Blake's Fork Engelmann Spruce
Map SatelliteThough widespread in the higher mountains of western North America from British Columbia to southern Arizona, Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii, is found in California in only this region (see also Russian Peak) and some 100 kilometers (60 miles) eastward in Shasta County along Clark Creek, a tributary of the Pit River. In this particular area there is a large stand, with trees up to 2 meters (6 feet) in diameter.
The spruce forest lies between the mixed conifer forest in the lower altitudes and the red fir, Abies magnifica, and mountain hemlock, Tsuga mertensiana, forest in the higher elevations.
Integrity: Virtually undisturbed. Various protective measures have been proposed.
Use: Educational, research, observational.
May 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman