Carbon Canyon Creek Nature Trail

Welcome to Carbon Canyon Creek Nature Trail. You are encouraged to use this information as you enjoy your hike along Carbon Canyon Creek.

The trail is 1.1 mile each way. It was established to enable you to enrich your park experience with a sample of the natural canyon environment.

Along the way you will be given the opportunity to become familiar with some of the naturalized plant life. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will also meet some of the other canyon residents, the animals and birds that make their home here. A taste of park history has been added to flavor your journey.

Your destination at the end of the trail will be a magnificent grove of Coastal Redwood Trees. We invite you to take a picture basket along and lunch among these youthful giants. Due to the restraints comprised of park boundaries and flood basin local, your trip will be along the same trail your hiked in on.

Enjoy your visit and remember: Take only memories...Leave only footprints.

Monterey Pines (Pinus radiata)

Although rare in its native California, Monterey Pine is one of the wolrd's most valuable pines and is the most common commercially planted one in the southern hemisphere (where pines are not native), especially in New Zealand, Australia, Chile and South Africa.

Notice the difference in temperature as you enter this grove of trees. Originally a Christmas tree farm before the existence of Carbon Canyon Park this grove provides a cool refreshing spot near the park entrance to relax and enjoy the beauty of the area.

Carbon Canyon Creek

Careful rock-hopping will see you safely across Carbon Canyon Creek. During severe winter storms this creek takes on the appearance of a raging river and becomes impassable.

Mule Fat (Baccharis viminea), Giant Cane (Arundo donax), California Mugwort (Artemisia heterophylla) and Willow trees predominate this Riparian Plant Community.

Erosion and situation are also very evident here. Feel the fine topsoil deposited along the creek. Much of the canyon valley has been covered by this rich layerof earth providing extremely fertile ground to support plant life.

Abundant Plants

Hemlock (Conium maculatum), Castor Bean (Ricinus communis), and Mustards (Brassica app.) are three of the more dominant plants that grow along the trail. Hemlock, a very poisonous plant if taken internally, is also called "fool's parsely" because of the look-alike similarity.

Castor Bean and Mustard, Asian and European natives respectively, were brought to California by the early mission padres. Castor Bean was used for decorative purposes and mustards were scattered along the travel routes.