Written by: Carol Bishop, Volunteer of the Big Pines Visitor Center
The Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest (VANF) have been serving the public and caring for the land—per the U.S. Forest Service’s mission statement—for more than two-and-a-half decades. Created in the mid-1990s to staff the newly built Grassy Hollow Visitor Center, this volunteer group has provided information on local recreational opportunities, run interpretive programs, and maintained and upgraded facilities and nearby trails. Thousands of visitors have learned about and enjoyed the forest through VANF’s sharing of their knowledge of the environment—including the plants and animals—as well as information on hiking and camping sites, locations, and policies.
A few years ago, with the handover of the Grassy Hollow building to concessionaires, VANF was instructed to move their operations—including their taxidermied animals—to the historic Big Pines Visitor Center (BPVC). Last year alone at BPVC, VANF members volunteered 2,779 hours, serving over 6,477 visitors in person and another 299 over the phone.
While it was hard to leave the building, the beautiful picnic area, and the PCT trail segment of Grassy Hollow, the move has proven serendipitous. Grassy Hollow Visitor Center and the land around it were consumed by the Bridge Fire—a tragic loss. On the other hand, Big Pines Visitor Center was saved by Task Force 3 out of Arizona.
On Oct. 17, the Bridge Fire Forest Closure was updated, and BPVC was removed from the closure area. The visitor center reopened on Saturday, Oct. 19, and has resumed its normal schedule: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays.
Along with sharing their displays and building with the public, VANF members are focused on protecting the forest and keeping visitors safe. They inform visitors of current closure limitations and the limited recreational opportunities available in the area. In addition, they educate the public on the positives and negatives of wildfires.
Please join us in helping protect our forest. No fires—even smoking a cigarette can only be done inside a vehicle with the windows up—are allowed in the forest. Do not hike in a closed area; the earth and plants need time to heal. Additionally, fires can still flare up, and trees and branches can fall.
For up-to-date information, come by the Big Pines Visitor Center—located four miles west of Wrightwood on Hwy 2—or visit the Angeles National Forest website. Under “alerts,” you can find closure orders, including maps.
