Ernest C. Twisselmann Botanical Area

The centerpiece of the 860-acre Ernest C. Twisselmann Botanical Area is Sirretta Peak in the eastern Kern Plateau next to the Domeland Wilderness. Ernest Twissleman who the botanical area is named after, wrote of the region in his 1971 "A Botanical Scanning of the Kern Plateau:"

"The third area of special interest is the southernmost grove of foxtail pines that occurs on the southeastern slope of Sirretta Peak and extends over East Sirretta Pass to Sirretta Meadow at the head of Little Trout Creek. This grove was discovered in 1967 by Tony Gasbarro, a Forest Ranger. When I first saw these foxtails in 1968 I was not familiar with the tree throughout its range and assumed these at this southernmost oupost were less than outstanding specimens. Last summer, Gordon True, Jack Zaninovich, a native plant enthusiast of Delano, and I accompanied John Thomas Howell, who knows the tree throughout its range and especially wanted to see this grove. He was astonished to find that the Sirretta trees were the finest foxtails anywhere. Howell also pointed out that it was one of the few places, if not the only one, where five kinds of pines grow together, and unquestionably the only place where these five—foxtail, limber, western white, Jeffrey, and lodgepole—all occur on the same slope. The finest trees are just over the summit in a broad long swale reaching down to Sirretta Meadow. So we christened this swale “Foxtail Basin” and Gordon True selected on beaten, twisted, ages, and contorted specimen as the Twisselmann Tree; which, at least at that hour of that day, seemed an imminently suitable gesture."

The Twisselmann Botanical Area is a subalpine coniferous forest comprised of foxtail, limber, western white, Jeffrey, and lodgepole pines with red and white fir. The geology is granitic with numerous rock outcrops and weathered arkosic skree littering the slopes.

Many of the plants within the botanical area are at their most southernmost distribution in the Sierra. Some of these species include:

The view is spectacular from East Sirretta Pass where you can see Bald Mountain, Big Meadow, Domeland Wilderness, Farewell Gap, Olancha Peak, and Mount Whitney.

Access the botanical area is via trails out of Big Meadow, Mosquito Meadow, or Boone Meadow. Take Sherman Pass Road (22S05) to Cherry Hill Road (22S12) to Big Meadow turn left on 22S07 park at the fire safe area. Hike up trail 34E12 which goes directly through the botanical area, it is a little over a mile before you reach the foxtail pine forest. Watch for motorcycles on the trail.

All information and photos © Alison Sheehey. No rights assigned, all rights reserved.