HARTMAN MULTIMEDIA

Nature Based Multimedia Information Systems

Home

Products 

Natural Areas  

San Rafael Wilderness

MAP     Satellite

The San Rafael Wilderness includes portions of the San Rafael and Sierra Madre Mountains.  Chaparral is the dominant cover, occupying most of the area. Here it includes chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Ceanothus spp., Arctostaphylos spp., coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica, and scrub oak, Quercus sp., among others.

On the north slopes, particularly in the higher elevations, there are scattered stands of conifers including ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, Coulter pine, Pinus coulteri, gray pine, Pinus sabiniana, big-cone Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, white fir, Abies concolor, and incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens.  Canyon live oak, Quercus chrysolepis, is found here also.

Several potreros, grasslands, occur in the area, and along the watercourses there are riparian associations with sycamore, Platanus racemosa.  Two rare plants are found in this wilderness area, Chorizanthe blakleyi and Sidalcea hickmanii var. parishii.

A variety and abundance of animals are present, including an occasional black bear, Ursus americanus, mountain lion, Felis concolor, ringtail, Bassariscus astutus, and golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos. (See also Sisquoc Condor Sanctuary.)

Geologically, the area is composed of marine sedimentary rocks, sandstones, shales, siltstones and conglomerates dating from the upper Cretaceous and Miocene.  The Miocene Temblor and Vaqueros Formations form spectacularly eroded outcrops in the Hurricane Deck region.  The area is severely faulted and folded.

A number of streams, some perennial, traverse the area.

Integrity:  Approximately half the area was designated a Primitive Area in 1932; the Wilderness Area was established in 1967.  There are trails, fire roads and a guard station in the area.  In 1966 nearly half the area was burned over.

Use:  Research, educational, observational, present.

March 1980  

Santa Barbara
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2005 Steven Louis Hartman

Send mail to naturebase@aol.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: December 06, 2005