The following link should open a PDF file containing the 2019 field trip schedule. (The list does not include three field trips that took place before this list was finalized.) The schedule is presented again as text after the link.
2019 CNPS Sierra Foothills Chpt Field Trips_for NL
California Native Plant Society
Sierra Foothills Chapter
2019 Field Trips
For all field trips: bring lunch, water, sunscreen and appropriate clothing and footwear. Hiking level varies with each trip. Check the trip description for the need to RSVP. Your trip will be enhanced by bringing field guides and magnifying lenses, although these are optional. Carpooling is encouraged. Call ahead if the weather looks iffy. Our field trips are open to everyone. Bring a friend or two. It is Chapter policy that pets are not allowed on our field trips. We appreciate everyone’s adherence to this policy.
Sign up for our field trip alerts e-mails. Send an e-mail with the subject line “Field Trip e-mail List” to Jennie at jhaas953@gmail.com. We’ll use this mailing list and Twitter to provide timely information of field trip changes and those impromptu “unscheduled field trips.”
April 27 – Hetch Hetchy Hike. Leaders: Barry and Judy Breckling. Hiking Level: moderate. We’ll visit the dramatic, flooded sister of Yosemite Valley. Hetch Hetchy is a good area for lower elevation wildflowers, and in some years the displays can be exceptional. We’ll walk about 2. relatively flat miles to Wapama Fall and turn around and return the way we came. People who don’t want to hike 5 miles can turn around earlier on. The park charges an entrance fee. We’ll meet at the library parking lot in Groveland at 9:00 a.m. and carpool to Hetch Hetchy. For more information, contact Barry and Judy at (209) 878-3041or breckling@garlic.com.
April 28 – Moss Hike, Merced River Canyon. Leaders: Paul Wilson and Lynn Robertson. Hiking Level: easy (the trail is flat though occasionally rocky). Dr. Paul Wilson (Bryophyte Chapter of CNPS) and Lynn Robertson (CNPS Sierra Foothills Chapter) will be exploring mosses in the Merced River Canyon below El Portal & Yosemite National Park. This area is rich in liverworts and mosses. Meet at 9:00am at the Merced River Recreation Area (Briceburg) parking lot adjacent to Hwy 140, about 14 miles east of Mariposa. For more details, contact Lynn Robertson at billielr@sti.net or (209)966-5316. Bring a lunch. We will be back at the parking lot by early afternoon. There is no cell phone coverage in the immediate area.
May 11 – Foresta & Foresta Falls. Leader: Lynn Robertson. Hiking Level: Moderate. The main part of the day will be a hike to Foresta Falls on the Old Foresta Road. It is 3 miles round trip. We will look around Big Meadows and possibly other local sites as well. Please sign up with Lynn (see below) to allow communication of any changes. Meet at 9:30am in Foresta: from Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120), drive into Foresta for 1.7 miles to the parking area at the bulletin board across from Big Meadow. For more info contact and to RSVP, contact Lynn Robertson at billielr@sti.net or (209)966-5316.
June 8 – Red Hills. Leader Name: Doug Krajnovich. Hiking Level: Easy except for the heat. (Bring twice as much water as you think you need). Red Hills has numerous plants with CNPS Rare Plant Ranking, but most of them bloom late. June is the best time to see them – if you can take the heat. To reduce the chance of heat stroke, we will start in late afternoon and spend two hours walking along the creek that runs parallel to N. Serpentine Rd. Target plants include: California Verbena (1B.1); Red Hills Ragwort (1B.2); Tripod Buckwheat (4.2); Hernandez Bluecurls (4.3); Red Hills Soaproot (1B.2); Chinese Camp Brodiaea (1B.1). If anyone is willing to stay until sunset, we will hold a vigil around a Soaproot plant, waiting for flowers to open right before our eyes. Unlikely to get rained out, but best to sign up in case there are changes. Meet at 4:00pm at the small parking lot at the intersection of Red Hills Rd. and North Serpentine Rd. If you are coming from Chinese Camp direction, the parking lot is close to the large Red Hills ACEC entrance sign. If you are coming from the west, follow Red Hills Rd. ~2 miles past the main parking lot that has picnic tables and outhouse. For more info contact Doug K., djkran@comcast.net, no cell, landline: 209-580-4595 (e-mail preferred). 2
June 23 – Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Leader: Bob Dean. Hiking Level: easy. Bob will gear this trip toward the botanical novice who wants to learn about the plants without having to know Latin to understand what they’re looking at. Calaveras Big Trees is a favorite destination with a lot of plant diversity. Contact Bob to RSVP and for meeting time and place at goldrushdean@yahoo.com, or 209-754-5887.
August 8 (Tentative Date) – Carson Pass Meadows. Leader: Bob Dean. Hiking Level: strenuous due to the very high elevation. The destination of this Thursday hike will be a small meadow with a lot of native plants. The hike starts at about 8,000 feet elevation and rises to about 9,000 feet, with a lot to stop and see along the way including ancient junipers, beautiful scenery and plenty of wildflowers in the snowmelt-fed runnels. RSVPs are necessary in case the date needs to be changed due to a lingering snow pack and to coordinate meeting place and time. To RSVP or for more information, contact Bob at goldrushdean@yahoo.com, or 209-754-5887.
August 17-18 – High Sierra Double Header. Leader: David Campbell, Doug Krajnovich. Hiking Level: Arduous due to high elevation. High Sierra field trips sometimes get canceled because of T-storms, and even with perfect weather, attendance is often light because it is a lot of driving for a day trip. This year we invite you to make it a 3-day weekend: drive up Friday, August 16, spend Friday night camping nearby or in comfort at Mammoth Lakes or Lee Vining, then join us for one or both weekend field trips. Meet-up time for both field trips is 8 a.m. sharp. This will allow us to get walks in even if there is typical afternoon T-storm activity.
August 17 – Gaylor Lakes
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Gaylor Lakes trailhead next to the Tioga Pass entrance station on Highway 120. If arriving from the east, no entrance fee is required if you park outside the gate and walk in. If coming from the west, the park entrance fee is required. This is a 3.6 miles round trip with about 800’ of elevation gain and descent. The hike begins at around 10,000’ elevation, so be prepared to be winded. Crossing through lodgepole pine forest the trail leads to Gaylor Lakes and lovely meadows filled with many blooms to enjoy throughout. Sign up is mandatory for Gaylor Lakes, due to group size restrictions inside the park. To RSVP or for more info, contact David at 612-867-8700, or moonwort.campbell@gmail.com
August 18 – Harvey Monroe Hall Research Natural Area
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the parking lot for the Sawmill Walk-in Campground. This parking lot is for registered Sawmill campers, so you will need to park your vehicle either at the Gardisky Lake trailhead (. mile south of Sawmill) or at the Saddlebag Lake Resort (~1 mile north of Sawmill), and walk from there. A lovely trail winds through Sawmill and continues into the Harvey Monroe Hall RNA. The trail starts out level, then starts to climb. Bring creek-crossing shoes if you don’t want to get your boots and socks wet. For more info, contact Doug at 209-580-4595 or djkran@comcast.net (e-mail preferred).
September 8 – Lake Winnemucca/Mokelumne Wilderness. Leader: Bob Dean. Hiking Level: strenuous due to the very high elevation. This trail is well known for its beautiful vistas and splendid wildflower displays. While most of the flowers will have disappeared by this date, Bob found flowers and interesting plants to look at here at this time in 2018. RSVPs are necessary in case the date needs to be changed and to coordinate a meeting place and time. To RSVP or for more information, contact Bob at goldrushdean@yahoo.com, or 209-754-5887.
October 12 – Fall Colors. Leader: Jennie Haas. Hiking Level: very easy (car tour with minimal walking). This year, we’ll return to one of our all-time favorite locations to view fall colors: Highway 4 over Ebbetts Pass to the renowned Hope Valley where the colors are usually well developed. We’ll take a drive up to Monitor Pass on Highway 89 checking out the aspen stands along the way. Lunch will be our favorite deli in Markleeville. The group will decide if we’ll return over Carson Pass on Highway 88 or go back the way we came on Highway 4. RSVP is required. For more info or to sign up, contact Jennie at jhaas953@gmail.com or 209-962-4759.
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ARCHIVED FIELD TRIP SCHEDULES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
2018 CNPS Field Trips
2017 CNPS Field Trips
2016 CNPS Field Trips
2015 CNPS Field Trips
2014 CNPS Field Trips