Magnolia Ranch (formerly Straza Ranch, and adjacent to Cronan Ranch) is a local wonderful recreation area off Hwy 49 north of Coloma providing habitats ranging from riparian habitats (along the South Fork of the American River and between Greenwood and Hastings Creeks), grassland, and oak woodland. There are stands of conifers, including incense cedar, Douglas-fir, Ponderosa pine, and foothill pine; an old built rock wall with mosses, ferns, and other herbaceous plants; grasslands harboring baby blue eyes and five spot in spring; and old oak woodlands of valley, blue, California black, and interior live oaks. In 2024, we also noted a profusion of fungi fruiting bodies (e.g. mushrooms), so let’s see what treasures we can find in late February!
Difficulty: Easy. We’ll be walking about 2 – 3 miles total, on mostly flat terrain. There is a pit toilet at the parking lot.
