This was our third RV camping trip with our fur babies (1st was to Joshua Tree National Park, and 2nd to Idyllwild). Dripping Springs is a pet friendly campground in the Cleveland National Forest about 10.5 miles south of Temecula off SR79. There are 34 no hookup sites, some reservable and equestrian, each with fire pit and picnic table, with vault toilets nearby. The camp host is an older lady who lives in a trailer just past the entry to the campground - she tools around in a golf cart and stopped by our site to chat and check us in (I had reserved site#22 a couple months prior through www.recreation.gov). She warned us that there was a resident pack of coyotes and raccoons as large as a good-sized dog that may meander through the campground at night, so we should keep our pooches inside and get rid of any food remnants before turning in - something we would always do anyway during all of our camping excursions. As a result of a wet winter season here in SoCal, the campground was nicely green and the Arroyo Seco Creek flowing with water, a total contrast to the first time we visited Dripping Springs in August of 2016 when most of the vegetation was dry and on the crispy-brown side http://westernsojourns.blogspot.com/2016/09/dripping-springs-campground-cleveland.html
March 24, 2017:
Dripping Springs trailhead
Red Shanks (Adenostoma sparsifolium)
Elegant Rockcress (Boechera californica)
Elegant Rockcress (Boechera californica)
Purple Owl's Clover (Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta)
Hoary-leaved Ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifolium)
Hoary-leaved Ceanothus (Ceanothus crassifolium)
Dripping Springs Trail at Wild Horse Trail junction
Gil and Sasha at Dripping Springs Trail at Wild Horse Trail junction
Dripping Springs Trail at Wild Horse Trail junction
Hairy Fringepod (Thysanocarpus curvipes)
(Leptosiphon floribundus)
Ground Pinks (Linanthus dianthiflorus)
Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris var. basilaris)
Bird's Foot Fern (Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata)
Goldback Fern (Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis)
Basketbush, Skunk Bush (Rhus trilobata)
Pacific Sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis)
Coast Jepsonia/Parry's Jepsonia (Jepsonia parryi)
Unidentified
March 24, 2017:
Dripping Springs campground
Dripping Springs campground
Our campsite #22
Unloading the camping stuff
Lots of Horehound (Marrubium vulgare) around the campsite, a non-native herb (native to Europe, N. Africa, SW and Central Asia), which I grow in my own herb garden at home. Seems to have naturalized in many areas here in SoCal.
Basketbush, Skunk Bush (Rhus aromatica), near campsite #22
Common Phacelia (Phacelia distans), growing in abundance around the campground
Sasha towering over her dad
Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor), also abundant around the campsite
California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa), Dripping Springs campground
Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia), Dripping Springs campground
Tejon Cryptantha (Cryptantha microstachys), Dripping Springs campground
Chaparral Gilia (Gilia angelensis) near our campsite
A large patch of Common Phacelia (Phacelia distans), Dripping Springs campground
Giant Wild-Rye (Elymus condensatus) near our campsite
Not sure what it is about our fur babies need to stand on picnic tables...better view?
Wild Cucumber (Marah macrocarpa), above our campsite
Common Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii), Dripping Springs campground
White Sage (Salvia apiana), Dripping Springs campground
Southern Suncup (Camissoniopsis bistorta), Dripping Springs campground
Vine Hill Manzanita? (Arctostaphylos densiflora), probably planted at the campground, not native
Sugarbush (Rhus ovata), Dripping Springs campground
Fenced off area of the Arroyo Seco Creek next to the campground,
protecting the breeding area of the endangered Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus/Bufo californicus).
The campground is usually closed April-May to protect the Arroyo Toad during its
breeding period.
The campground is usually closed April-May to protect the Arroyo Toad during its
breeding period.
Fenced off area of the Arroyo Seco Creek next to the campground
Nevin's Barberry (Mahonia nevinii) near the campground entrance.
Would be cool if this one was native, but most likely another planted specimen
California Aster (Lessingia filaginifolia var. filaginifolia), Dripping Springs campground
Sasha, traipsing through the greenery at the campsite
Gorgeous Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) in full bloom.
Probably planted here on the campground.
Mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana), campground before
Dripping Springs trailhead
Southern Honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata var. denudata), Dripping Springs Trail
Torrey's Scrub Oak (Quercus x acuditens)?
Campground before Dripping Springs trailhead
Common Bedstraw (Gallium aparine), Dripping Springs trailhead
Giant Wild-Rye (Elymus condensatus), Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
California Sycamores (Platanus racemosa) near Arroyo Seco Creek,
Dripping Springs trail
Stinging Lupine (Lupinus hirsutissima), near Arroyo Seco Creek at Dripping Springs trailhead
California Poppies blooming at top of bluff near Arroyo Seco Creek at Dripping Springs trailhead
Mule Fat (Baccharis salicifolia), near Arroyo Seco Creek
California Poppies blooming at top of bluff near Arroyo Seco Creek at Dripping Springs trailhead
Near Arroyo Seco Creek
Royal Goldfields (Lasthenia coronaria) Dripping Springs trail
Near Arroyo Seco Creek
Wild Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), Dripping Springs trail
Whitebark Ceanothus (Ceanothus leucodermis), Dripping Springs trail
Whitebark Ceanothus (Ceanothus leucodermis), Dripping Springs trail
Dripping Springs trailhead at Arroyo Seco Creek crossing
Parish's Nightshade (Solanum parishii), Dripping Springs trailhead
Heart-leaved Penstemon (Keckiellia cordifolia),
Dripping Springs trailhead
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Dripping Springs trailhead
Blue Dicks/Wild Hyacinth (Dichelostemma capitatum),
Dripping Springs trailhead
Southern Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata ssp. mexicana), Dripping Springs trailhead
Gil snoozing back at camp after our late afternoon trek to Dripping Springs trailhead
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), growing just above our campsite
View of the evening sky from our campsite
Gil, stoking the fire for dinner
Addy's found his sweet spot at the campsite
He's a handsome bear and he knows it!
Addy getting some love from his dad...
Ribeye steaks grilling over the campfire
Dinner is served: grilled ribeye steaks with homemade chimichurri sauce and a side of grilled peppers, zucchini, onions, and portabello mushrooms.
Saturday, March 25, 2017 (Dripping Springs Trail):
Hairy Fringepod (Thysanocarpus curvipes)
Entering Agua Tibia Wilderness
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