The following is a list of upcoming activities at local, state parks:

Volunteer Training Begins for Red Rock Canyon State Park
Would you like to be a volunteer at beautiful Red Rock Canyon State Park? Learn about the volunteer program and the park’s natural and cultural history at our two-day volunteer training, Saturdays September 1st and 8th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ricardo Visitor Center (new volunteers must attend both days).

Volunteers may assist with the activities of their choice such staffing the visitor center, maintenance projects, habitat restoration, leading trail tours, assisting with school programs, manning festival booths, and individual projects. The training includes the lifeways of the Kawaiisu (Nüwa) Indians, local wildflowers and wildlife, geology and fossils, the colorful history of the region such as homesteaders and movie filming, and much more.

No prior experience or knowledge is required. Volunteers may range in age from student to senior citizen, must be interested in learning, and must have a positive, friendly attitude. Applicants must attend both training days and pass a background check before beginning volunteer service. Call (661) 839-6553 or email Lou.Figueroa@parks.ca.gov for more information, or to sign up for the training.

When: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturdays September 1st and 8th (must attend both days)

Where: Red Rock Canyon State Park, 37749 Abbott Drive, Cantil (22 miles north of Mojave on Hwy 14, near California City)

Fall Tours at Tehachapi Native American Village Site
California State Parks is currently taking reservations for the fall tour season at Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park in Tehachapi. Visitation is only permitted on a guided tour, which involves a moderately strenuous 3-hour hike.

Although no structures remain on this Kawaiisu (Nüwa) Native American village site, the area’s rich history comes alive through the trained volunteer tour guides and the clues that the inhabitants left behind. Tomo Kahni means “winter home” in Kawaiisu, and rock rings mark the locations of many of the kahni, or homes, that were built of juniper boughs. Hundreds of mortar holes in the park tell of a very active past. The tour also includes Medicine Cave, Nettle Springs and a cave with pictographs- a sacred place of the Kawaiisu.

Fall tours will be offered Saturdays September 22nd – November 10th. Activities begin at 8:30 a.m. with an orientation at the Tehachapi Museum in Tehachapi and last approximately 4 hours, including travel time to and from the park (transportation is not provided).

Please note: Those with heart conditions or breathing problems should NOT take this tour. Weather at the high-elevation park is variable, so layered clothing is recommended. Ample drinking water, sun protection, and sturdy walking shoes are also necessary.

Tour fee is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-16 (age 5 and under are free, but not recommended on tours). Tours are limited to 12 people and fill up fast so reservations are highly recommended for an additional fee of $10 per party. To make a reservation or for more information, call (661) 946-6092 or email Mojave.Sector@parks.ca.gov.

Where: Tehachapi Museum, 310 S. Green Street, Tehachapi

When: Saturdays September 22nd – November 10th, 8:30 a.m. – approximately 1 p.m.

Cost: Adults: $5, Children age 6-16 $3, Children under 5 free. Reservations: $10 per party

Twilight Tour of Tomo Kahni Village Site
Visit Tomo Kahni State Historic Park and see the sun set as the full moon rises. Walk the paths where the Kawaiisu lived and enjoy the beauty of the village site nestled in the mountains of Sand Canyon. Jean Rhyne, California State Parks Interpreter, will conduct the guided tour. Meet at 5:30 pm at the Tehachapi Museum for an introduction to the culture of the local tribe in the Milano Gallery, then carpool to the site for a twilight look at the ancient village site.

The tour is limited to 20 guests, so reservations are mandatory and the cost is $20 per person. Reservations can be made at the Tehachapi Museum on Friday, Saturday and Sundays from 12 to 4 pm, or by calling the Museum at (661) 822-8152 and leaving a message. No guests under 12 please.

Where: Tehachapi Museum, 310 S. Green Street, Tehachapi

When: Saturday September 22nd, 5:30 p.m.

Cost: Adults: $20. Reservations required.

National Public Lands Day Event:

Saddleback Butte State Park Habitat Cleanup
Celebrate your public lands by giving back to your local parks! As part of the 25th Annual National Public Lands Day, Saddleback Butte State Park is leading a habitat cleanup on Saturday, October 6th from 8 a.m. to noon.

Litter in the park, dropped by careless visitors or blown in from the road, is dangerous for wildlife and unsightly in nature. Volunteers are needed to pick up wrappers, cups, balloons, and other debris tangled in bushes near the campground and along the fence line.

This activity involves walking through soft sand for the distance of your choice. Those who wish to trek farther should be sure to arrive early! Please note that dogs are only allowed in the campground, picnic area, and park road (no dogs on trails in State Parks). Parking fees will be waived for participants, and you will receive a complimentary Litter Getter Magnet, a district-wide day use pass for adults, and a Saddleback Butte State Park patch or water bottle to thank you for your stewardship.

Coordinated each year by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), National Public Lands Day brings together volunteers from coast to coast to improve and restore the lands and facilities that people across America use and enjoy every day. Each year, National Public Lands Day volunteers provide tens of millions of dollars’ worth of services in one day that would otherwise take limited park staff months to accomplish. Last year, more than 200,000 people participated in events at more than 2,500 sites in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. The official NPLD, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales USA, is September 22nd; please note that the event at Saddleback is on October 6th.

Check in at the campground for registration and litter pickup supplies. Bring lunch, water, layered clothing with long pants, and sun protection; bringing your own reusable gloves and water bottles will help conserve natural resources. Pre-registration is not required, but participants may RSVP in advance at www.Facebook.com/SaddlebackButte. For questions about this event, call 661-946-6900 or email Jean.Rhyne@parks.ca.gov. For information about the park, visit www.parks.ca.gov.

When: Saturday, October 6th, 8 a.m. to noon

Where: Check in at Saddleback Butte State Park Campground, 17071 East Avenue K in Lancaster (East Avenue K and 170th Street East, near Lake Los Angeles).
From Hwy 14, follow Ave K east past 150th St. East. Road becomes K-8; make a left on 170th Street East back to Avenue K. Make a right, and the campground entrance is on the left.

Contact: Jean Rhyne, 661-946-6900, Jean.Rhyne@parks.ca.gov.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum Annual American Indian Celebration
The Antelope Valley Indian Museum’s popular American Indian Celebration will be held October 20-21st, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The celebration will feature Native music, dancing, storytelling, and food. Native artists will sell jewelry, beadwork, gourd art, paintings, and crafts at the event. Families will enjoy working with clay and trying their hand at pounding acorns and pine nuts at the touch table exhibit in Joshua Cottage.

Admission is $8 for adults; children age 12 and under are free. Parking is free. For more information, phone the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service), or visit our website at www.avim.parks.ca.gov.

When: Saturday and Sunday October 20-21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m

Where: Antelope Valley Indian Museum, 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster, California. From the 14 Freeway in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East, then follow the signs to the museum.

Cost: $8 for adults. Children age 12 and under are free.

Contact: Peggy Ronning, Peggy.Ronning@parks.ca.gov, 661-946-6900

Kid’s Activity Program at Tomo-Kahni
On Saturday October 27th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park volunteers will host a program at the park for kids age 7 and up, with activities such as rope making, acorn grinding, and a Kawaiisu Indian dance at the “winter home” village site. Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the site, park visitation is only permitted on a guided tour.

Families will meet for an introduction at the Tehachapi Museum at 9 a.m. and caravan out to the park (transportation not provided). The program route is 2.5 miles round-trip and the group will return to the Tehachapi Museum at 1 p.m. Please note, children under seven may not be brought along.

Program fee is $5 for adults, and $3 for children age 7-16 (children 6 and under not allowed). Advance registration is required, $10 per party. To make a reservation or for more information, call (661) 946-6092 or email Mojave.Sector@parks.ca.gov.

Where: Tehachapi Museum and Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park, Tehachapi

When: Saturday October 27th, 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cost: Adults: $5, Children age 7-16: $3. Children 6 and under not allowed. Reservations required: $10 per party

Chili, Crafters, and Cowboy Songs at “Holidays on the Homestead”
Chili heads and crafters: spots are available for the chili cook-off and craft boutique! Email Jean.Rhyne@parks.ca.gov for applications and info.

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum will host the 8th annual Holidays on the Homestead celebration on Saturday, December 1st from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Originally a 1930’s homestead, the museum’s historic grounds will be decorated in vintage holiday style and feature live acoustic music around a campfire, a chili cook-off, tours of the grounds, a country craft boutique, real cowboy coffee brewed over the fire, and hot chocolate or cider for the kids! Explore the unique hand-built museum and whimsical grounds at night, with soft lighting and the smell of fresh greenery, and the wintery sky sparkling over the desert.

Stay warm around the blazing campfire while cowboy-singer Michael Tcherkassky, “The Saddle Serenader”, croons the romantic poetry about life on the range that cattlemen composed by day during their journeys across the old west, and then shared around the campfire when the sun went down. Michael has performed traditional cowboy songs and poetry for many years at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and other events around the country.

The country craft boutique features unique gift ideas, made by local artists. The crafters carry on the artistic tradition of Howard Arden Edwards, who built the Indian Museum to display his collection of American Indian artifacts. The Craftsman-style building is decorated with his colorful representations of Indian culture and creative hand-made furniture.

Rose Edwards was known for her tasty rib-sticking chili and cornbread feasts at their holiday celebrations. Try the chili cook-off entries and Rose’s original 1930 Christmas Chili recipe, complemented by delicious cornbread generously provided by The Lemon Leaf Café.

Event admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12, and ages 5 and under are free.

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum is located at 15701 East Avenue M in Lancaster, near Lake Los Angeles. Information can be found at www.AVIM.parks.ca.gov and www.Facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum, or call (661) 946-3055 (711, TTY relay service). Please come out for this special holiday event, rain or shine, and support the museum.

When: Saturday, December 1st
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Rain or Shine!

Where: Antelope Valley Indian Museum, 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster (near Lake Los Angeles)
From Hwy 14, take Avenue K east, turn right on 150th Street East, and left on East Avenue M. The museum is on the left.

Admission: $10 adults, $5 ages 6-12, ages 5 and under free.