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Map Satellite Sycamore Canyon and its tributary, Dark Canyon, in draining portions of the western Puente Hills, have cut the Miocene Puente Formation sandstones and silt-stones to a maximum depth of 105 meters (350 feet). The lower slopes are covered by a coastal sage scrub in which California sagebrush, Artemisia californica, is the most conspicuous element. On the higher slopes, particularly the south-facing, grasslands, primarily exotics, are the main cover. On the bottom of Dark Canyon there is an oak woodland with live oak, Quercus agrifolia. Sycamores, Platanus racemosa, willows, Salix sp., toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, and elderberry, Sambucus mexicana, are among the plants on the floor of Sycamore Canyon. Animal life is typical of the region and relatively abundant. There are intermittent streams in the canyons. Integrity: This area is, in parts, highly disturbed, having been grazed for at least eighty years. Portions were burned in the 1960's. Urban developments surround the area on three sides, and within it there are various fences, trails, etc., as well as a silted-up dam. A proposal has been made to restore the area. Use: Educational, research, observational. Some private. December 1979
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2008 Steven Louis Hartman
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