Children’s Forest Exploration Trail – Running Springs, California
Are you a hiker or biker? Do you like new and different places to see? Then you may be truly interested in this trail designed by children in cooperation with the Forest Service and built by a community that runs 4.5 miles in the backcountry of the San Bernardino National Forest.
This beautiful trail climbs right through the middle of the 3,400 acres of Children’s Forest Construction on the trail involved in the Rim of the World Parks and Recreation District. The area was previously hard or nearly impossible to access until the kids began work.
Working together on the design and creation of the trail helps to foster teamwork and skills for their adult life. The kids learned about trail engineering, recreational planning, educational and interpretive considerations, trail grading and flagging, GPS/GIS systems for mapping the trial for construction and other skills that will serve them well all their lives.
You can also travel the snow covered mountain landscape in the same way the Native Americans did by using snowshoes. The Children’s Forest offers three-hour professional naturalists guided hikes using snowshoes for those that are interested in seeing the trails in a different season than during the spring and summer. While on the trip you will visit a Native American Quinzee snow shelter and learn how plants, animals and people adapt to winter.
These trips depart every Saturday at noon provided there is snow on the ground. The cost is $15 per person. For information call 337-5156 M-F and 867-5996 Weekends.
The trail was created to provide youth the opportunity to learn about plants, animals and the environment.
This is a great opportunity to do something with your family that everyone will enjoy and learn a great deal about our world as you do it.
Phone: 909-337-5156
Directions to Keller Peak Fire Lookout & Children’s Forest Visitor
Information Center. Take Highway 18 through down town Running Springs. At
the stop sign, turn right to stay on Highway 18 going toward Big Bear. The
Children’s Forest Visitor Information Center is approximately ½ mile past
the stop sign on the right, just before Arrowbear. To get to Keller Peak
Fire Lookout, go just past the Children’s Forest Visitor Information Center
and turn right on Keller Peak Road. Follow the road five miles to the
Keller Peak Fire Lookout.
For more information call (909) 337-5156, or
weekends, (909) 867-5996
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