Table Mountain (Butte County, California)
Encyclopedia
North Table Mountain and South Table Mountain, are two plateaus outside the city of Oroville, California
. They are named for their flat surface, like a table top.
, and Beatson Falls. There are no trails, so people who want hike to the waterfalls have to find their own way. The best time to view the waterfalls is winter
to early spring
. They are usually dry during the summer months. Everything east of Cherokee Road is on private property; however, it is not off limits to visitors.
, but is actually made from basalt
. The canyon and waterfall are accessible by a difficult, steep downhill hike, and the canyon itself can also be hiked.
The largest cave is located at Phantom Falls, and the deepest cave is at Little Phantom Falls, and actually requires crawling. Both are located in Coal Canyon. A small cave is also located at Flag Falls and Beatson Falls.
Another cave is located behind a small unnamed watertfall.
The caves are made of a mixture of basalt and clay
, and were created over thousands of years, as the waterfalls eroded away at the rock.
The two caves at Coal Canyon are the most easily accessible, and the one at Phantom Falls is the most visited.
, is on the mountain, and is named because a small group of Cherokee Indians were brought there and established a small community. Today only ruins remain, but the area is home to around 20 people.
is the ruins of an ancient ranch house from the late 19th century that was used during the Gold Rush. The ranch can be seen from the Phantom Falls hike. The ranch is now completely in ruins, and the only thing left of it are a few pieces of wood where the foundation used to be.
, banana slug
s, different frog
species, several bird
species, western Pacific rattlesnake
, garter snakes, California Horned Lizard, and several mammal species, including Black-tailed Deer
, coyote
s, mountain lion, and domesticated cattle
, which move around freely. There is also a small area known as Sugarloaf Mountain, where several animals are said to live, including peacocks, fox
es, and Wild Turkey
.
and forest
. The climate is wet and rainy from late autumn
to early spring
, and hot and dry in the summer
.
mine at the bottom of North Table Mountain. There are also several old irrigation mines at the north end of North Table Mountain. There is also an old mine shaft at Phantom Falls, which was used during the Gold Rush
. Research sometimes takes place at the mine, and although it can be difficult.
. The area was used to film scenes that were supposed to take place in Alabama
.
have now started giving free tours on North Table Mountain. Tours are given the first and third Saturday of the month, Feb-May, when the waterfalls are flowing and flowers are blooming. Tours start from a parking lot on Cherokee road, and there are 2 tours a day, which last about 2 hours each.
There are several species of flowers that bloom during this period. The most common are lupine
, the California Poppy
, and daisy
. The flowers are protected by the California Department of Fish and Game
, so picking them is illegal, but visitors are allowed to look and even touch the flowers, as long they are not damaged. Because the area has no trails, stepping on the flowers is hard not do. It is advised that visitors are careful while trekking, so the delicate flowers are not damaged. The best flowers are found usually found in the area between Fern and Phantom Falls.
There are also several smaller waterfalls that are unnamed.
Oroville, California
Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census...
. They are named for their flat surface, like a table top.
South Table Mountain
South Table Mountain, at 39°33′23"N 121°33′00"W, is private, and contains the "O", which is a big "O" on the side of the plateau, that stands for "Oroville". Dedicated on June 8, 1929 by Morrow Steadman, the big "O" has a concrete thickness of four inches, and was measured by its builders to be 87 feet by 33 feet. It was intended to last through the generations and convey a spirit of good sportsmanship in local high school athletic events. The "O" is on private property. It was to have another meaning too. Steadman wrote in the '29 OHS Yearbook, the "Alpha" and said he hoped the "O" would remind students of "cooperation and teamwork, both on the athletic fields and in our school activities".North Table Mountain
North Table Mountain, at 39°38′10"N 121°33′00"W, is mostly private, but includes a small portion which is a wildlife area, and contains several waterfalls, including Phantom FallsPhantom Falls
Phantom Falls or Coal Canyon Falls is a waterfall at Coal Canyon near Oroville, California, within the North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve. The waterfall is high and runs off the edge of Coal Canyon, in front of a grotto. A small pool at the bottom is home to a California newt subspecies, the...
, and Beatson Falls. There are no trails, so people who want hike to the waterfalls have to find their own way. The best time to view the waterfalls is winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
to early spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
. They are usually dry during the summer months. Everything east of Cherokee Road is on private property; however, it is not off limits to visitors.
Ancient Lava Fields
Both of the Table Mountains are the remainder of an ancient volcano, and ancient lava fields can still be found all over the mountain. Part of the Lovejoy Formation, the mountains are believed to date back to 14 million and 39 million years ago.The O
Table Mountain is well known for its large "O". The O is painted on the southern slope of South Table Mountain, and stands for Oroville. During heavy rain, the paint often washes off and the letter changes. Often the neighboring town of Chico changes the "O" to a "C" resulting in a refresh of the paint job by volunteer caretaker and Oroville Union High School alumni, Danny Wilson. Even though the "O" is on private land, the owner allows volunteers to go up there once or twice a year to maintain it. Although the "O" is on private property, some people still manage to find a way up there.Coal Canyon
Coal Canyon, where Phantom Falls is located, gets its name because it looks like coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, but is actually made from basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
. The canyon and waterfall are accessible by a difficult, steep downhill hike, and the canyon itself can also be hiked.
Caves
In addition to dozens of seasonal waterfalls, there are also several shallow caves scattered throughout the basalt canyons. There are about 5 caves located on North Table Mountain, all behind large waterfalls.The largest cave is located at Phantom Falls, and the deepest cave is at Little Phantom Falls, and actually requires crawling. Both are located in Coal Canyon. A small cave is also located at Flag Falls and Beatson Falls.
Another cave is located behind a small unnamed watertfall.
The caves are made of a mixture of basalt and clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, and were created over thousands of years, as the waterfalls eroded away at the rock.
The two caves at Coal Canyon are the most easily accessible, and the one at Phantom Falls is the most visited.
Cherokee
The small ghost town of Cherokee, CaliforniaCherokee, California
Cherokee is a census-designated place in Butte County, California An area inhabited by Maidu Indians prior to the gold rush. But that conversly takes its name from a band of Cherokee prospectors who perfected a mining claim on the site. The population was 69 at the 2010 census...
, is on the mountain, and is named because a small group of Cherokee Indians were brought there and established a small community. Today only ruins remain, but the area is home to around 20 people.
Phantom Ranch
Phantom RanchPhantom Ranch
Phantom Ranch is a resort village within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. It is located on the north side of the Colorado River near its confluence with Bright Angel Creek and Phantom Creek.-History:...
is the ruins of an ancient ranch house from the late 19th century that was used during the Gold Rush. The ranch can be seen from the Phantom Falls hike. The ranch is now completely in ruins, and the only thing left of it are a few pieces of wood where the foundation used to be.
Wildlife
The mountain includes several wildlife species, including: the California newtCalifornia Newt
The California newt is a newt. It is also referred to as the orange bellied newt. They can grow to be in length.- Physical description :T. torosa adult length can range from to...
, banana slug
Banana slug
Banana slug is a common name for three species of air-breathing land slug in the genus Ariolimax. These slugs are often yellow in color and are sometimes spotted with brown like a ripe banana....
s, different frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
species, several bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species, western Pacific rattlesnake
Crotalus oreganus
Crotalus oreganus is a venomous pitviper species found in North America in the western United States, parts of British Columbia and northwestern Mexico. Seven subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here....
, garter snakes, California Horned Lizard, and several mammal species, including Black-tailed Deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, mountain lion, and domesticated cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, which move around freely. There is also a small area known as Sugarloaf Mountain, where several animals are said to live, including peacocks, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, and Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
.
Climate and habitat
Both the mountains are made up of two main habitats, grasslandGrassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. The climate is wet and rainy from late autumn
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
to early spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
, and hot and dry in the summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
.
Mining
There is a siliconSilicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
mine at the bottom of North Table Mountain. There are also several old irrigation mines at the north end of North Table Mountain. There is also an old mine shaft at Phantom Falls, which was used during the Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. Research sometimes takes place at the mine, and although it can be difficult.
In film
Table Mountain was also used in O.J. Simpson's movie The KlansmanThe Klansman
The Klansman is a 1974 American motion picture drama based on the book of the same name by William Bradford Huie. It was directed by Terence Young and starred Lee Marvin, Richard Burton, O.J. Simpson,Lola Falana and Linda Evans.-Plot:...
. The area was used to film scenes that were supposed to take place in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
Tours
Volunteers from the California Department of Fish and GameCalifornia Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
have now started giving free tours on North Table Mountain. Tours are given the first and third Saturday of the month, Feb-May, when the waterfalls are flowing and flowers are blooming. Tours start from a parking lot on Cherokee road, and there are 2 tours a day, which last about 2 hours each.
Spring Wildflowers
Table Mountain is most famous for its vast array of wildflowers, which bloom during spring time. The bloom usually lasts from the last 2 weeks of March, to the first 2 weeks of April. The flower bloom is the most popular attraction on Table Mountain. During the time of the bloom, people come from all over Northern California to see the wildflowers, and tourism is at its highest. There are even photo taking tours offered one weekend, but this changes every year. These tours are usually announced in the local paper, and news.There are several species of flowers that bloom during this period. The most common are lupine
Lupine
Lupine may be one of several things:*Something that is like, or relating to, a wolf .*A variant spelling for lupin, a flowering plant.*Lu Pine Records, a record label in Detroit.*Lupine Games, a computer game company....
, the California Poppy
California poppy
The California poppy is a perennial and annual plant, native to the United States, and the official state flower of California.- Description :...
, and daisy
Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis is a common European species of Daisy, often considered the archetypal species of that name. Many related plants also share the name "Daisy", so to distinguish this species from other daisies it is sometimes qualified as Common Daisy, Lawn Daisy or occasionally English daisy. It is...
. The flowers are protected by the California Department of Fish and Game
California Department of Fish and Game
The California Department of Fish and Game is a department within the government of California, falling under its parent California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Game manages and protects the state's diverse fish, wildlife, plant resources, and native habitats...
, so picking them is illegal, but visitors are allowed to look and even touch the flowers, as long they are not damaged. Because the area has no trails, stepping on the flowers is hard not do. It is advised that visitors are careful while trekking, so the delicate flowers are not damaged. The best flowers are found usually found in the area between Fern and Phantom Falls.
List of waterfalls on Table Mountain
- Beatson Falls
- Coon Falls
- Crack Falls (Crevasse Falls)
- Fern Falls
- Flag Falls
- Hidden Falls
- Hollow Falls
- Little Phantom Falls
- Long Falls (Ranch Falls)
- Phantom Falls (Coal Canyon Falls)
- Schirmer Cascade
- Schirmer Falls
- Twin Ravine Falls
- Western Falls
There are also several smaller waterfalls that are unnamed.
External links
- Table Mountain - Chico Wiki
- Information
- North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve
- Chico Hiking Association map of the falls