brisk and I’m working up a nice sweat. The June gloom of this morning has left moisture in the atmosphere creating a distant haze. I am perturbed about the amount of litter along the trail...what is wrong with these people?!
8:05 - Arrive at Azusa Peak, exactly at sunset, but the sun has long dipped behind the mountains. The Christian flag atop of the large white cross flutters in the breeze. Others arrive at the summit. A new peak register box has been attached to the base of the cross. Looks like it is custom made and quite durable. The human sprawl rests in twilight below. I don’t linger long, wanting to be off the trail before it’s too dark. Leave summit at 8:12. Others are still coming up the trail.
I enjoy the beauty of dusk and am still drawn to photograph the sky. A blanket of city lights begins to twinkle, but I know my efforts to photograph the panorama will be blurry without taking time to secure the camera. The cool evening air feels good. Crickets chirping. My steps are more guarded as the light dims.
