Posted on

Forest Status

It is now early spring  in our area.

Be prepared for changing weather conditions. Dress appropriately and bring extra warm clothing, food, and drink.

Contact CalTrans for up-to-date road conditions and status: 800-427-7623. (Check State Routes 2 and N-4.)

Bathrooms in Big Pines Area:  Off Hwy 2: Inspiration Point – vault toilets, Grassy Hollow – vault toilets, and Vincent Gap – vault toilets; Off N-4: Arch Picnic Area – vault toilets, Peavine Campground – vault toilets,  Apple Tree Campground – vault toilets, and Jackson Lake – vault toilets.

Camping: – Blue Ridge and Guffy Campgrounds are now open and require the Adventure Pass. Table Mountain, Mountain Oak, and Lake Campgrounds are now taking reservations (recreation.gov) and open May 13th.

Smokey’s Birthday Party – put it on your calendar! Smokey’s Birthday Party will be held at the Big Pines Visitor Center, August 13th from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Trash – when there are no trash cans or they are full, please take your trash home with you!  

Thank you for protecting our forest.

Posted on

BIG PINES VISITOR CENTER

Located in a historical stonework building, the visitor center is located at the intersection of Hwy 2 and N-4, four miles west of the town of Wrightwood.

Staffing the visitor center on Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., VANF members are here to help with hiking, camping, and other suggestions; Adventure Passes are for sale.

Couched within this 1920’s facility, are a selection of great interpretive items – including a taxidermied mountain lion and bear.

Posted on

SCHOOL PROGRAM

School Field Trips are on hold until Fall of 2022 or Spring of 2023. (Why: The Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest, having provided fieldtrip opportunities at the Grassy Hollow Visitor Center for over a decade, were requested to move 2 miles east to the historical Big Pines Information Center.  We have moved our displays and are open to serve the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10-4 pm. We will be rebuilding our membership and adapting our fieldtrip program to the Big Pines setting as soon as possible.)

To see what is included in a school visit

To schedule a school field trip contact us through our general email

Posted on

COME, JOIN US, BE A PART OF THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

The Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest are staffing the Big Pines Visitor Center – located 4 miles west of Wrightwood – on Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

While answering questions about hiking and camping, and selling Adventure Passes, they invite visitors to enjoy their historic building including displays of local animals and birds, maps, and pictures of the area.  In addition, VANF members run a school/youth group fieldtrip program and a summer interpretive program.

As a volunteer, you may choose to work with the school program, staff the center, or do both!  When working at the center, you are committing to one weekend day a month.  If you choose to work with the schools program, you can determine your work schedule.

Initial training is provided and ongoing training occurs at the monthly membership meeting at 7pm on the 4th Tuesday of each month in Wrightwood.

We welcome volunteers 18 years and older.

If you would like to join our team or would like more information, please email vanf.big.pines@gmail.com .