Cushenbury Canyon
Map SatelliteCushenbury Canyon cuts the northern scarp of the San Bernardino Mountains, opening onto Lucerne Valley. Vegetation in much of the canyon is primarily an open pinyon, Pinus monophylla, woodland with scattered Joshua trees, Yucca brevifolia, scrub oak, Quercus turbinella, Western juniper, Juniperus occidentalis, and Great Basin sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata. At the lower end of the canyon there is a creosote bush scrub; in the higher elevations the pinyon grades into a Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, forest.
Several rare or uncommon plants occur in the area, Arenaria ursina, Calochortus striatus, Cordylanthus and Erigeron parishii.
Animal life ranges from typical desert to montane species.
In the mid-elevations the canyon cuts through the Carboniferous Furnace limestone. The upper reaches are Mesozoic granitics, the lower, Quaternary alluvium. There are several springs in the canyon and an intermittent stream.
Integrity: State Highway 18 runs near the canyon floor and there are several buildings. Near the mouth there is a cement plant. The vegetation is virtually undisturbed save for several areas by the creek and in the vicinity of the cement plant.
Use: Research, educational, observational, present. Some private.
January 1981
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
