Come join White Mountain District Trail Ambassador, Jean, on a hike up East Fork of Rock Creek where you’ll learn about, and potentially find, some medicinal-edibile flora.

What: Learn about conscious foraging of plants, their edibile and medicinal properties, and sustainable practices to preserve our wild kingdom.

Meeting Location: Park at the East Fork Trailhead Day Use loop (Rock Creek Sno-Park). 37.492762, -118.717218.

Hike Duration: 9 AM – 12:30 PM on Saturday, July 12th.

Logistics: Our hike will begin at just over 8,000ft above sea level. We will walk for 1.5 miles and gain 500 feet in elevation before returning to the trailhead. The hike should take about 3.5 hours and total 3 miles round-trip. Please bring snacks, water, layers, and any other essentials for a hike in the mountains.

The Sierra Foraging Walk brings many like-minded individuals together to discuss edible and medicinal uses of plants. We discuss sustainable harvesting, intelligent foraging, food/medicine preparations and cultural traditions. Wild foraging not only teaches us about the rich and diverse plant life, but the intelligence of the earth we live on. Plants have an intuitive knowing that a cycle has ended, a new one is germinating, and what nutrients are needed to thrive. Plants teach us that change, rebirth, and evolution are all part of life.
There is certainly a seasonality for harvesting wild flowers, herbs and mushrooms. Spring is the season for fresh young greens such as nettles, dandelion, thistle and mugwort. Early summer is a time of abundant blossoms of onion, elderflower, rose, pennyroyal and fireweed. Late summer is the time for mushrooms and berries such as gooseberry, elderberries, rose hips and currant. Fall is when pine nuts and sunflower seeds are plentiful. Winter is a bit more sparse, but you can look for tree bark and pine needles.

Each individual participant must register to attend. Participants under 18 must have a parent/guardian register for them. Registration is, and always will be, completely free! Optional donations support our continued stewardship and policy programming.

Register at friendsoftheinyo.org/events/

Important considerations:
All ages welcome!
There is no running water at the hike location. There may be opportunities to filter water in the creek if you bring a water filter. Bring plenty of water and enough food or snacks to stay comfortable.
Wear sturdy shoes you’re comfortable walking in for several miles.
Wear sun protection – hat, sun glasses, sunscreen, etc.