News.bytes Extra, issue 206News.bytes Extra, issue 206
Elk River Trail is Open to the Public
Members of the Bureau of Land Management’s Northwest California Resource Advisory Council explored the wonders of a wild redwood forest recently, when they hiked the new Elk River Trail at the north end of the Headwaters Forest Reserve near Eureka.
The 11-mile (round trip) trail is now open to the public. The lower three miles are open to mountain bikes; the upper portion is open to hikers.
The route takes visitors past the site of the historic mill town of Falk, where the BLM’s Arcata Field Office has in place a self-guiding historic tour. The upper end of the trail takes visitors into a grove of old-growth redwoods, some of which are 1,500 years old.
Below, RAC members and BLM staff hike through a grove of lofty old growth trees along the Elk River Trail.
Below, the route through the forest provides an up-close look at the intricate and dazzling beauty of the reserve:
More information on the Headwaters Forest Reserve can be found on the Arcata Field Office homepage, www.ca.blm.gov/arcata. The field office recommends checking on conditions before hiking the trail. Call the office at (707) 825-2300 for the latest information.