Rice Canyon is a canyon at the north edge of the Ventura River/Rancho El Nido Preserve, owned by the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy. Rice Canyon is an open wooded and brush-covered, small canyon with a small, ephemeral creek that drains the south slope of the eastern portion of the Santa Ynez Mountains, and feeds the Ventura River. The stream in Rice Canyon flows eastward. Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia var. agrifolia) is the dominant tree in this canyon, with Coastal Sage Scrub and Ceanothus Chaparral dominating the canyon slopes. Sespe Formation sandstones are the primary rock in this canyon, giving the soil its characteristic red color. Rice Canyon abuts the Los Padres National Forest boundary, which includes most of the Santa Ynez Mountains to the north.
All photos copyrighted by David L. Magney 2002-2005
