Native Plants
Legend has it that gray pines would sway and dance at night, but then freeze in position when the sun came up, resulting in their bent and wavy silhouettes. Other trees and shrubs in the river canyon include several varieties of oak trees, buckeye, ceanothus, redbud, spicebush, manzanita, and madrone. The California Department of Parks and Recreation takes an active role in protecting native plants from invasive species. |
 |
Wildflowers
Each spring the canyon walls erupt in a colorful display of wildflowers. On spring weekends docents lead wildflower walks on the Buttermilk Bend trail at Bridgeport, where you can learn not only the names of the flowers, but interesting natural history and traditional uses of the plants.
|
 |
Birds
The South Yuba River is home to a large number of bird species, and a stopover point for many more migrating birds. You may see the small but mighty American Dipper swimming underwater in the rapids, a Bald Eagle soaring overhead, a Hermit Thrush calling within a shrub, a Belted Kingfisher diving for a meal, and many more. Guided bird walks are offered in the Spring and Fall.
|
 |
Mammals
The South Yuba River Canyon provides excellent wildlife viewing for those who are patient. Commonly seen mammals include mule deer, raccoons, skunks, opossum, and coyote. More elusive are the gray fox, bobcat, ringtail, mountain lion, and black bear. |
 |
Reptiles & Amphibians
On sunny days you will likely see western fence lizards performing push-ups on top of rocks. If you are lucky you might spot a snake - western rattlesnake, gopher snake, king snake or garter snake - sunning itself. Winter is a good time to look for California newts in calm streams, and in the spring the river is noisy with the calls of frogs. |
 |
River Ecology
This stretch of the South Yuba River, between Lake Spaulding in the east and Lake Englebright in the west, has been saved from several proposed dams, preserving both the riparian ecosystem and its scenic beauty. The watershed supports a web of life, from single-celled protozoa and algae, to larval insects, to the plants that line the shore, to the fish, amphibians, birds and mammals that call this place their home.
|
 |
