Wallace Keck

Arrowleaf Balsamroot and granite boulders

Situated in the northern Great Basin, the Reserve is a crossroads for many habitats, such as piñon-juniper woodlands, aspen-riparian communities, sagebrush steppe, mountain mahogany woodlands and high elevation meadows.

Extensive plant surveys have been conducted within the Reserve, documenting over 450 species. The most definitive inventory, Vascular Plants of City of Rocks: An Annotated Checklist, was published by Tom John in 1995.

From March through October, blossoms and foliage of all colors beckon visitors to stop for a closer look. A checklist of 100 common and showy herbaceous (soft-stemmed) wildflowers provides a sample of what can be seen while visiting the parks. For those wanting to further their plant knowledge a checklist of 45 common woody plants provides detailed information on the parks trees, shrubs and vines.