Untitled Document

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Richard Noble (530) 257-2151
or Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332
For immediate release: May 27, 2004
For TDD assistance, please dial (530) 252-6624
LAS/BLM 04-01

Explore a Trail On National Trails Day

The Lassen National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management invite everyone to explore local trails on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 5.

In the Susanville area there are a wide variety of trails offering something for everyone. Trails range from paved routes suitable for strollers, bikes or other non-motorized wheeled conveyances, to those that can challenge serious hikers and mountain bikers.

Closest to home, the BLM and Lassen National Forest jointly manage the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail. This 26-mile route between Susanville and Westwood is ideal for hiking, biking and horseback riding. It crosses the Susan River 11 times on massive steel and wooden bridges that once carried trains across the river. Historic railroad tunnels are a fascinating vestige of the early railroad days of Lassen County .

Information is available from the BLM and Forest Service, or at the Susanville Railroad Depot Visitor Center on Richmond Road in Susanville.

Lassen National Forest has hundreds of miles of established trails. Popular paved trails are the Eagle Lake Trail and the Lake Almanor Recreation Trail. Horses are prohibited on these trails.

The Eagle Lake Trail is a paved, five-mile, all-access route along the south shore of Eagle Lake . It?s great for those new Rollerblades or walking shoes. You'll view nature at its best. Discover the dancing western grebe, white pelicans soaring across the lake, or bald eagles dipping in the lake for a tasty trout snack.

Lake Almanor Recreation Trail - Spectacular views of Lake Almanor , Dyer Mountain and Lassen Volcanic National Park can be found along the entire nine-and-a-half-mile route on the lake?s west shore. This multiuse trail winds through beautiful stands of stately pine, fir and incense cedar, along meadows, past a campground and a summer home tract and several lakeshore areas that will invite you to take a swim or try your luck at fishing. The paved trail is ten feet wide.

The Spattercone and Subway Cave Trails are in the Hat Creek basin area along Highway 44 and feature interesting geological features. Both trails are relatively short.

Spattercone Crest Trail - Walk a nature trail that explores the volcanic landscape and how life adapts to it. Three of the four kinds of volcanoes in the world can be seen along the Spattercone Trail. The trailhead and parking area are opposite from Hat Creek Campground on Highway 89 near Old Station.

The trail has a round-trip distance of 1.5 miles. This trail is not shaded. During summer, it is best traveled in the cool early morning or late afternoon hours. Don't forget water!

Subway Cave Lava Tube Guided Trail - About 20,000 years ago, a crack opened in the Hat Creek Valley floor. A river of molten lava flowed 16 miles northward from this fissure, creating lava tubes. You can hike along the trail through Subway Cave and experience the underground world of a lava tube. Subway is near the town of Old Station , 1/4 mile north of junction highway 44/89. The floor is rough, so wear sturdy shoes and bring a jacket, as the cave is a cool 46 degrees. Bring a good lantern or flashlight as the cave is not lighted. Tours are offered during the summer season.

The most famous and longest trail on the forest is the Pacific Crest Trail. The Pacific Crest Trail is over 2650 miles connecting Mexico with Canada . Over 120 miles of the trail wind through the Lassen National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park .

Additional Forest Service information about specific trails and other recreational opportunities is available from the ranger districts. Contact numbers for the districts are: Almanor, (530) 258-2141;

Eagle Lake , (530) 257-4188; or Hat Creek (530) 336-5521. Information is available to visitors at the Old Station Information Center , which is open Friday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 4 pm . General forest information is also available from the Forest Supervisor?s offices, (530) 257-2151, or on the Lassen National Forest web page at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/lassen.

The Fredonyer Peak Challenge climbs 2,450 feet up the slope of Fredonyer Mountain , north of Susanville, overlooking the east shore of Eagle Lake . The 20-mile route is for advanced riders, and can take four to eight hours, depending on ability level. The view from the fire lookout at the top is spectacular, with Eagle Lake and Mt. Shasta clearly visible.

The Shaffer Mountain Challenge takes riders on a 16-mile, 2,300-foot climb to a mountain peak overlooking the Honey Lake Valley and vast open ranges to the north and east.

Those who want to explore a crossroads of geology and cultures can hike through the Belfast Petroglyph area east of Susanville. Rock carvings tell of early Native American use of the area, while meandering Willow Creek, the only water source for miles, illustrates the importance of the region for wildlife. From the high ground at Belfast , you?ll see the convergence of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges, the Great Basin and the volcanic Modoc Plateau.

Information on these routes is available from the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside Dr , in Susanville, (530) 257-0456.

National Trail Day was established in 1993 to increase the awareness of community trails and their benefits. Trails provide communities the opportunity to exercise and improve community well being as well as increase local commerce and help create jobs.