Fall Creek Riparian Corridor
Map SatelliteThis corridor begins approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) upstream from the confluence of Fall Creek and the San Lorenzo River and continues upstream along the Fall Creek Canyon for approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). It is one of the more mesic canyons in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The vegetation is primarily riparian, with redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, the dominant. Other species include big-leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum, California bay, Umbellularia californica, and red alder, Alnus oregona. Slime molds and liverworts are common .
A variety of fish is found here, including silver salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, and steelhead, Salmo gairdnerii gairdnerii, which spawn in the creek. Other fish include lampreys, Lampetra tridentata, and a sucker, Catostomus sp.
Integrity: There are remnant lime kilns and limestone quarries but, aside from this, the area is virtually undisturbed.
Use: Research, educational, observational, present. Some private.
March 1978
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman