Annual preserve opening rewards hikers with views of rare lily, incredible vistas

The tiny Lewis Hill Preserve in Tulare County welcomed about 250 hikers Feb. 28 for an annual public trek to view the delicate, striped adobe lily, an endangered plant found only in a few locations in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Hikers were not disappointed as they spied small clusters of the lilies, which have light pink petals with dark purple stripes and hang like small bells on a bright green stem. Bright orange California poppies, yellow fiddlenecks and purple glassy onions also dotted the hillsides on the sunny, springlike day.

Tickets for the one-day event at the preserve, managed by Sequoia Riverlands Trust, sold out within an hour of being announced.

“You have to keep this protected because it will never come back again if you don’t,” said Springville resident Scott Owens as he and his cousin Tom DelRe of Nipomo, soaked in views of the snow capped Sierra Nevadas and verdant green foothills that rolled down to the valley below. 

They perched mid-way up a steep, rocky hill to catch their breath.

“I’ve been trying to get over here to do this, and I’m glad I made it. I just think it would have been better 30 years ago,” DelRe said with a laugh.

Local experts staged along the trail shared information about the region’s geology and birdlife. The stops also gave hikers a chance to rest and hydrate under the bright sun as calls of rock wrens, savannah sparrows and meadowlark punctuated the morning air. 

“They’re singing because they’re going to nest here,” said volunteer Nancy Bruce, binoculars dangling from her neck. She shared photos of birds spotted at the preserve, including burrowing owls, ravens and turkey vultures. 

Retired Porterville College geology professor Richard Goode pointed out defunct magnesite mines used for brickmaking on adjacent foothills and explained how the preserve’s clay soils formed, providing ideal habitat for the striped adobe lily.

Lewis Hill is considered one of the most ecologically distinctive landscapes in the region. Its rocky, mineral-rich serpentine soils support an ecosystem found in just a few other foothill locations in Tulare and Kern counties. 

Knowing this, the Hawkins family donated the property in 1994 to the Kern River Research Center. Six years later, the title transferred to the Tule Oaks Land Trust, a predecessor organization that merged with other trusts to form Sequoia Riverlands Trust in 2001.

Katie and Joseph Sing made the drive from Visalia with their children, Asher, 5, and Elise, 3. Joseph carried a bright red kite, which the family flew briefly as winds picked up mid-morning. 

“It’s good to be out and we’ve really enjoyed the views, and learning about the geology and history of Lewis Hill,” Joseph said. He said the family regularly visits Sequoia Riverlands Trust’s preserves. 

For more information about Lewis Hill and other preserves, go to sequoiariverlands.org.