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>Map >Satellite The Joaquin Rocks are three large prominences composed predominantly of a concretionary sandstone, with small alternating sections of clay, shale and shaly sandstone beds. All of these are part of the Joaquin Ridge sandstones of the Upper Cretaceous marine Panoche formation. This alternation of hard and soft strata, often with beds hundreds of feet in thickness, permits the harder beds to form thick slabs. Such long, smooth slabs form the steep cliffs on the face of the Joaquin Rocks.
Vegetation in the area includes foothill woodlands with blue oak, Quercus douglasii, and gray pine, Pinus sabiniana. California juniper, Juniperus californica, chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum, and buck brush, Ceanothus cuneatus, are dominant in the chaparral.
There is a spring in the area.
These rocks are named for Joaquin Murietta, the alias of several Mexican bandits who supposedly used the area as a hideout.
Integrity: Virtually undisturbed.
Use: Private
March 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2008 Steven Louis Hartman
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