A botanist from the Lassen National Forest will lead a guided walk on Saturday, July 12th, to introduce participants to the summer wildflowers at the Willow Lake Botanical Special Interest Area.
Willow Lake features floating mats of sphagnum moss that support many rare plant species, including one that is carnivorous. In addition to the fen and wet meadow habitats of Willow Lake, participants will explore adjacent forest understory.
The walk, a light hike of approximately one mile, will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Willow Lake Campground. Total walk time will be approximately two hours. Participants should bring hiking boots, a hat, layered clothing appropriate for any sudden changes in weather, insect repellant, a hand lens (magnifying glass), water, snacks and a camera.
Directions:
- From Chester, California, turn north off Highway 36 onto County Road 318, signed for Lassen Volcanic National Park, Juniper Lake. After a half-mile, turn left on County Road 312, and go about five miles to a “Y” road fork.
- Take the left fork (County Road 311), following the sign for Domingo Springs. (The right fork is signed for Warner Valley and Drakesbad.)
- After about a mile, turn right on Forest Road 29N14, a gravel-surfaced road. Follow this road to its end at Willow Lake Campground, about 3.5 miles. The road surface changes to maintained dirt, but is passable for ordinary motor vehicles. Parking is limited, and car-pooling is encouraged.
A Lassen National Forest map could be helpful and may be purchased at local Forest Service offices or online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lassen.
For more information about the event, contact Kirsten Bovee at [email protected] or (530) 258-5198. For more information about the wildflowers of Willow Lake, go to http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/Pacific_Southwest/WillowLake/index.shtml.
