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Map Satellite The American River Bluffs are composed of exposed non-marine sedimentary deposits of Plio-Pleistocene age, about 30 meters (100 feet) high, overlooking the river. These bluffs represent one of the last relatively undisturbed areas in the vicinity of Sacramento. They support a rich community on the north-facing canyons, with many typical members of the California spring flora occurring here, such as Dichelostemma capitatum, Triteleia ixioides, Triteleia laxa, Ranunculus occidentalis, Ranunculus californicus, Calochortus spp., Eschscholzia californica, Eschscholzia lobbii, Gilia tricolor, Lupinus bicolor and Lupinus nanus, among others.
On the bluffs there are small patches of blue oak woodland, with Quercus douglasii, valley oak, Quercus lobata, and California buckeye, Aesculus californica.
Integrity: A powerline crosses the area but, aside from erosion caused by motorcycles in a small section, there is relatively little disturbance.
Use: Private. Portion in Lake Natoma State Park, educational, observational, research.
April 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
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