By: Corinne Corte
Over 400 adults and children gathered at the Big Pines Visitor Center on Aug. 9 to celebrate Smokey Bear’s 81st birthday. Volunteers from the Angeles National Forest hosted the lively event, with Smokey’s appearance and a festive birthday cake as the highlights of the day. Of course, no one left without snapping a photo with Smokey!
Angeles National Forest firefighters joined the celebration, offering guests a look inside one of their fire engines, handing out Smokey Bear swag, and sharing valuable fire prevention tips. Families also enjoyed a variety of arts and crafts activities, including leaf rubbings, owl puppets, wooden tree slice necklaces, and Smokey the Bear coloring pages. Everyone took home a handmade souvenir of the day.
Adding to the fun, I-DYED showcased their face-painting talents (with colorful works of art seen all around the grounds), while Slithers and Crawls engaged visitors with live animals, cruelty-free skulls and specimens, and educational exhibits. Guests even received free native saplings from the Angeles National Forest to plant at home.
The celebration also gave visitors the chance to explore the historic Big Pines Visitor Center. Inside the Great Hall, photos dating back a century offered a glimpse into the past, while the exhibit hall featured animals, birds, pine cones, and other natural artifacts found in the forest. The mountain lion and black bear displays remain perennial favorites, but there is so much more to see and learn from in the exhibit hall.
Although Smokey’s birthday only comes once a year, the Big Pines Visitor Center welcomes guests every weekend. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (weather permitting), the center is located at 24537 CA-2 in Wrightwood—just across the highway from Mountain High West. Visitors can enjoy exhibits, learn about local history, get hiking tips, chat with volunteers, or stroll the half-mile Big Pines Nature Trail next to the center.
