Buck Rock Lookout hosts Labor Day gala
Buck Rock Lookout in the Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument will be the site for a Labor Day Weekend Celebration and Open House.

Hosted by the Buck Rock Foundation, it is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 at the base of the lookout. Wuksachi elder Eddie Tupishna Sartuche will provide a traditional Native American "Blessing of the Rock." There will be a barbecue; booths spotlighting local history, wildlife and crafts; and children's activities. Lookout memorabilia will be on display.

Smokey Bear is scheduled to appear throughout the day, while fire watchers will explain the workings of this active and historic fire lookout. Admission to the event is free, beyond the $20 per vehicle fee to enter Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park.

Buck Rock Lookout is at 8,500 feet elevation in the Big Meadows area of the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Eagles, falcons and other birds of prey are often spotted in the skies. After many years of being shuttered, Buck Rock reopened in 2000.

Information/directions: buckrock.org or (559) 565-3676.

Events

Camping with Kids

When: 7-8 p.m. Wednesday

Where: REI Fresno, 7810 N. Blackstone Ave.

Join an REI specialist for this seminar designed to help families prepare for outdoor outings. Tips will be offered to help keep little campers happy, whether it's a weekend stay in the woods or a night under the stars in the backyard. Registration – free but limited to 20 spots – is available at rei.com/stores/112.

News & notes

• The High Sierra Visitor Center, located over Kaiser Pass, is the subject of a U.S. Forest safety alert due to recent problematic bear behavior. Visitors are advised not to recreate at this location or nearby until the bear situation is resolved. To check for other alerts and updates, visit fs.usda.gov/sierra/.

Thirty-nine new game wardens, including Kevin DeRose of Visalia and Scott Moss of Merced, graduated last week from the California Department of Fish and Game law-enforcement academy in Butte County.

Law-enforcement officers from the Bureau of Land Management will conduct a hunting-enforcement checkpoint Aug. 27 at an undisclosed location in the Carrizo Plain National Monument from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.