Celebrate National Public Lands Day at the Second Annual Poker Run at Samoa Dunes Recreation Area
ARCATA, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Arcata Field Office, in partnership with Emerald Triangle Off Road, invites the public to celebrate National Public Lands Day at the Second Annual Poker Run on Saturday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area as part of the Great American Expedition. This free, family-friendly event is open to everyone, and no registration is required.
The event begins at 11 a.m. at the 4x4 Rock Crawl Area, where volunteers will help enhance recreation access through projects such as painting crosswalks and speed humps, removing invasive plants, picking up litter, and installing beach boundary signs. National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest single-day volunteer event, bringing people together to care for public lands, while enjoying the outdoors.
Following the volunteer projects, participants can join the Poker Run, earning playing cards by completing a variety of activities, including navigating 4x4 off-highway vehicle challenges, taking an optional single-track tour, and visiting educational booths to learn about the area's unique natural and cultural resources. Players with the best poker hands will receive prizes.
The event is also part of the The Great American Expedition | U.S. Department of the Interior. The Great American Expedition celebrates the communities, the partners, and Department of the Interior professionals who steward the natural resources that sustain our nation.
Music and a free barbecue lunch will be provided thanks to a grant from the Foundation for America's Public Lands. Participants are encouraged to bring water, snacks, sun protection, work gloves, and any required off-highway vehicle safety gear.
The Samoa Dunes Recreation Area encompasses 190 acres of coastal dunes and beaches, of which 140 is open to off-highway vehicle recreation, hiking, surfing, fishing, beachcombing, birdwatching, kayaking, picnicking, and sightseeing. Visitors are reminded to stay within designated riding areas, respect other recreationists, and use extra caution when traveling on foot near OHV routes. The recreation area is open during daylight hours only.
For more information about the event or the Samoa Dunes Recreation Area, visit Samoa-Dunes or contact the BLM Arcata Field Office BLM Arcata Field Office at (707) 825-2300.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.