The Hammond Coastal Trail, An Introduction (see below for Elaine Allison’s Plant List)
by Carol Ralph April 20, 2020
The Hammond Coastal Trail in McKinleyville goes all the way from Clam Beach County Park in the north to Mad River Rd. at the south end of the old bridge over the Mad River, 5.5 miles. We should thank a wide variety of agencies and non-profits for its existence and maintenance.
Elaine Allison recommends what she calls the Hammond Loop Trail. Start at the west end of Murray Rd. and walk north on the trail traversing the bluff above Mad River. After this trail zigs up the hill away from the river and goes along a pine forest (both Bishop and Shore Pines), it veers left down to a bridge crossing Widow White Creek. Then it heads uphill to join the frontage road, Leitz Ave.. Follow this south to Murray Rd. and turn west to return to the start.
Elaine’s plant list shows the good diversity of plants found along this route, including 7 species of conifers and 7 of ferns. One of the notable species is one Maple-leaf Checkerbloom (Sidalcea malachroides), a listed rare plant, which Elaine tries to protect from the weed-eaters each year. It is in the Widow White Creek gully. Elaine is not afraid of grasses, so you will find them identified in this list also.
Another way to enjoy this trail is to use a shuttle procedure to be able to walk the length one way from Hiller Park to the parking area on Leitz Ave. near the Vista Point, or even to Clam Beach.
HAMMOND LOOP TRAIL Plant List Prepared by Elaine Allison, March 2020
| Common name | Scientific name | Family |
| Bee Plant, California* | Scrophularia californica | Scrophulariaceae |
| Bird’s-Foot Trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Fabaceae |
| Bittercress | Cardamine hirsuta | Brassicaceae |
| Blackberry, California* | Rubus ursinus | Rosaceae |
| Blackberry, Himalayan | Rubus discolor | Rosaceae |
| Bleeding Heart* | Dicentra formosa | Papaveraceae |
| Blue Blossom* | Ceanothus thyrsiflorus | Rhamnaceae |
| Broom, Scotch | Cytisus scoparius | Fabaceae |
| Buttercup, Creeping | Ranunculus repens | Ranunculaceae |
| Cascara* | Frangula purshiana | Rhamnaceae |
| Checkerbloom, Maple-leaf* | Sidalcea malachroides | Malvaceae |
| Chickweed, Common | Stellaria media | Caryophyllaceae |
| Chickweed, Mouse-eared | Cerastium fontanum | Caryophyllaceae |
| Clover, Little Hop | Trifolium dubium | Fabaceae |
| Clover, Red | Trifolium pratense | Fabaceae |
| Clover, White | Trifolium repens | Fabaceae |
| Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster pannosus | Rosaceae |
| Cow Parsnip* | Heracleum maximum | Apiaceae |
| Coyote Brush* | Baccharis pilularis | Asteraceae |
| Currant, Red-flowering* | Ribes sanguineum | Grossulariaceae |
| Currant, Trailing Black* | Ribes laxiflorus | Grossulariaceae |
| Daisy, English | Bellis perennis | Asteraceae |
| Daisy, Ox-eyed | Leucanthemum vulgare | Asteraceae |
| Dandelion | Taraxicum officinale | Asteraceae |
| Dandelion, False | Hypochaeris radicata | Asteraceae |
| Dock | Rumex sp. | Polygonaceae |
| Fairybells* | Prosartes hookeri | Liliaceae |
| Filaree | Erodium moschatum | Geraniaceae |
| Fireweed* | Chamerion angustifolium | Onagraceae |
| Flax | Linum bienne | Linaceae |
| Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | Plantaginaceae |
| Geranium, Cut-leaved | Geranium dissectum | Geraniaceae |
| Geranium, Dove’s Foot | Geranium molle | Geraniaceae |
| Goose Grass* | Galium aparine | Rubiaceae |
| Heal-all* | Prunella vulgaris | Lamiaceae |
| Hedge Nettle* | Stachys ajugoides | Lamiaceae |
| Hedge Nettle, Chamisso’s* | Stachys mexicanum | Lamiaceae |
| Huckleberry, California* | Vaccinium ovatum | Ericaceae |
| Iris, Douglas* | Iris douglasiana | Iridaceae |
| Ivy, English | Hedera helix | Araliaceae |
| Lily-of-the-Valley, False* | Maianthemum dilatatum | Ruscaceae |
| Lupine, Streambank* | Lupinus rivularis | Fabaceae |
| Lupine, Yellow Bush* | Lupinus arboreus | Fabaceae |
| Manroot, Coast* | Marah oregana | Cucurbitaceae |
| Melilot, White | Melilotus alba | Fabaceae |
| Milkmaids | Cardamine californica | Brassicaceae |
| Miner’s Lettuce* | Claytonia perfoliata | Portulacaceae |
| Parentucellia, Yellow | Parentucellia viscosa | Orobanchaceae |
| Pearly Everlasting* | Anaphalis margaritacea | Asteraceae |
| Pineapple Weed | Chamomilla suaveolens | Asteraceae |
| Pink, Windmill | Silene gallica | Caryophyllaceae |
| Plantain, English | Plantago lanceolata | Plantaginaceae |
| Poppy, California* | Eschscholzia californica | Papaveraceae |
| Queen Anne’s Lace | Daucus carota | Apiaceae |
| Radish, Wild | Raphanus sativus | Brassicaceae |
| Salal* | Gaultheria shallon | Ericaceae |
| Salmonberry* | Rubus spectabilis | Rosaceae |
| Sanicle, Yellow* | Sanicula crassicaulis | Apiaceae |
| Siberian Candy-Flower* | Claytonia sibirica | Montiaceae |
| Silk Tassel* | Garrya elliptica | Garryaceae |
| Sorrel, Sheep | Rumex acetosella | Polygonaceae |
| Sow Thistle, Common | Sonchus oleraceus | Asteraceae |
| Sow Thistle, Prickly | Sonchus asper | Asteraceae |
| Stinging Nettle* | Urtica dioica | Urticaceae |
| St. John’s Wort | Hypericum perforatum | Hypericaceae |
| Strawberry, Beach* | Fragaria chiloensis | Rosaceae |
| Thimbleberry* | Rubus parviflorus | Rosaceae |
| Thistle, Bull | Cirsium vulgare | Asteraceae |
| Twinberry* | Lonicera involucrata | Caprifoliacea |
| Vetch, Common | Vicia sativa | Fabaceae |
| Vetch, Giant | Vicia gigantea | Fabaceae |
| Vetch, Tiny | Vicia hirsuta | Fabaceae |
| Wax Myrtle | Morella californica | Myricaceae |
| Yarrow* | Achillea millefolium | Asteraceae |
TREES AND SHRUBS
| Alder, Red* | Alnus rubra | Betulaceae |
| Elderberry, Red* | Sambucus racemosa | Adoxaceae |
| Fir, Grand* | Abies grandis | Pinaceae |
| Fir, Douglas* | Pseudotsuga menziesii | Pinaceae |
| Hazelnut* | Corydalus cornuta | Betulaceae |
| Pine, Bishop* | Pinus muricata | Pinaceae |
| Pine, Shore* | Pinus contorta | Pinaceae |
| Redwood, Coast* | Sequoia sempervirens | Toxodiaceae |
| Spruce, Sitka* | Picea sitchensis | Pinaceae |
| Willow, Hooker’s* | Salix hookeriana | Salicaceae |
GRASSES
| Barley, False | Hordeum murinum | Poaceae |
| Bluegrass, Annual | Poa annua | Poaceae |
| Brome, California* | Bromus carinatus | Poaceae |
| Brome, Ripgut | Bromus diandrus | Poaceae |
| Fescue, Annual* | Vulpia bromoides | Poaceae |
| Fescue, Idaho* | Festuca idahoensis | Poaceae |
| Grass, Dogtail | Cynosurus echinatus | Poaceae |
| Grass, Rattlesnake | Briza maxima | Poaceae |
| Grass, Pampas | Cortaderia jubata | Poaceae |
| Grass, Sweet Vernal | Anthoxanthum odoratum | Poaceae |
| Grass, Velvet | Holcus lanatus | Poaceae |
| Hairgrass, European | Aira caryophyllea | Poaceae |
| Lolium | Festuca perennis | Poaceae |
| Reedgrass, Pacific* | Calamagrostis nutkaensis | Poaceae |
| Soft Chess | Bromus hordeaceus | Poaceae |
| Wild Oats | Avena sativa | Poaceae |
FERNS AND ALLIES
| Bracken* | Pterdium aquilinum | Dennstaedtiaceae |
| Fern, Deer * | Blechnum spicant | Blechnaceae |
| Fern, Lady * | Athyrium felix-femina | Athyriaceae |
| Fern, Sword * | Polystichum munitum | Dryopteridaceae |
| Fern, Leather-leaf * | Polypody scouleri | Polypodiaceae |
| Polypody, Roadside * | Polypody calirhiza | Polypodiaceae |
| Woodfern, Spreading * | Dryopteris aguta | Dryopteridacea |
| Horsetail, Giant * | Equisetum telmateia | Equisetaceae |
SEDGES
| Slough Sedge * | Carex obnupta | Cyperaceae |
* native