Palomar Mountain State Park
and VicinityMap Satellite
Palomar Mountain State Park furnishes a typical example of a southern California yellow-pine forest. Coulter, ponderosa and Jeffrey pines, Pinus coulteri, Pinus ponderosa, and Pinus jeffreyi, incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, white fir, Abies concolor, big-cone Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, and California black oak, Quercus kelloggii, are elements of the forest.
In the lower elevations chaparral is present, with such species as Ceanothus palmeri, Ceanothus leucodermis, Arctostaphylos spp., poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum, skunk bush, Rhus trilobata, and chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum.
There are several meadows. In the riparian areas sycamore, Platanus racemosa, and willow, Salix sp., occur. Several rare or unusual plants grow in the area: Calochortus dunnii, Galium johnstonii (?), Linanthus orcuttii, and Monardella macrantha.
Animal life is abundant and includes bobcats, Lynx rufus, coyote, Canis latrans, gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, and the ringtailed cat, Bassariscus astutus, as well as numerous birds and reptiles.
Integrity: There are various park buildings, trails and roads, as well as an abandoned apple orchard; however, most of the area is relatively undisturbed.
Use: Present. Portion private.
April 1981
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman