BLM announces summer activities in Headwaters Forest Reserve

ARCATA, Calif.  —  Opportunities to explore stunning scenery and learn about ecology and history await outdoor enthusiasts, as the Bureau of Land Management offers events through the spring and summer at the Headwaters Forest Reserve near Eureka.

All activities are free and family friendly, and, except for the Salmon Pass guided hikes, mobility device friendly.

Visit the Headwaters Education Center

• Every Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., June 1 through Aug. 31.  The restored logging locomotive barn features informative and easy-to-read exhibits about the natural resources, cultural significance and history of the Forest Reserve.  The education center is a half-mile from the Elk River Trail parking lot, along the paved trail.

Get Crafty with Nature Craft

• Saturdays, June 21, July 19 and Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Headwaters Education Center. BLM staff and volunteers will provide materials and help in creating hands-on crafts projects.  The event is suitable for all ages and abilities.

Journey through Forest History

• Saturdays, June 14, July 12, Aug. 23 and Sept. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. on the Elk River Trail.  BLM park rangers will lead the one-and-a-half-mile stroll on the paved Elk River Trail, providing fun facts about the forest’s natural and cultural history.

Discover the Elk River Watershed

• Saturdays, June 21, July 26 and Aug. 9, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. starting at the Elk River Trail parking area.  A watershed steward will talk about watershed restoration and conservation at the Headwater Forest Preserve.

Salmon Pass Guided Hikes

• Weekends beginning May 17.  Participants will experience the majestic beauty of ancient old-growth redwood stands.  Registration on Recreation.gov  is required for each Salmon Pass guided hike.

Nature Writing Workshop

• Saturday, Aug. 2., at 2 p.m. at the Headwaters Education Center. North Coast writer Jerry Martien will lead participants on an hour-long session guiding participants through his process of “listening” to nature and “translating” what is heard into poetry and prose. Participants should meet at the Elk River Trailhead and plan for a half-mile walk to the education center.

To reach Headwaters Forest Reserve via California Highway 101, take exit 702 off U.S. Highway 101 and go east on Herrick Avenue. Turn right onto Elk River Road from Herrick Avenue. Continue down Elk River Road for 1.4 miles. Turn right continuing onto Elk River Road for 4.1 miles. Continue following Elk River Road until its dead ends into the Elk River Trail parking lot.

The 7,472-acre Headwaters Forest Reserve was established by Congress in 1999 after a decade-long grassroots effort to protect the world’s last unprotected, intact, old-growth redwood forest ecosystem. Several threatened species, including coho salmon, the northern spotted owl, and the marbled murrelet benefit from the Reserve’s habitat. The BLM Arcata Field Office manages the Reserve in consultation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect old-growth redwood groves, other forest stands, creeks, and wildlife.