Monte Cristo Research Natural Area Gifford Pinchot National Forest , USFS East Cascades, Washington Ecoregion Cell(s): Grand fir/vine maple vanilla leaf forest Grand fir/big huckleberry/Queen's cup forest Grand fir/vanilla leaf forest Grand fir/vine maple forest

Access by trail

The 269 ha Monte Cristo RNA is located within the Little White Salmon valley in Klickitat County, Washington. The topography is generally steep and dissected, with elevations ranging from 610 m along the Little White Salmon River, which lies on the area's western boundary, to 1271 m at the top of Monte Cristo peak in the area's northeastern section. Distinguishing features of this natural area are the grand fir zone coniferous forests and the dry, ridge top meadows. Grand fir and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) dominate forested areas throughout the RNA, although higher slopes and ridge tops also support occasional noble fir (Abies procera), western white pine (Pinus monticola), or Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis). Understories are comprised of a variety of shrub and herb species. Non-forest plant communities occupy the driest sites in the RNA, which are found on exposed ridge tops and in areas of shallow soils. Many shrub, forbs, and grass species are present, including pinemat manzanita (Arctostaphylos nevadensis), indian paintbrush (Castilleja), purple flower honeysuckle (Lonicera conjugialis), western bladderpod (Lesquerella occidentalis), Hall's goldenweed (Haplopappus hallii), rocky mountain helianthella (Helianthella uniflora), arrowleaf balsamroot (Bahia sagittata), Watson's lomatium (Lomatium watsonii), and green-banded mariposa (Calochortus macrocarpus). A few Douglas fir, Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) and bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata) are also present. The northern spotted owl, a Federally listed threatened species, exists in the natural area.