Caswell Memorial State Park and Vicinity
Map SatelliteHere is an excellent example of the lowland riparian forest that once lined the banks of the major creeks and rivers that ran along the valley floor. Willows, Salix gooddingii var. variabilis, cottonwood, Populus fremontii, Oregon ash, Fraxinus latifolia, and box elder, Acer negundo var. californicum, are found near the water; further back on the old flood plain is an oak forest, Quercus lobata, covering some 56 hectares (138 acres). In the riparian understory are a number of shrubs, golden currant, Ribes aureum, elderberry, Sambucus mexicana, and buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis var. californicus.
Dense vegetation supports numerous animals, and in an undeveloped portion of the park there is a great blue heron, Ardea herodias, rookery.
Extensive meanders of the Stanislaus River are evident here.
Integrity: Preserved as a State Park, a sizeable portion of the area is undeveloped though there are numerous campsites and trails.
Use: Education, recreation
May 1975
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
