Information from a brochure I'm writing for the Forest Service...
The Bodfish Piute Cypress Botanical Area is named for the Piute Cypress Tree, Cupressus arizonica nevadensi. There are only eleven known groves of this Piute cypress which are scattered over the southernmost portion of the Sierra Nevada in Kern County and extreme southern Tulare County. The Bodfish grove is the largest and oldest colony comprising more than 50% of the total known range of the species. Thousands of trees of all ages grow here over a fairly wide area in chaparral and arid Douglas oak woodland. The Botanical area borders the BLM Piute Cypress Research Natural Area which more than doubles the protected area for this unique tree.
Associated with the Piute cypress in the Bodfish grove are several other sensitive plant species including Pringles yampah, Piute jewel flower, Piute Mountains navarretia, and Kern River larkspur.
Piute jewel flower is known only from an extensive colony at the north end of the Piute Mountains occupying much the same area as the Bodfish Piute cypress grove. Piute Mountains navarretia, which is federally proposed as threatened, has a small scattered distribution in the west and southwest foothills of the Greenhorn Mountains, the Tehachapi Mountains at Grasshopper Flat, and at the base of the Piute Mountains. All known populations are found in heavy, clay-like soils. Pringle's yampah and Kern River larkspur are locally endemic to the southern Sierra and are considered rare but not endangered.
Piute cypress is dependent upon fire for regeneration. Stands of Piute cypress are primarily even-aged as a result of fire. Two different age classes exist at the Bodfish grove. The older age class is to the northwest of the young stand and is primarily on BLM land.
To get to this botanical area from Lake Isabella, travel south on County Road 483, the Caliente Bodfish Road. Go about 3.2 miles then turn left on the Saddle Springs Road, Forest Road 27S02. This road is dirt and high clearance and/or 4 wheel drive is recommended. After a couple of switchbacks this road enters the botanical area.
The first hike is to Bald Eagle Peak, elevation 6,181 feet. You can find this unmaintained trail by driving 5.5 miles from the intersection of the Caliente Bodfish Road and the Saddle Springs Road. Here the Saddle Springs Road meets the main ridge before crossing over to the south side. Park on the west side of this shallow saddle. From the parking area (6060'), walk a few yards west along the ridge, find a downhill use trail to the left, follow the use trail as it descends about 10-15' onto the south slope of the ridge, reverses direction and heads northwest contouring on the south slope of the ridge. Hike the use trail northwest around the first bump into the saddle before the peak. Scramble up to the summit, climbing over two main rock layers. Bald Eagle Peak was named for the once numerous sightings near this summit of our endangered National Bird (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). It was first cited on a USGS topo map in 1900.
The second hike follows a dirt road to the northeast of the Saddle Springs Road. On this hike you will have a chance to be up close and personal with the piute cypress trees. They may remind you of juniper. They are 16-80 feet tall, have gray green scaly needles, smooth reddish gray bark, and their fruit looks a lot like a juniper berry. |
