Case Mountain - Garfield Grove - Cahoon Meadow Area
Map SatelliteThis area, which lies wholly within the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park and includes the Garfield Natural Area, contains several plant communities. Perhaps the most outstanding are the five sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, groves: the South Fork, Homers Nose, Garfield (all in Garfield Natural Area), Eden Creek and Horse Creek. Much of the remainder of the area is a typical yellow (ponderosa) pine forest with ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, white fir, Abies concolor, Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, black oak, Quercus kelloggii, and incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens.
There are several mountain and subalpine meadows in the area, including the large Cahoon and Summit meadows. Two rare plants are found here, Triteleia dudleyi and Castilleja lemmonii.
There is an abundant fauna typical of the southern Sierra.
Geologically, much of the area is composed of a complex of Mesozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks, surrounding islands of Paleozoic limestone in which there are caves, including Palmer and Clough Caves.
Integrity: The area lies within the National Park.
Use: Research, educational, observational, light recreation.
May 1976
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
