The gently rounded hills and canyons of Cheeseboro and Palo Comado are older than the steeper, more recently formed Santa Monica Mountains and provide popular terrain for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. For over 150 years, ranchers made these canyons their home. Many of the native plants, poorly adapted to heavy grazing, were replaced with European annuals such as wild oats, mustard, and thistles. Despite numerous years of cattle grazing, we can still find a variety of native plant communities, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and riparian woodlands.