Hope Valley, CA… The 3rd Annual Alpine Aspen Festival will be held on October 8th and 9th in scenic Hope Valley, Alpine County, California.

Alpine County is home to beautiful groves of aspen trees and the ultimate source of water to 5.3 million people in California and Nevada. The festival will feature a wide variety of activities. One of the most popular is horseback riding with Calaveras County’s Jim and Karen Hagen of the J Bar K Ranch. The rides will take place at their new summer ranch in Charily Valley, adjacent to Hope Valley. The two-hour trail rides offered during the Alpine Aspen Festival will begin with a discussion of horsemanship and horse behavior. Everyone will then saddle up for a ride through the lovely meadow bordering the ranch. During the ride Jim and Karen will share the history of the area and discuss environmental issues. The ride will continue on to a scenic spot overlooking Charity Valley.

Two local, nonprofit organizations, the Alpine Watershed Group and Friends of Hope Valley, host the event to celebrate Alpine County’s beautiful fall colors, natural environment, and dynamic history. Visitors may enjoy live music, guest speakers, and booths at the festival location on Blue Lakes Road, or sign up for one or more of the many activities and workshops led by local experts. Options include nature hikes, horseback riding, fly-fishing, yoga, Dutch oven cooking,and photography and watercolor classes. Space is limited, so reserve your spot now! The festival welcomes families and is dog-friendly. Event sponsors include the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, Carson Water Subconservancy District, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, River Wranglers, Sierra Business Council, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and Sorensen’s Resort.

Visit our website at www.AspenFest.org for more details and to sign up for activities. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Alpine Watershed Group, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance Alpine County’s watersheds for future generations.