BLM Offering Guided Hikes at Headwaters Forest Reserve

Outdoor enthusiasts who want to learn more about the natural history of the Headwaters Forest Reserve east of Fortuna can participate in free, guided hikes offered by the U. S. Bureau of Land Management through the spring and summer.

Hikes into the southern area of the reserve will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, through Nov. 15.  Hikes may also be scheduled on weekdays, depending on the availability of tour leaders.

Reservations are required for all hikes, and can be made by calling the BLM Arcata Field Office, (707) 825-2300. Hikers can reserve dates for the current and following month. Each trip is limited to 20 hikers and 10 cars (the capacity of the parking area).

The two-and-a-half-mile hike takes approximately three hours. It is moderately strenuous and has some steep uphill sections. Participants should bring water and wear hiking boots.

The first half mile of the trail passes through a young to mid-aged forest with views of restored watershed areas. The trail then loops into an old growth redwood forest. Tour leaders will discuss the natural resources and history of the reserve, and explain the restoration projects.

Participants will meet at 10 a.m. at Newburg Park in Fortuna, and in their own vehicles, follow tour guides to the parking area at Salmon Pass. The three-and-a-half-mile route on Felt Springs Road is narrow, steep and winding, and not passable for trailers, motor homes or fifth-wheel trailers. Hikers will return to Newburg Park by 1 p.m.

The BLM provides the guided hikes as part of a long-term management plan for the forest reserve.  The plan provides for public recreational access into the area, while protecting the natural resources.

Northern California District   355 Hemsted Drive      Redding, CA 96002