News Release

For Release:  July 14, 2008       
Contact: Lynda Roush (707) 825-2300 or Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332
CA-N-08-77

Construction Begins on New Headwaters Trail Parking Area

Construction has gotten underway on a new parking area at the Elk River Trail in the Headwaters Forest Reserve, requiring closure of the trailhead and trail until Monday, July 28.
 
Lynda Roush, manager of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)  Arcata Field Office, said the closure is necessary for public safety while heavy equipment is working.
 
The parking area will be redesigned to improve efficiency and to meet accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 
Additionally, the new parking lot will be one of the first in the area constructed with "low impact development" techniques, where permeable pavement allows pollution associated with leaked automotive fluids to infiltrate and biodegrade, eliminating discharge into surface waters.
 
Parking lot construction is the final phase of an improvement project on the first two miles of the Elk River Trail.  Work began last summer on projects that included resurfacing and re-shaping of the trail to make it accessible to those with mobility difficulties.

The Elk River Trail is a five-and-a-half mile route into an old growth redwood grove.  The 11-mile round-trip hike has some moderately steep climbs and should be attempted by those in good physical condition.  There is no fee. Access is limited to daylight hours.

Headwaters visitors can enjoy the southern part of the forest near Fortuna by reserving space on a guided hike along the Salmon Creek Trail.  BLM park rangers lead the hikes and explain features of the forest, including groves of 1,000-year-old redwood trees. To reserve space for a weekend hike or to arrange a special outing, call the BLM Arcata Field Office at (707) 825-2300. 

The Headwaters Forest Reserve is 7,472 acres of public land near Eureka.  The BLM, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Game, manages the area to preserve the ecological and wildlife values, particularly the stands of old-growth redwood that provide habitat for the threatened marbled murrelet, and the stream systems that provide habitat for threatened coho salmon.

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Alturas Field Office     708 West 12th St.     Alturas, CA  96101