Cabrillo National Monument at the end of Point Loma peninsula is home to many rare plants, a great deal of essential San Diego history, and one of the best views of the whole County. In the heat of the summer, or maybe in the cool overcast gloom of the onshore flow, we’ll get parked early and enjoy a mellow day by winding through the old lighthouse grounds and whale overlook, then heading down the bayside trail in the morning light. At the break for lunch back at the Visitor’s Center, another side of Cabrillo Point at the tidepools will be the next adventure.

Cabrillo is home to many extremely rare plants and we’ll check out the Shaw’s agave (Agave shawii) and Golden cholla (Bergerocactus emoryi) that is so common in Baja California, but grows wild on the Point. If you join on Saturday, I’ll reveal the secrets about their occurrence and natural history in San Diego. Also along the trail is Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera), Nuttall’s scrub oak (Quercus dumosa), California boxthorn (Lycium californicum), California spineflower (Mucronea californica) and many other rare species as we go from the top of the peninsula down through the coast canyons to open sandy benches and then head over to a very different vegetation on the coastal side where the salty wind and waves blasts the western facing slopes.

DIFFICULTY: EASY (may be very warm to hot weather. Trails may be eroded) 2.5 miles roundtrip (4.0 km)
PLANT KNOWLEDGE: Beginner to Novice, Professionals always welcome
ACCESS: Open to all, no charge for field trip.
REQUIRED FEES: $20 per vehicle for day use. Paid at entry booth. Other passes like military and National Park “America the Beautiful” passes are valid. Carpool to access for ~$5 / person.
AMENITIES: Restrooms are available at multiple places in the park including at the tidepool parking area. Visitors Center.
DOGS: Dogs are not allowed in the park with a singular exception which won’t apply to our itinerary.

All the details are on our Meetup site.