Illegal bike tracks damaging American River Parkway prompt crackdown push

Bike riders are causing big problems along Sacramento's American River Parkway. Some cyclists are digging up nature areas and turning them into off-road tracks for dirtbikes and e-bikes.

The Sacramento County Parks Department says there's been a big increase in vandalism and destruction of the nature preserve due to unauthorized use of off-road bicycles and e-bikes.

"People are just going out with shovels and digging in our nature study areas out in our parks and just making little ramps so they can jump on their bikes," said Ken Casparis, a spokesperson for the parks department.

Park rangers say the illegal activity is causing damage to vegetation and sensitive wildlife habitat.

"We've also seen issues with going out and fixing these areas and then a week later, they're back digging it out again, so it's a big problem," Casparis said.

The county's golf courses are also seeing damage from people riding dirtbikes, e-bikes and quads over the greens.

"We've seen ruts and other destruction on our golf courses," Casparis said.

Now the parks department is asking the county Board of Supervisors to approve new emergency regulations to increase penalties.

Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor if they're caught excavating, digging or altering the land along the parkway. People could also be charged with trespassing if they go on golf courses when they are not golfing, or when it's closed.

"In those instances where it's especially egregious, our rangers would have the ability to go out and make arrests. We're hoping that that will deter people," Casparis said.

Funding for the Sacramento County Parks Department was cut by more than $1.5 million this year, and officials say repairing this type of damage adds an extra budget burden.

"Our maintenance crews have to go out and fix it, which costs money, takes time, pulls them away from other projects that they could and should be working on," Casparis said.

The new rules were approved by the county's recreation and park commission last week, and they are scheduled to go before the board of supervisors for a vote in the next two months.