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Eaton - Big Canyon with Trail Notes & Nature Guides

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To enhance your enjoyment of this trail we have noted features at each tenth mile interval.To help you identify the native plants we have noted the tenth mile intervals at which specimens appear.Keep your eyes and ears alert to enjoy the scurrying mammals, reptiles, and singing birds along the way – see the lists of those who live in this area.We hope you’ll return in different seasons to enjoy nature’s ever-changing show!

Mile(s)
Eaton - Big Canyon with Trail
To Start at Eaton Park Trail-Head
0.0
The trail begins at the end of Eaton Avenue.The trail is well marked and easy to follow except where it merges with or departs from jeep roads. Look for orange surveyor’s tape, orange stakes, orange pipes, or orange discs in such places.After 172 feet, the trail bears to the right, away from the main jeep road, which goes to the site of a house which used to stand there.The trail then crosses a little seasonal stream in a shady place with ferns, then crosses over to another drainage with oak trees and Poison Oak.(Don’t touch the Poison Oak which has clusters of 3 green or red leaves.)
0.1
The trail crosses an old road, no longer used, and begins a switchbacking ascent of a grassy slope.
0.2
The trail passes an olive tree, meets a jeep road (fire trail), and turns sharply left onto it.
0.3
At the saddle is a four-way junction.To the right, a recommended side trail takes you to a knoll with a commanding panoramic view of San Francisco, the Bay, and the surrounding mountains, including Mt. Diablo, Mission Peak, Mt. Hamilton, and Loma Prieta.The jeep road to the left goes up the ridge and eventually passes through an easement and connects with Loma Road at its highest point.
Our trail goes straight ahead under a low-hanging branch of a big oak tree.Please be careful.
0.4
A shady canyon is entered.What plants do you see?
0.5
A short foot bridge.Watch your step.
0.6
A small stream is crossed.What birds do you hear or see?
0.7
A pair of switchbacks takes you to an open area.Deer are often seen grazing on the hills across Brittan Avenue.This is a good place to look for spring wildflowers.
0.8
A cascading stream during the rainy season.
0.9
When the surrounding homes were built, a deep canyon here was filled.To stabilize the soil, plants were irrigated by sprinklers until they were established.
1.0
An early version of this trail, started in 1973, rough in places, was finished here by the Sierra Club on April 21, 1984.Look for the “Golden” Spike in a tree.After climbing out of a gully, you may rest on a bench in an open area.This was an Eagle Scout project.

1.1	There are so many switchbacks here, it resembles Lombard Street in San Francisco.This route was chosen to avoid unnecessary intrusion on the privacy of the homes nearby. After the switchbacks, you will drop steeply down some big steps made of railroad dies.The upper portion was an Eagle Scout project, and the lower steps were built by the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department. As you pass between the houses through the narrow easement, please walk quietly and respect the rights of those who live here.
1.2	Cross Brittan Avenue, pass another Eagle Scout bench, and walk up the service road to the place where the stream enters the storm drain system.The Loop Trail starts here.You may go either right or left, but this description assumes you will go ahead to the left – in order to better enjoy the view.
1.3	Cross a bridge and then turn sharply left at a switchback.
1.4	As you cross the next bridge, look for Trillium and ferns in February/March.Then climb up to a trail junction.If you go straight ahead, you will come to an Eagle Scout bench.You may continue past the water tanks, cross Crestview Drive, go through Crestview Park, and connect with Leslie Drive Our trail turns sharply to the right, curves to the left, and crosses a seasonal stream in the shadow of a water tank.
1.5	The trail passes under some big Bay trees and curves left and enters a steep wooded canyon.
1.6	A bridge and 2 switchbacks take you up to a scenic viewpoint with an Eagle Scout bench.Take time to enjoy the view.
1.7	The highest point of the trail is reached.The predominant plant here is Chamise.The trail drops steeply between two switchbacks.
1.8	We urge you to use the trail rather than the bridge.If you can’t resist the bridge, then please limit the load to one person at a time. On your way down the east side of Big Canyon you will have excellent views, since there are few trees.
1.9	Another Eagle Scout bench with a fine view.
2.0	A big Oak tree and five switchbacks.
2.1	The end of the loop.Back to the service road.This narrative ends.We hope you have enjoyed this walk.

Trees, Shrubs, Ferns, And Small Plants

Common Names of Plants	Date of Bloom	Flower Color	Specimens @ Mileage
Tree Bay (or California Laurel)	Dec-Feb	Cream	1.5 +
Coast Live Oak	March		(many)
Islay (or Holly-leaved Cherry)	Mar-May	white	1.0
Blue Oak	April
California Buckeye (or Horse Chestnut)	May	white	0.4+
Shrubs and Vines Chaparral (or California Black) Currant	Nov-Mar	pink	1.7
Leatherwood	Jan/Feb	yellow	0.7
Oso Berry	Feb	white	1.6
Hillside Gooseberry	Feb/Mar	white	0.5
Bush (or Silver) Lupine	Feb-Apr	purple	0.7, 1.2, 1.6
Ceanothus/Buck Brush	Feb/Mar	white	1.6
Clematis/Virgin’s Bower (vine)	Mar/Apr	cream	1.5-1.7
Poison Oak	April	cream	(many)
Pitcher Sage	Apr/May	white	1.6, 2.0
Yerba Santa	Apr/May	blue	1.6, 1.8
Wood Rose	Apr/May	rose	1.5
Blue Elderberry	Apr-Jun	cream	1.6
Sticky Monkey Flower	May-Jul	orange	0.6, 1.4, 1.9
Creambush (or Ocean Spray)	May/Jun	white	0.4, 1.5
Chamise (or Greasewood)	June	white	0.8, 1.7
Northern Malacothamnus	June	pink	1.6, 1.9
Toyon (or Christmas Berry, or California Holly)	July	white	0.3, 1.2
California Sagebrush	Jul-Nov	white	0.2, 1.9
Coyote Brush	Oct/Nov	cream	0.8
Ferns California Maidenhair			1.3
California Polypody			1.4
Coffee Fern			0.0
Goldenback Fern			0.0
Wood Fern			0.4, 0.6, 1.2
Small Plants Milk Maids	Dec-Apr	white	0.4, 0.8, 1.2
Miner’s Lettuce	Dec-Mar	white	0.0, 1.4
Common Chickweed	Jan-Mar	white	0.5
Hound’s Tongue	Feb/Mar	blue	0.3, 0.7
Indian Warrior	Feb/Mar	red	0.8
Zygadene (or Fremont’s Star Lily)	Feb/Mar	white	0.7, 1.9
Manroot/Wild Cucumber	Feb/Mar	cream	0.0 +
Trillium	Feb/Mar	purple	0.5, 0.6, 1.4
Shooting Star	Feb/Mar	pink	0.3, 0.7, 1.4
Mustard	Feb-Apr	yellow	0.7
California Buttercup	Feb/Mar	yellow	0.0, 0.3
Indian Paint Brush	Feb-Jun	red	0.2, 0.7

Pacific Gamble Weed	March	yellow	0.0
Meadow Rue	March	cream	0.5
Bee Plant	Mar-Jun	red	1.4
Mission Bells/Checker Lily	March	brown/green	0.3, 1.4
Blue Dicks	Mar-May	blue	0.1, 1.8
Purple Sanicle	March	purple	0.1, 0.3
California Poppy	March	orange	1.2
Blue (or Purple) Nightshade	Mar-Jun	purple	1.4, 1.7, 1.8
Morning-Glory/Bindweed	Mar/Apr	white	1.9
False Solomon’s Seal	March	white	0.4, 1.5, 1.6
Hillside (or Common Pacific) Pea	March	pink	1.3
Kellogg’s Tauschia	Mar/Apr	yellow	0.5
California Saxifrage	March	white	1.4
Common Phacelia	Mar/Apr	white	2.1
Meadow Rue	Mar/Apr	green/purple	1.2, 1.4
Common Vetch	Mar-May	purple	1.3
Bicolor Lupine	Mar/Apr	blue+white	0.2
Bedstraw, Climbing (small bloom)	Mar/Apr	white	0.1
Wild Geranium	March	purple	0.0
Mule Ears	Mar/Apr	yellow	0.0, 0.3
Filaree	Mar-May	pink	0.1
Woodland Star	Mar-May	white	1.4
Canyon Nemophilia	Mar-May	white	0.5, 1.5
Wood Mint (or California Hedge Nettle)	Mar-May	pink	0.1, 0.5, 1.8
Sweet Cicely	Apr/May	cream	0.3, 1.2
Pearly Everlasting	Apr/May	white	1.8
Creeping Snowberry	Apr/May	pink	0.0, 1.2
San Francisco Collinsia	Apr/May	blue+white	0.0, 0.4, 1.2
Fiesta Flower	Apr/May	blue	1.5
Fairy Lantern	Apr/May	white	1.3, 1.4
Delphinium (or Coast Larkspur)	April	white	0.6, 1.3
Crimson Columbine	Mar-May	red	0.4
Grass Iris (or Blue-eyed grass)	Apr/May	purple	0.1
Soap Plant/Amole	May/Jun	white	(many)
California Wild Rose	May	rose	1.1
Golden Yarrow	May/Jun	yellow	1.4, 1.5
Milk Thistle	May-Jul	purple	2.1
Gum Weed/Grindelia	Apr-Jun	yellow	0.2
Scarlet Pimpernel	May	orange	1.8
Blue Larkspur	May	blue	0.3
Wind Poppy	May	orange	0.3
Ithuriel’s Spear	June	blue	1.8
California (or Douglas’ Mugwort)	June	grey	0.6, 1.5, 1.6
Coyote Mint	June	blue	0.5
Deer Weed (or California Broom)	June	yellow	0.1
Buckwheat	Jun/Jul	white	1.8, 1.9
Purple Star Thistle	May-Nov	purple	1.2
Yellow Star Thistle	Jun-Dec	yellow	1.2, 2.0

How many of these did you see today along the Eaton-Big Canyon Trail?
Click on the form below to note your sightings

Birds, Reptiles & Mammals Sightings (Acrobat PDF)

Did you see any new species? Let us know!
For scientific plant or animal names contact the Sierra Club.