Cascade Falls Picnic Site is a long-time favorite recreational site in the southern Black Hills.  Although not well-known with vacationers and travelers, the site is quite popular with local enthusiasts ... which often promote the site to others visiting the area.  Unfortunately, the site is located a long distance away from Forest Service offices, which has created some recent issues with vandalism and depressed usage.

The NPLD event is meant to engage our local communities and youth groups in recreating the site into its past image.  By using volunteers from the local communities, as well as other special interest groups, the Forest hopes to attract positive attention back to the site.  Not only will the projects enhance / update the overall recreation area, but the special event is geared toward even greater awareness with recreationalists about their public lands.

Volunteer projects include painting a toilet facility and nearby picnic shelters, removing an old / outdated bulletin board, replacing signs and updating day-use area signs, and raking / grading multiple gravel pathways.  The Forest plans to have multiple volunteer groups working together on the various tasks.  Ranging from local youth groups to Boy Scouts, from the Hot Springs Veteran's Home to families, the Forest is striving to attract attention to the site in late September ... one of the best times of the year for working outside and refreshing recreation areas.

Using assistance from its cooperative partner - Black Hills Parks and Forests Association - the Forest plans to provide some light refreshments for the volunteers.  For those working over the lunch hour, the Forest encourages everyone to bring their own lunch, beverages, and other personal items for their working comfort.

To register yourself or a volunteer group for the event, please call the Recreation Program at the Black Hills National Forest at (605) 673-9200.  You will need to provide the name and contact information for the group's Point of Contact, as well as the proposed number of volunteers.  You will also need to share whether the group will work from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., 12 - 3 p.m., or all day.  For easier registration information, interested volunteers can also visit volunteer.gov and search for South Dakota, Black Hills National Forest, Cascade Falls Picnic Site, etc.