Panoche Hills, Griswold Hills, Tumey Hills

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Panoche Hills Griswold Hills Tumey Hills Map & Guide Other Local Resources Mendota Wildlife Area 4333 Santa Fe Grade, Mendota, CA 93622 CA Dept of Fish and Game (559) 655-4645 Los Banos Wildlife Area 18110 Henry Miller Rd Los Banos, CA 93635 (209) 826-0463 Little Panoche Wildlife Area Little Panoche Reservoir, California 93622 CA Department of Fish and Game (209) 826-0463 San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area 31426 Gonzaga Road Gustine, CA 95322 (800) 346-2711 Bureau of Land Management 940 2nd Avenue Marina, CA 93933 (831) 582-2200 BLM_CA_Web_CC@blm.gov blm.gov/california BLM/CA/GI-2009-026+8350 REV 3/19 Desert Hills of the San Joaquin Valley Bureau of Land Management public lands in the Panoche, Griswold and Tumey hills of southern San Benito and western Fresno counties provide a wealth of outdoor recreational opportunities, including hunting, target shooting, camping, hiking, stargazing and wildlife viewing. The rugged hills west of Interstate 5 provide habitat for many rare and endangered species, such as the San Joaquin kit fox, giant kangaroo rat, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Vegetation consists of annual grassland, with saltbrush, Mormon tea shrubs, and yucca. Typical plants found growing on the gypsum barrens found in and protruding buckwheat. Blunt-nosed leopard lizard. Photo by Ryan O’Dell, BLM. RESTRICTIONS • mid-April to mid-October. • No shooting zone within 150 yards of any developed area. • There is no night hunting. • Vehicles are restricted to designated routes. • Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) are prohibited. Panoche Hills The Panoche Hills provide a “badlands” experience just a few hours from the Bay Area. Panoche Access Road winds east from Little Panoche Road (J-1 County Road), up the side of the valley and crests on a windswept plateau dotted with Mormon tea and juniper. Further south and east, the hills become a succession of razorbacked ridges and plunging canyons. The southern end of the hills encompass a series of terraces, along Panoche Creek, densely covered with saltbrush. The low ambient light in the region creates ideal conditions for stargazing, and both amateur and professional astronomers travel every year to the hills to view the Perseid meteor shower in August. Griswold Hills South from Panoche Road and north of the Vallecitos Valley, are the Griswold Hills. A foot trail from the day use area parking lot zigzags up the hillside to the ridgetop above. The Griswold Hills are a destination for hunters seeking upland game birds. Rock outcrops provide homes for the yellow-backed spiny lizard, which sports a bright black-and yellow collar and can grow to more than12 inches long. In the spring, the hills are covered with mariposa lilies, Indian paintbrush, poppies and wild sage. There is also good habitat for the foothill yellow-legged frog and the western pond turtle. Tumey Hills South of the Panoche Hills are the Tumey Hills, a series of bare rolling hills and valleys dotted with saltbush. Two entrances along Panoche Road give access to the area. Both entrances have pedestrian walk-through gates for access when entrance gates are closed. Annual grasslands are lovely in springtime, protected San Joaquin kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, and giant kangaroo rats make their homes in these hills. Visitors enjoy a day use facility with parking, shade structures, picnic benches, vault toilets and an interpretive kiosk with a map and information about the area. Photo by Michael Westphal, BLM. Griswold Hills—Geology The Griswold Hills are an east-west trending ridge complex completely located within the north-south trending Coast Range Geomorphic Province of Central California. In a general sense this east –west trending ridgeline is bounded; to the north by the Panoche Valley, to the east by the Tumey and Ciervo Hills, to the south by the Vallecitos Valley and to the west by the San Andreas Fault system. Located approximately thirty-four (34) miles northwest southwest of the city of Fresno – the Griswold Hills provide some of the best exposures of the sedimentary units making up the Coast Range’s Diablo Range. The largest component of the exposed sedimentary terrain in this east-west trending anticline is the late Cretaceous aged Panoche Formation. On the successive sequential sections (with the exception of the regionally missing Oligocene-aged strata) from the aforementioned Panoche Formation to the Plioceneaged Oro Loma Formation. In essence, other than the regionally absent strata from the Oligocene – one can view the sedimentary record left from over 90 million years of the Earth history in this area. Traces of the Past The Panoche, Griswold and Tumey Hills are underlain by marine sedimentary rocks primarily of Cretaceous age (65 million years ago). During the Cretaceous, most of California that we see today was underwater. Small islands, representing the very highest points of the present day Coast Range, had just begun to emerge from the ocean. The present day Central Valley was a shallow sea. Large sea-dwelling reptiles, such as Mosasaurs and Plesiosaurs, swam the shallow seas along with sea turtles and other marine animals near the islands. Both the Tumey Hills and Panoche Hills have produced important fossil discoveries, including mosasaurs and hadrosaurs. Removal of vertebrate fossils is prohibited without a permit from BLM. Plesiosaur Vertebrae Photo by Ryan O’Dell, BLM. Camping & Hiking Primitive, dispersed camping opportunities on BLM public lands in the Panoche, Tumey, and Griswold Hills are limited to 14 days within any 30-day period at a particular location. Motor vehicles must stay within 15 feet (roughly 1 vehicle length) of designated routes. Hiking opportunities are available along existing routes that are not designated for motor vehicle use. Please practice Leave No Trace® principles when visiting all public lands. RULES REGUARDING FIRE USE other activities that have the potential to cause a Additional responsibilities include carrying water and Livestock Grazing Photo by Ryan O’Dell, BLM. Livestock grazing has occurred on public lands in the Panoche, Tumey and Griswold Hills since the 1800’s and continues today under the BLM grazing leases authorized by the Taylor Grazing Act of 1942. Please do not disturb or harm the livestock animals grazing on public lands. Hunting Hunting opportunities on BLM public lands within the San Joaquin Valley consist primarily of game birds (chukar and quail), wild pig and deer. The BLM and California Department of Fish and Game manage Panoche Hills Wilderness Study Area. Photo by Michael Westphal, BLM. game animals for hunting by providing watering sites (guzzlers) and planting cover shrubs. All areas are known for the bird and pig opportunities, with deer being found primarily in the Griswolds. Special Designations Two Wilderness Study Areas (WSA): Panoche Hills North and Panoche Hills South, are managed for their wilderness qualities until Congress designation. No motorized access is allowed within the WSA to prevent impacts to these values. Much of these public lands are also part of the Panoche-Coalinga Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and the Monvero Dunes Research Natural Area (RNA), which are managed to preserve and protect many special status plants and animal species that inhabit the region. Sightings of endangered San Joaquin kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizard and giant kangaroo rats are not unusual; however, wildlife viewers should take care and avoid disturbing these sensitive species in their natural habitats. Photo by Michael Westphal, BLM. The region has long been known to bird enthusiasts for the uncommon species that can be seen, such as phainopepla and mountain plover. Other animal species, like the San Joaquin antelope squirrel with its distinctive stripes, can also be seen by the alert wildlife watcher. The rare Ciervo aegialian scarab beetle and the San Joaquin dune beetle are found only in the Monvero Dunes. How Can I Help? Anyone can volunteer. Youths must volunteer with a parent/guardian, or be a part of an organized group such as a school, civic or church with written consent. To become a volunteer, apply at Volunteer.gov and/or nearest you. 198 198 San Lucas 269 Coalinga 198 198 198 198 269 33 269 41 269 San Ardo 269 41 Lockwood 41 RESTRICTIONS • Closed to motorized use during fire season from mid-April to mid-October. k • No shooting zone within 150 yards of any developed area. • There is no night hunting. P7 • Vehicles are restricted to designated routes. • Park within 15 feet of designated routes. P2 • Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) are prohibited. P4 P3 ]! ! 3 P8 J 33 152 Los Banos 152 233 99 2.Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 145 145 165 3.Dispose of Waste Properly 165 156 156 1.Plan Ahead and Prepare 233 59 165 152 33 Hollister 145 PA N O CH AC E CE SS Fo rk 25 25 ttl Li Panoche Hills North WSA he Panoc Littl e 146 OC 180 6.Respect Wildlife Three Rocks 25 146 4.Leave What You Find 5.Minimize Campfire Impacts 33 145 7.Be Considerate of Other Visitors 25 269 25 269 269 269 25 198 8 P1 P9 198 198 198 269 198 198 198 269 198 San Lucas Coalinga 198 198 198 198 33 269 269 269 Lockwood 41 41 41 0 P2 For animal fossils (includes shells): 1.Vertebrate fossils (any animal with a backbone) CANNOT be collected. 2.Shells CAN be collected. k Cr ee Rules Regarding Fossil Collection 269 269 San Ardo P1 LIT 198 198 King City 101 PA N 180 33 ¦ ¨ § 25 £ ¤ TLE 145 5 Soledad 146 P14 HE e ch no 25 P1 ek Cre 180 33 25 §5̈ ¦ 180 180 Creek P1 6 reek eC o ch an eP Pa 33 25 P12 e ttl Li Mine 59 165 152 P6 So uth 165 33 33 152 P10 Mercy Hot Springs P5 ] ! Mi ne Creek For plant fossils: M P11 yC 1.Collecting plant fossils of scientific interest including fossilized leaves or needles, plant reproductive structures (cones, flowers, seeds), and fossilized logs (> 6 inch diameter) is PROHIBITED. P7 erc e ree k P2 Vasquez Bureau of Land Management P1 P3 ]! ! 3 J P6 Ag u k ree PA N O CH AC E CE SS Panoche Hills North WSA P1 sC ila So uth Fo rk ttl Li P12 reek eC o ch an eP Any and all fossil collection must be County Boundary for personal use only. ] ! Kiosk Rules Regarding Fire Use ! 3 ¹ ! Picnic Area - Trailhead A California Campfire Permit is required for any Services dispersed campfire on public lands. This free permit can J Mercy Hot Springs be obtained from the Central Coast Field Office, or on- No Motorized Access Year Round P22 §5 ¦ ¨ TU1 La s Mercy Hot Springs Wilderness Study Area e ¹ ! P1 6 ek h oc P an P10 Cr e P8 u ez P13 Vas q P5 ] ! State Cr ee k P4 Creek Panoche Hills South WSA P1 P14 P1 P9 8 P1 n Pa 0 P2 o e ch 3 ! ! ] line at www.preventwildfireca.org. k ee Cr Trail Seasonal fire restrictions may prohibit campfires and BLM Roads other activities that have the potential to cause a County Roads P11 TU1 ! P1 TU 4 P13 P22 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ¹ ! the fire is dead out. Never attempt to build a campfire during windy conditions or leave a campfire unattended. 4 TU Silver Creek in California. Tips for Responsible Recreational Shooting • Never shoot if you do not have a clear view of your target and beyond TU 12 TU6 TU 1 • Shooting sites should have high dirt berms free of rocks and vegetation 01 0.5 1:45,000 TU1 TU1 2 Miles TU 12 TU6 TU 1 Report unlawful activity to authorities by calling 9-1-1 Griswold Creek TU7 No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management. The accuracy, reliability or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data is not guaranteed. nta lC r ee cito TU5 Val le s Cr eek TU1 0 k NE Val le BLM_Panoche-Tumey-Griswold-Hills_brochure_20x18.indd 2 cito Don’t let target shooting end with a wildland fire • Steel core ammunition is prohibited • Incendiary or tracer rounds are prohibited WI D RIA • Exploding targets are prohibited s Cr eek NE • Remove your target materials, shells and trash • Practice target shooting only in areas open to recreational shooting TU8 Pim e • Don’t shoot glass or other objects that can shatter • Don’t shoot household appliances or other objects dumped TU1 0 k • Don’t shoot upon or across roads, waterways or trails • Don’t shoot at trees, cactus or other living things TU8 TU5 Silv e Cre r ek In order to prevent the accidental poisoning of California TU1 TU1 Silv e Cre r ek TU1 4 TU TU 7 Griswold Creek Restriction on Lead Ammunition N TU7 er Sil v e k C re G1 a shovel to prevent an escaped campfire, and ensure condors, lead ammunition had been banned for hunting v er Sil e k C re k ee Cr TU 4 ! 3 ] ! Additional responsibilities include carrying water and Perennial Stream Intermittent Stream ! 3 ] ! 2 TU r ee ! TU 7 TU1 k ree P1 sC ila Pa e ch no PANOCHE ta l C ! Ag u 3 ! ! ] Pim en ! 2 TU Panoche Hills South WSA G1 wildland fire. Know before you go. Interstate Silver Creek PANOCHE La s 2.Small diameter (< 6 inches) fossilized branch fragments CAN be collected. W ID RIA Cie , rvo oy o Ar r 7/11/2019 3:51:02 PM