April 4, 2014

Annual Hike to Coreopsis Hill

DSC_0244 700x300Sixty five enthusiastic wildflower hunters joined the Dunes Center and the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the Native Plant Society on the annual Coreopsis Hill Hike, March 23rd.

The area of the dunes designated as Coreopsis Hill is located on State Parks lands but is not accessible without going over private property. With the permission and assistance of the Mill’s Family Farm, we were able to access the area with ease.  On the hike we were able to see many spring blooming flowers including the Giant Coreopsis (Coreopsis gigantean), Dune Wallflower (Erysium insulare ssp. Suffrutescens) and Crisp Dune Mint (Monardella crispa).

Coreopsis Hill was a favorite dune spot for Dune Mother, Kathleen Goddard Jones. Kathleen Goddard Jones is known as, “The Defender of the Dunes” and almost single handily saved the dunes from development. She built a monument at Coreopsis Hill to commemorate the first family who owned the hill, the Enos Family. Ever since, Coreopsis Hill has become a symbol of Kathleen Goddard Jones’ mission to save the dunes for public use.

It was a beautiful day to walk through the dunes and view the annual wildflowers the cover the dunes of Coreopsis Hill. Pictures left to right: Hiker found an alligator lizard under a shrub, Lauren Brown and Jenny Langford, members of the SLO Chapter of the Native Plant Society, and the infamous Giant Coreopsis. DSC_0258

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