Whitewater Preserve

My folks and I love visiting Whitewater Preserve on our annual Southern California desert tour. We have visited the preserve for the last several years (see reports from 2011 and 2012), and always find something new. Plus, it is fascinating to compare and contrast from year to year. This year’s big observation was how dry everything is.

Big sky country on the Whitewater River

Whitewater River still has water, but not as much as in previous years. It was easy to cross the stream to access the path leading to the Pacific Coast Trail. Last year we observed many Yucca whipplei (Our Lord’s Candle) with many magnificent blossoms; this year we saw many old stalks without blossoms. Many plants look stressed from lack of water, including lots of mistletoe on the sycamore, willow, and cottonwood trees (even the mistletoe looked stressed). Flowers were scattered and few. The tule reeds by the river were dry. Many bushes looked almost dead, sometimes only putting out a few blossoms.

Mormon Tea with single blossom	Inside view of a Bladder Pod with several seeds
Dry Tule Reeds	Man Root Vine on dry bush

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Despite this rather bleak report, Whitewater Preserve was beautiful! We love the grand sweep of sky and land, and the brisk breeze that sweeps down the river bed (cleaning the air and maintaining a comfortable temperature for hiking). We found tenacious flowers and plants along the trail and river bed – Bladder Pod (with huge pods), yellow and purple Phacelia, Cheesebush, Chippurosa, Mormon Tea, Creosote Bush, and a Beavertail Cactus in full bloom with fuchsia blossoms. It is amazing to observe the survival strategies employed by plants to survive the harsh, drought conditions.

Sweeping vistas of the Whitewater Preserve