Most of the San Carpóforo addition lies within the watershed of San Carpóforo Creek and its main tributaries, Dutra Creek, Wagner Creek and Chris Flood Creek. It is characterized by rugged live oak forest and chaparral-covered mountainsides, and accented with deep canyons and an impressive expanse of open, rolling grassland dotted with blue and valley oaks. Elevations range from 670' above sea level where San Carpóforo Creek flows over the county line onto Hearst Ranch property to over 2,700' along the Coast Ridge.
The area also contains extensive grasslands that afford spectacular ocean views.
This potential addition supports many different kinds of plant communities, including riparian environments dominated by red alder, California sycamore, and big leaf maple; brushlands dominated by chamise, ceanothus, manzanita, coast live oak, and gray pine; and mixed hardwood forest consisting of coast live oak and interior live oak. An extensive grove of Santa Lucia fir grows in the upper San Carpóforo canyon. This occurrence in the San Carpóforo canyon is very near the southern limit of the species.
