The route for Tom’s April 7 hike north of Agoura Hills was a counterclockwise loop from the Palo Comado Doubletree Trailhead to the Palo Comado Canyon Trail, the Palo Comado Connector, the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail, the Sheep Corral Trail, then back to the Palo Comado Canyon Trail and the trailhead. This route passes through a photogenic southern California landscape of open hillsides and valleys, grasslands and mature oak woodlands.
When we did this route with Tom last year, we saw more kinds of wildflowers than I remember seeing on any other day hike ever, so I was hoping for the same this year. While this probably was the best GLS wildflower hike this Spring, the wildflowers were not quite equal to last year. That seems to be what people are finding throughout southern California this Spring. We did see most of the flowers I expected to see, but few in abundance. One particular standout, however, was big patches of wild peonies on the Sheep Corral Trail.
While some of us do look for wildflowers, we really hike with GLS more for the company and for the exercise. A nice group of hikers showed up for the hike, some people I hadn’t seen for years and some I hadn’t met before. We had cool weather with clear skies, and no one had any trouble making the distance.
Tom suggested that next year, he could lead a similar hike but starting at a different trailhead that would add a little distance and go through more oak woodland. I am looking forward to that.
Here are some photos from the hike.
Reaching the first ridge above the trailhead, before dropping down into Palo Comado Canyon. Jeff Johnson.Hairy lupin (Lupinus hirsutissimus), one of the two kinds of lupin we saw on this hike. Jeff Johnson.The other kind of lupine that we saw. There are so many blue lupines that grow around here, it’s hard to identify which one this is. Jeff Johnson.It’s wooly, it’s blue, it’s at least a little curly. It’s Wooly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum). Nancy Beverly.Crossing Cheeseboro Creek carefully. The water here is this murky color because of a natural petroleum seep just upstream from here. Whatever exactly is leaking into the creek, it makes the whole area smell like sulfur. Jeff Johnson.Bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida). Jeff Johnson.Star lily (Toxicoscordion sp.). Jeff Johnson.Pseudognaphalium leucocephalum (White rabbit tobacco). Jeff Johnson.Sara Orangetip (Anthocharis sara), an indigenous California butterfly, found from Baja California to southern Oregon. Jeff Johnson.One of the two kinds of Ceanothus seen in bloom on this hike. I believe this one is Desert Ceanothus (Ceanothus greggii). Jeff Johnson.A blue Ceanothus by the trail. Not sure which kind, they are hard to tell apart. Jeff Johnson.Many blue Ceanothus bushes like this one were in full bloom by the trail. Nancy Beverly.One of the old oaks that survived past wildfires and has continued to grow. This one is a Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia). Nancy Beverly.Scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius), not quite open yet. Jeff Johnson.Prickly phlox (Linanthus californicus). Jeff Johnson.California Peony (Paeonia californica), turned up by hand so we can see into the flower. Jeff Johnson.Many mature, sprawling Coast Live Oaks like this one grow in these valleys. Nancy Beverly.Bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida). Jeff Johnson.Bush sunflower (Encelia californica), the ubiquitous bright yellow sunflowers around here. Nancy Beverly.On the Sheep Corral Trail. Nancy Beverly.
