Rose Valley Falls Herb Walk with Lanny Kaufer

Please join Ojai author and herbalist Lanny Kaufer for an Herb Walk to Rose Valley Falls on Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You will experience a local scenic wonder 300 feet high and learn about Rose Valley’s diverse plant communities. The outing will begin with a stop at Upper Rose Valley Lake followed by a walk through Rose Valley Campground and a shaded walk of 1/2 mile each way to the Falls. We will smell aromatic California Bay trees, see stunning Crimson Columbines growing on the Falls, and search for the elusive Sweet Cicely and California Violet herbs on the trail to the Falls. It’s still a great time of year to see a variety of wildflowers.

This walk is presented under a Special Use Permit from the Ojai Ranger District Office of the U.S. Forest Service designed for guides who provide recreational and interpretive services to the public. As he does on all his walks and hikes, Kaufer will demonstrate and discuss the modern and ancient uses of wild plants. Poisonous plants will also be identified. Trailside discussion will include topics such as the difference between native and naturalized plants, the role of humans in the ecological balance, sustainable foraging, and other topics generated by the participants. Kaufer has been leading informative and entertaining Herb Walks and Nature Hikes in Southern California since 1976.

The day will begin with a caravan from the Maricopa Plaza parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and return there by 12:30 p.m. The cost is $35 for adults, $25 for students 13-17, and $15 for children 5-12, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please. Registrants will receive a confirmation email beforehand with all necessary info and a follow-up email after the walk with a plant list and other info.

Kaufer’s 2021 book, Medicinal Herbs of California, will be available at the meeting place in the morning for sale and signing.