Canyon Section and Rainforest Trail Closed

The Canyon section between the small bridge by Wildcat Creek and the larger upper bridge by the Glasshouse and the new Rainforest trail below the Sequoia building are currently closed.

During the recent storm (4/20-21) the Botanic Garden sustained significant damage in the Canyon section of the Garden. A very large trunk of a double-trunked coast live oak tree snapped off at the base, and fell into a nearby multi-trunked bay tree. The second trunk of the double-trunked oak is currently still standing, but is no longer stable and it now endangers all of the paths and plantings in that very large area due to its immense size and positioning on the slope at the edge of the north side of the Franciscan section. The additional three standing trunks of the bay tree are also now highly unstable (particularly the largest one) and could also snap off at any time. Due to their sizes and positions, a large part of the “beginning” part of the Canyon section (including the two middle paths that lead deeper into the Canyon) is unsafe for ALL visitors.

Botanic Garden staff are hard at work getting this situation taken care of, so please respect these closures that have been made for your safety.

Upcoming Events

Botanical Hotspots of Northern California

Northern California is among the most diverse floras of the world and much of that diversity is found in well defined hotspots. In May and July Glenn Keator offers this series of free presentations from 10 AM to 12 PM at the Botanic Garden Visitor Center.

May 3 ABBOTT’S LAGOON This northwestern corner of  Pt. Reyes National Seashore is home to a great diversity of habitats in a 2 ½ mile easy hike including coastal scrub grasslands, wetlands, and sand dunes. It is best in spring and early summer.

May 17 MINES ROAD AND MT HAMILTON AREA This long road south of Livermore goes through some pristine habitat that makes you feel miles away from civilization. It features vast chaparral, meadows, gray pine-oak forests, rock scree, and springs including adjacent Del Puerto  Canyon.

May 31 BEAR VALLEY AND WALKER RIDGE This particular Bear Valley lies in the inner north Coast Ranges east of Clear Lake and is accessed from Williams. Besides vast inner grasslands with a plethora of geophytes and annual wildflowers, the ridge to the west has both serpentine and ordinary soils and has ot only a selection of beautiful geophytes but is also the only place where two different species of western cypresses occur.

July 12 THE SMITH RIVER WATERSHED California’s most northern undammed river feeds into wetlands and sea promontories and extends into deep forested canyons with peaks rising to 5,000 feet and is home to many special endemics.

July 19 COOK AND GREEN PASS Just short of the Oregon border, 5000-foot Cook and Green Pass has an unparalleled diversity combining lowland species with high and subalpine species in a series of forests, meadows, and rock outcrops.

July 26 MT. EDDY This, the highest point in the Klamath Mountains at 9,000 feet is an entirely serpentine area featuring several gem like lakes, large meadows, a range of interesting conifers, and true alpine habitat. It is also home to vast populations of the curious insectivorous cobra plant, Darlingtonia californica.

Plants of Interest

• Larkspur

• Baha sage

• Snow drop

• Laguna heuchera

• Flannel bush

• Yerba santa

• Catalina nightshade

• Channel Island tree poppy

• Coral bells

• Pacific ninebark

• Western spicebush

• Candyflower

• Stream violet

• Pacific rhododendron

• Two-lipped monkeyflower

• Yerba mansa

• Santa Rosa horkelia

• American dogwood