Los Padres National Forest

News Release

US Forest Service

Los Padres National Forest

May 26, 2005

Take the Path to a Healthier You;
Celebrate National Trails Day in Los Padres National Forest

People of all ages and abilities are invited to celebrate National Trails Day on Saturday June 4, with a day of fun, fitness and volunteering in Los Padres National Forest. Volunteers are needed to help with three trail maintenance projects in the forest.

Potrero John Trail (near Ojai) --- Volunteers will trim brush and repair the tread on this popular hiking trail that connects Highway 33 with the Sespe Wilderness. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center on Highway 33, then carpool to the project site. Volunteers will return to the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center at 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact Heidi Anderson at (805) 646-4348 or handerson@fs.fed.us

Jesusita Trail (near Santa Barbara) --- Volunteers will repair winter storm damage at several places along this well-traveled trail above Santa Barbara. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Santa Barbara Mission, then carpool to the project site. For more information, contact Kerry Kellogg at (805) 967-3481 or kkellogg@fs.fed.us

McGill Trail (near Frazier Park) --- Volunteers will repair and improve this trail on scenic Mt. Pinos. Meet at the McGill Campground at 9:00 a.m. Breakfast will be provided. For more information, contact Leia Ahler at (661) 245-3731 or lahler@fs.fed.us

All volunteers should wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes and gloves. Bring sunscreen, safety glasses or goggles, and a hardhat or bike helmet (Hard hats will be provided if you don't have your own.) Also bring a sack lunch and plenty of water. Additional refreshments will be provided during the day.

National Trails Day, on the first Saturday of June every year, is a nationwide trails celebration that brings together thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to learn about, celebrate and improve our nation's trail systems. The theme this year is "Take the Path to a Healthier You." For more information about National Trails Day and to learn about other volunteer projects planned in southern California, go to www.nationaltrailsday.org or visit the American Hiking Society's website at www.americanhiking.org.

Los Padres National Forest contains 1,700 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and off-road vehicle use. Volunteers do a lot of the trail maintenance. For more information about how you can volunteer, visit the Los Padres National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres.

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