April 2021 Big Bear Today Magazine

Page 4—April 2021
INCH-HIGH COLOR SHOW
Short self-guided trail explores the unique Baldwin
Lake Ecological Preserve pebble plain, home to
rare wildflowers that grow only in Big Bear
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T○ his year there’s no organized group
tours and who knows if the free
interpretive maps will be at the
trailhead.
Still spring is arriving on the Baldwin
Lake pebble plain and the seasonal show
that unfolds each year on this unique terrain
goes on, virus or not. The onsite visitor
center won’t open again in 2021 but
families are still free to explore an area
home to wildflowers that grow here and
nowhere else in the world. Last year, even
as the world shut down in spring, pebble
plain came to life, just as it has for thousands
of years.
At first glance there’s nothing to suggest
there’s anything special about this rugged,
barren terrain. In fact the area for the
most part lacks vibrant color, save for
shades of clay soil and an endless expanse
of blue sky horizon. The only thing that
breaks up the stark horizon is nearby
Baldwin Lake, the Valley’s naturally occurring
body of water that only occasionally
has water lapping at its shores.
It’s only upon closer inspection that
the uniqueness that is the Baldwin Lake
Ecological Preserve comes to life. There’s
color here, beautiful shades of yellow and
red and purple, if you’re willing to look
closely for it. There’s history too—some
150 years ago this area was the epicenter
of Southern California’s largest gold rush.
Perhaps most significantly, there’s life here,
no less than ten different floral species that
exist here and nowhere else on the planet.
A self-guided interpretive trail and
visitor center explores Baldwin Lake Ecological
Habitat via a short loop that visits
11 marked posts. Developed by the Forest
Service in conjunction with Fish and
Game, the loop is short, just over a halfmile
in length, and it presents a healthy
dose of rare habitat and history.
The trailhead is located along Hwy.
18 in Baldwin Lake just west of Holcomb
Valley Rd. The terrain is rocky so good
footwear is recommended, and there is a
touch of elevation gain, but the trail is well
marked and easy to follow as it winds along
old fire roads and even wagon trails from
yesteryear. History abounds, starting at the
building marking the trailhead—it once
was known as the “Horse House,” a synonym
for house of ill repute activities that
reportedly went on here decades ago.
As the trail winds through open sagebrush
habitat overlooking Baldwin Lake,
visitors learn about the flora and fauna that
call this area home. Deer, coyotes, mountain
lions, a variety of small mammals,
birds and reptiles live in this harsh terrain,
where the sun’s rays are intense—bring
your sunscreen—yet winters are harsh.
Three types of jays—pinyon, Steller’s and
scrub—are found in the San Bernardino
Mountains.
The trail’s highlight comes at posts #7
and #8, as it visits Pebble Plain. Scattered
patches of rocky clay soil are in fact some
of the planet’s most unique terrain, believed
to be created during the Pleistocene
periods 10,000 years ago when glaciers
covered much of the area. Pebble Plain is
so unique, it has been compared to coral
reefs with as many as 20 species in a square
meter.
Big Bear’s unique climate, particularly
in spring—freezing nights, warm days—
causes pebbles to literally push to the soil
surface. It’s a habitat only the most hardy
can survive in, like “belly plants” only an
inch or two high, best viewed by lying
down. Douglas’ violets, actually yellow,
Big Bear Today
Tiny Douglass’ violets, actually yellow but now in season on the pebble plain
look like miniature daffodils and are usually
visible in April. Parish’s rock cress,
Bear Valley sandwart, Kennedy buckwheat
and others are mostly unique to this area.
It’s among the highest concentrations of
rare plants in North America.
Belly plants contrast nicely with colorful
displays that aren’t particularly
unique, like red Indian paint brush, orange
California poppies, and even purple lupine
that smells like grape soda. Artifacts from
the mining era are mixed in with more recent
items that are purely trash...please
leave the area exactly as you found it.
Stop #10 marks western juniper, best
identified by red stringy bark, scaly green
leaves, and small light purple berries. These
slow-growing trees are hardy and
enduring...some in the forest are believed
to date over 2,000 years!
If this short loop isn’t enough hiking
for you, continue east on Hwy. 18 another
quarter-mile to Holcomb Valley Rd. and
turn left. Just before the transfer station at
the end of the road is the famed 2,638 mile
Pacific Crest Trail. The section on the left
is closed after last year’s Holcomb Fire but
the southern section on the right sports panoramic
desert views.
Up close ther5e’s an inch-high color show of purple and yellow. in the distance xpansive views, all part of rare terrain at Baldwin Lake Ecological Preserve