Caspers Park Restrictions on Kids May End

A decade-long comeback from a notorious mountain lion attack may be completed today when the county Board of Supervisors considers lifting all restrictions on children using 7,600-acre Caspers Wilderness Park.

For the first time since an outright ban in 1992--later relaxed by the county--children younger than 18 would be able to walk the trails at Caspers without a ranger’s supervision.

After the 1986 mauling of 5-year-old Laura Small and a separate mountain lion attack on 6-year-old Justin Mellon just months later, park attendance plummeted from a high of 65,000 the year before to 37,000 in 1995.

“It was like a tomb in here,” in the years following the incidents, said park volunteer Don Thomas. “We’re really looking forward to having large groups of people again.”

The county imposed the ban after Small won a $2.1-million judgment in 1992 that was later reduced to $1.5 million. Three years later, the restrictions were eased to allow minors in the campground areas.

County officials say they believe that Caspers is the only public park in the state--and possibly the country--to impose age restrictions.

What prompted the county to look at completely reopening the park was a push from Thomas’ group, the Caspers Park Volunteer Naturalists, and recent court rulings that may limit the county’s legal exposure.

“They didn’t close the park after the attacks,” said Thomas. “The park was closed after the lawyers filed their briefs.”

Park officials support doing away with the age limits.

“Caspers has significant cultural and natural resources, and we want children to have the same chance to enjoy them as adults,” said Tim Miller, county regional parks manager.

“This is the largest park we have” in the 30,000-acre regional park system, said Miller. “There is less human intrusion here from surrounding development than other parks, and kids can see everything pretty much in the same natural state it has been in for hundreds of years.”