Horse Thief Creek and Big Morongo Preserve

These two hike are as far apart in the valley as you can get.  Horse Thief Creek is to the west up on a mountain pass in the Santa Rosa range that leads to Los Angeles and the other trail is to the east at the entrance to the San Bernardino Mountains. 

November is the last month to get some fall scenes as well as an opportunity to see some birds.  As winter approaches some birds and greenery disappear.  

Horse Thief Creek Trail is covered in chaparral (shrub land or heath) and slices through rugged canyons.  It is a 5 mile trip in and out with many hills and valleys to hike up and down.

Prickly-Pear Cactus among the rocks

Rain water and traffic have beaten this trail up.

This agave plant is possibly a century plant as it is very tall and the leaves appear to be dying.  The plant lives from 10 - 30 years and dies after it flowers.  A new plant will grow as a sucker from it's roots.

The scrub oak has many of these orbs on their limbs.  I believe they are acorns that have been bored into by insects and used as a nursery for their eggs. This one is about 1 1/2 inches across.

It is interesting how this tree is both alive and dead at the same time.

Horse Thief Creek Canyon

Agave close-up

California Fuchsia graced the side of the trail where there was some partial shade. 

Prickly-Pear Jungle?

 Our second hike, Big Morongo Preserve located in the Morongo Canyon has been visited by many birds and animals.  Fires have occurred here quite often and you can see how the native plants have tried to grow back.  One of the unique features of the preserve is the changes of vegetation with the elevation changes.

A Scrub Jay perches over our heads in a Mesquite tree.  He is hoping for a handout. 

View of the marsh area from the upper trail shows just how dramatic the vegetation changes.

A 4 + mile Canyon trail starts at the top end of this photo. 

Our hike took us around the hill and along the marsh area.

View from back of the hill looking to the community of Morongo Valley

Mesquite trees and shrubs slowly growing back in a burned out hillside.

This area is covered with alkali goldenbush, a dominant perennial shrub that gradually replaced non-native weeds after a fire in 1992.