On this cool, fall Sunday morning, new Shasta Environmental Alliance board member Juliet Malik led a group of 13 out for hike along sections of the Sloppy Joe, Canyon Hollow, and T-Party trail complex in West Redding. This naturalist-focused hike started along Canyon Hollow Trail, which follows a seasonal creek bed and hosts classic riparian species such as California button-willow and arroyo willow. Along this section we noted four native oak species: blue oak, black oak, interior live oak, and scrub oak. We also saw examples of four woody vines common to California: California wild grape, poison oak, honeysuckle, and clematis.
After taking a snack and water break at a California Conservation Corp-installed picnic table, we headed up to the access road at the top of ridge via Sloppy Joe Trail, to T-Party Trail, and took in views of the sprawling blue oak woodland featuring stands of gray pines, fall colors from the deciduous oaks, and an understory of toyon, buckbrush, western redbud, and two species of manzanita—common and white-leaved.
Along the ridge, we examined oak leaves and twigs to find several species of gall wasps. We also spotted an immature turkey vulture, recognized by its lack of a red head, sunning its wings.
Other non-plant identifications included California towhees, oak titmice, ruby-crowned kinglets, oakmoss lichen, bracket fungi, and some abandoned cars dating back to the 1950s!
Photo taken November 17, 2024, © Doug Mandel.
Stay tuned for more extensive hikes in this area next spring where a multitude of wildflowers is expected! Until then, please enjoy the following short slideshow of a few of the sights we encountered! ~Juliet Malik
Field trip leader Juliet Malik, and California wild grape, Vitis californica. Photo © Lisa Ross.
