ARCATA, Calif. – Experience the majestic beauty of ancient redwood stands on a guided hike with the Bureau of Land Management along the Salmon Pass Trail and immerse in the wonders of nature.

These hikes in the southern part of the Headwaters Forest Reserve are planned for weekends from mid-May through mid-November at the south end of the Reserve. Registration on Recreation.gov  is required for each outing. Registration will open on March 17. The BLM will announce hike dates and open registration two months before each hike. The registration links on Recreation.gov will close three days prior to each hike. 

Hikers can expect to cover three miles in the outings that last three to four hours. The trek is moderately strenuous, with 360 feet of elevation change.

The 7,472-acre Headwaters Forest Reserve protects the world’s last intact, old-growth redwood forest ecosystems. It supports threatened species including coho salmon, the northern spotted owl and the marbled murrelet.

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.

ARCATA, Calif. – The story of Falk, a historic town and lumber mill in the Headwaters Forest Reserve, will be told in a free guided archaeology walk offered by the Bureau of Land Management, Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to noon.  Participants should meet at the Elk River Trail parking area. Registration is not required.

Rusty Goodlive, an archaeological site steward, and volunteer docent Kristi Wrigley will lead the one mile walk on the paved and accessible Elk River Trail. Participants will see the restored locomotive barn and sand shack from the townsite and discuss the historical importance of Falk to the region. Falk is an archaeological district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Goodlive resides in the north coast region. He is a retired firefighter with an interest in history and archaeology. As an archaeological site steward, he helps monitor the Falk site and explains its history to visitors.

Wrigley is a lifelong resident of the Elk River Valley. Her grandfather was the general manager of the store in Falk, and her uncle was superintendent of the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company that operated from 1905 until 1937. She is a retired surveyor who volunteers for the BLM as a Headwaters docent and archaeological stewardship consultant.

To get to the Elk River Trailhead, take the Herrick Avenue exit off Highway 101 at the southern end of Eureka and turn right on to Elk River Road. Travel 1.6 miles and take another right to stay on Elk River Road.Continue 4.2 miles to the signed parking area and trailhead.