Flower Lovin' on the Lassen National Forest this Week, May 18-22

I dig the Susanville area. Some people are wiggy about Susanville because of the state prison there, but I don’t let that bother me.

Susanville is near the dividing line of the Sierra Nevada’s vast forests and the juniper/sagebrush of the high-desert Great Basin, so there’s a large diversity of plants in the area, plus some major mountain ranges.

Now you have a good reason to visit, and spring is the best time, especially for doin’ the Bizz Johnson Trail, an old railroad bed that runs along the Susan River just outside of town (described in my 75 Hikes in California’s Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic National Park Regions.)

Here’s the press release from Lassen National Forest that provides details of a guided hike on the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail and how you can learn more about the region’s wildflowers:

Lassen National Forest Celebrates Wildflower Week, 2009

Blooming wildflowers are a sure sign that spring is finally here. The Lassen National Forest is “Celebrating Wildflowers” the week of May 18 through May 22, 2009. In honor of this special week, the Forest Service is promoting the importance of native plant conservation with an emphasis on the beauty and value of wildflowers. Celebrating Wildflowers also highlights how the nation’s forests and millions of acres of public lands are America’s wildflower gardens.

Kirsten Bovee, Assistant Forest Botanist, will lead a Wildflower Walk along the Bizz Johnson Trail on Thursday, May 21 at 5:00 p.m. This walk will showcase local wildflowers and plants, as well as educate residents about plant conservation. The walk will begin at the Hobo Camp parking area.

A display depicting a variety of wildflowers common to our area is available from Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Lassen National Forest Supervisor’s Office, located at 2550 Riverside Drive in Susanville. A variety of free materials will be available, including wildflower posters, magnets, frisbees, and guides to some of the wildflower viewing spots within the Lassen National Forest. For more information about wildflowers, see the website at: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers.

If you can’t make it to Susanville, check your local area for wildflower celebrations.