Free Ride Over for Night Bikers

Following through on a promise to cite after-hours mountain bikers who flout a ban on using wilderness parks at night, county rangers and sheriff’s deputies have issued half a dozen tickets in the past few weeks.

The number is relatively small “because the word has gotten out,” said Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park ranger John Gannaway, who sent fliers to bike shops and issued warnings during night patrols before bringing along sheriff’s deputies.

Night use of the park was becoming heavy before the crackdown. Gannaway said he came across a dozen mountain bikers one evening and had heard reports that groups of up to 30 bicyclists were in the park after sundown.

So he was not surprised that the bicyclists issued citations recently weren’t shocked that they were breaking the law.

“They all admitted they knew the park closed after dark,” said Gannaway. “They actually were quite cooperative.”

The citations were for misdemeanor after-hours trespassing, which Gannaway says carries a fine of about $100.

Rangers and deputies at Aliso/Wood Canyons Regional Park have issued one citation but have passed out several warnings to bicyclists unloading their bikes after sundown.

County administrators are worried about liability issues. Gannaway said he is most concerned that large numbers of mountain bikers in the wilderness park after dark may affect nocturnal animals such as mule deer, mountain lions, coyotes and other species.

“The impact can be heavy,” said Gannaway. “These animals would effectively be scared out of the area.”

“With declining amounts of wildlife habitat in Orange County because of development, county parks are becoming one of the last strongholds for wildlife,” he added. “If we love our parks to death overusing them in both daylight and evening hours, they will effectively become greenbelts.”

Rangers at both Whiting Ranch and Aliso/Wood Canyons say they will continue occasional night patrols.