Wildflower Trip to Manzana Trail - May 11, 2008
Manzana Trail Area - Sunset Valley area - Los Padres National Forest - Santa Lucia Ranger District, Figueroa Mountain, Santa Ynez, Nira campground
Manzana Creek May 17, 2008 - Lynn Watson Post from around the same time, some of the photos are from the hike we took together
2008 is a great year for wildflowers at Figueroa Mountain. There are many Chocolate lilies at the meadow and the smell of the pines and flowers, at the spot before the dirt road leading to the top, was just as amazing as the site of Lupine and California poppy display. Slideshow - April 6, 2008
Figueroa Mountain - December 15, 2007
Yellow-billed magpie Pica nuttalli, Fox sparrow Passerella iliaca, Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea, Mountain chickadee Poecile gambeli, and Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma
Lynn Watson has a nice entry at NatureShutterbug for Figueroa Mountain - Apr 7, 2007. Her Plant Albums can be helpful with identifying some of the wildflowers. She contribures many of her photos to CalFlora. Calflora provides information on wild California plants for conservation, education, and appreciation.
Kate, Kendy and I had a nice road trip to Figueroa Mountain in Spring 2004. They gave me a wonderful intoduction to the Figueroa Mountain area. It is a good idea to bring a flower field guide with you. It doesn't hurt to have friends who are biologist or naturalist either.