The South Kelsey Trail was first designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, but was used by early miners between 1855-1880 as a route between Crescent City and Fort Jones and other inland mines in the Klamath River region and Yreka. Along with the Old Kelsey Trail, the South Kelsey is a key portion […]
New Wilderness Restrictions Along the Bigfoot Trail
Restrictions have been put in place to limit environmental impacts in Caribou Lakes Basin (on the trail) and the Devil’s Punchbowl (just off the trail). In a move that has been a long time in the making, the Klamath National forest has enacted restrictions in two of the most visited backcountry destinations on the forest. […]
Eight Days in the Siskiyous
In 2019, the Bigfoot Trail Alliance received a Rose Foundation grant to fund work on the South Kelsey Trail in the Siskiyou Wilderness. We recruited 12 graduate CCC Backcountry Corpsmembers through a letter writing campaign. Once the letters were received, we sent letters back to the corpsmembers notifying them that they had been accepted into […]
2019 on the Bigfoot Trail
It was a good year in northwest California and southwest Oregon in 2019. Deep snowpack lingered into early summer and lightening strikes did not lead to large fires. Because of this, thru-hikers, day-hikers, and three trail crews were able to enjoy the trail all summer long. What follows are links to our blog posts and […]
Kelsey Trail Collaborative
The South Kelsey Trail was first designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1979, but was used by early miners between 1855-1880 as a route between Crescent City and Fort Jones and other inland mines in the Klamath River region and Yreka. Along with the Old Kelsey Trail, the South Kelsey is a key portion […]
Fall Color on the BFT
Fall is a time of rejuvenation and my favorite season. With the shift of the California Current, rains begin to fall in California after a summer of drought while the high country along the Pacific Slope finds snow returning. We retreat inside our homes but native plants and animals must adjust to the changes. Some birds migrate, mammals might hibernate, and some plants shed their […]
California’s Little Grayback Trail
On a northbound hike, just after reentering California at the State of Jefferson Scenic Byway (which I like to call the Bigfoot Highway), Justin Rohde has been working to improve a Forest Service trail that eliminates several miles of road walking. He says of the route: The trail is still challenging in places but there […]