Painted Gorge

Painted Gorge takes its name from the vivid display of red Tertiary volcanics, both flows and aglomerates of ejected material, which overlie and contrast with various colored older granitics and metamorphics, the latter including marble, schist and quartzite. On the lower slopes to the south and east, varicolored Pliocene marine sediments, clays and sandstones are exposed. These rocks have been uplifted by the Elsinore fault. The lower areas and valley fill are recent alluvials.

The vegetation is creosote bush scrub, with some desert riparian along the intermittent stream course, The rare plant Eucnide rupestris is found in the gorge.

A typical lower Sonoran fauna inhabits the area. Immediately to the west of the gorge is the type locality of the rare snail Micrarionta ora carrizoensis.

A number of marine invertebrate fossils occur in the Pliocene sediments.

Integrity: The area has been designated as a public recreation site and is maintained as an undeveloped recreation site.

Use: Educational, research, observational, light recreation.

Ref: Berry, 1943. Title Unknown. Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 10:9.

July 1975