Directions relative to driving north from Placerville: Take Hwy 49 north and go about one mile to Hwy 193 to Chili Bar and Georgetown. Go down to the river, up the grade, then on a few miles past Kelsey. You may notice a road named "Traverse Creek" but do not take it! Instead, continue and watch for the Christmas tree lot on the left, then a mile or so farther, see Black Oak MIne Road, also on the left. Just a half-mile more turn at Meadowbrook Road on the right and follow the road down the hill to the intersection with Bear Creek Road; go across the road and park. Check this Google map. GPS Users: UTM Section 10, 4804 605 N, 689 346 E

When You Get There, Look Around at the Big Picture!

Just arriving at Traverse Creek and getting out of your vehicle should be all the time you'll need to notice the different qualities of vegetation at the margins of “regular” soil and serpentine soil. The pines, for example, are ponderosa [Pinus ponderosa] on the slopes coming in, but foothill pine [P. sabiniana] in the serpentine area.

Initially the area will look a little desolate; the trees are sparse and the vegetation isn’t overwhelmingly inviting, but there are special things awaiting you. While this is now listed as an Area of Special Botanical Interest (ABI), it also has a longer history of an area of special mineralogical interest; it has been gone over by rock hounds and gold prospectors who dug the holes which will become obvious as you walk the area. Long before that, the area was clearly of interest to Native Americans who collected acorns and processed them on-site; you might find rocky outcrops with obvious grinding holes (shown at left). It is also an area frequented by people who want to go ride their horses; all of which activity is permitted. ATVs and dirt bikes are not permitted, but that doesn't stop the inevitable intruders who leave tire tracks through the vegetation. As with any area open to the public, some poorly-informed people will think it's their playground. Luckily, the sharp rocks probably protect the really sensitive plants.

There are a few trails available (this is not a huge area) but a basic first trip would have you start at the parking area, follow the big trail northward an then cross the bridge. After that you can easily follow a trail that climbs a bit up the hill (after another bridge crossing) and leads you back south, all the while able to see the road around the area.

There is a wide parking area seen at the bend in the road; wander over into the big rocky stretch and look for the lewisias in that serpentine during April. Beyond that area is a ravine with a small stream; look under the buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus) for the fawn lilies (Erythronium multiscapoidium).

Traverse Creek is designated as an area of Special Botanical Interest because of the serpentine soil. As is typically the case, an area (niche) that isn't being used will eventually give rise to plants that find a way to adapt, taking advantage of reduced competition for survival. Today we have a variety of plants to enjoy that are specific to a serpentine environment.

Many of the trees and shrubs are either evergreen or persistent. The black oaks [Quercus kelloggii] will change color and lose their leaves, but there are “scrub oaks” that will give you something to puzzle over if you are interested in identifying plants. Leather oak [Quercus durata] is one of the serpentine endemics here. “Scrub oak” is a term used for a number of similar chaparral varieties of oak that are shrubby and have similar (at first glance), generally small leaves. In this area expect to find leather oak, but also look for the spiny-leafed oak that actually is called scrub oak, Q. berberidifolia.

Another plant that you could look for is a Jeweflower (Streptanthus polygaloides), a curious plant in the Mustard family (Brassicaceae); This plant has a distinctive yellow-green color (in this area anyway). Compare it with our common mountain version, Steptanthus tortuosus. It is a hyperaccumulator of the heavy metal nickel; this seems to be its defense against the common cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae), the larvae of which attack other cabbage family plants. It may interest you to read research on this. Serpentine jewel flower is a tall (up to three feet) stem with small chartreuse flowers that make it a little hard to find until you find it, then you will see it all over the place.

Walking the trails around Traverse Creek might have you brushing up against some shrubby trees with shiny, lanceolate leaves. That contact might get you a strong whiff of California bay [Umbellularia californica], an evergreen which has a pungent fragrance that—in small doses—will please most people. It is not true “bay leaf” as you find in the spice section (see note, below), but it is actually OK to use a leaf to season foods. California bay is usually a tree of stature, but in serpentine soils it grows more as a shrub. This plant is in the family Laurelaceae and that leads to a couple of surprises: the avocado is in this family, and laurel leaves were the leaves used to crown athletes and scholars in ancient Greece. Note: true bay leaves are from a Mediterranean tree known as Sweet Bay: Laurus nobilis. “Our word 'baccalaureate' means 'laurel berries' and signifies the successful completion of one's studies. It alludes to the bay wreaths worn by poets and scholars when they received academic honors in ancient Greece.” —McCormick.com

There is a clearly identifiable trail that leads out of the parking area. For a short hike that will introduce you to the vegetation, head north on the trail and continue until you see the foot bridge. Go over the bridge and in another 100 yards or so, find the brown trail marker. Turn around and see that another trail doubles back and goes up a small rise toward some dead snags. From that point the one trail is pretty obvious. You will cross one more foot bridge but keep heading up the hill a bit and then level out. The rest of the trail is gentle grade up and down, lined with a continuing display of scrub oaks to keep you busy with an ID book, coyote brush [Baccharis pilularis], coffeeberry [Rhamnus tomentella], and more.

It's only a one-mile walk and you will find that you are generally never at a loss to see just where you are, relative to your vehicle. That said, there are several other trails for you to follow at your discretion.

If you are there in April and walk along the road toward the south end, watch for a curious little mimulus called "chinless mim" (Mimulus douglasii) because it has much reduced lower petals. This is not a rare plant but it is a nice little find; in fact this is the only place in El Dorado County where the flowers are reported. It is also found in Red Hills area near Sonora. There is another reason to ponder the little mim: the family name has changed from Scophulariaceae to Phymaceae, and M. douglasii is a bit of a character: it can self-pollinate.

Another Hidden Flower...

In late April on into June, try to find the little pansy monkeyflower (Mimulus angustatus). It's never been abundant but it may be hiding in the grass near the south end of the hill. It is a plant that grows only in California. All in all there are eight species of mimulus to find on the Traverse Creek walk.

When the main trail leads you back to the paved road, across from a ranch fence and just half a mile uphill from your start point, wander off to explore the open expanse of exposed serpentine across the road (the parking area has been blocked out with rip-rap to suggest that ATVs should stay out!) During the Spring this area is quite a flower show when bright pink Lewisia [ L. rediviva ] blooms are all over on the shiny green rock, and Evening Snow [Linanthus dichotomus] abundant on nearby sandy areas. You need to be there early to see them because they bloom at night (Get it? Evening snow?) and may close up by 10:00am. This display in itself is worth the trip, but there are many more flowers to see over the April-May-June season; knee-deep sidalcea (Sidalcea hartwegii) is especially nice in June.

5 June 06: I found a new flower for the area, in fact a new flower for the county! A species from the Carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), Dianthus armeria ssp. armeria, common name: grass pink. A non-native flower, it seems to be just getting started at Traverse Creek with about a half-dozen plants along the road near the bridge on Bear Valley Road.

More about serpentine soils: UC Davis - McLaughlin Reserve

[back to top]