Bog Thistle and Manzanita Hike

Join us on a hike adventure on the new extension of the Bog Thistle Trail in the Irish Hills Natural Reserve. This will be Manzanita Hike #10 for our chapter. The new Bog Thistle Trail winds up the north facing slope of Prefumo Canyon, passes a perennial stream with numerous Chorro Creek bog thistles (Cirsium fontinale var. obispoense, CA Rare Plant Rank 1B.2), then summits on a small hillock to eventually join the Mariposa Trail. At the top, the trail meanders along the ridgetop at Durata Vista where we encounter a very healthy stand of the Bishop manzanita (Arctostaphylos obispoensis, CA Rare Plant Rank 4.3) along with other rare plants in this area adapted to soils derived from serpentinite. Meet at the Prefumo Canyon Trailhead (35.262170, -120.712047) off Prefumo Canyon Road in the City of San Luis Obispo. Total hike distance is 2.5 miles with an elevation gain of 600 feet and an expected duration of 2.5 hours.

Bring water, snacks, hat, sturdy shoes, and dress in layers for changing weather.  A plant list for Irish Hills Natural Reserve can be found on our website here. There are no bathroom facilities along the hike route.

A trail map can be found here. More information about the building of this new trail including información en Español can be found here.

Please sign the liability waiver HERE to register for this event.