TORREY PINES, Calif. - Repairs on a popular trail at Torrey Pines are taking longer than expected. Park officials say hikers are trespassing on one of their beach access trails and slowing down repairs.
More than three inches of rain eroded the Beach Trail at Torrey Pines State park. It's now covered with gaping trenches and rocky terrain too dangerous for hikers to use. As state officials work to fill the trail with more dirt and gravel, hikers who aren't following the rules are keeping in from getting fixed.
"It's usually runners," said park volunteer Steve Neal. "Anytime they run past, the maintenance workers have to get out of the way while they're trying to do the maintenance. So they just block the workers from doing the job they're trying to do. If they continue own the parts that are already damaged, their footprints will make even more damage and even more of a gully than it is now."
Eric Cohn said he saw one hiker get caught.
"I did notice an incident where someone got caught trying to go down the trails and I thought it was kind of fascinating," said Cohn. "I guess it's a balance, they want to keep the place safe and available but at the same time I'm a little frustrated that you cant walk down the main trail here to the beach."
The fine for trespassing is up to $400. The other beach access trail, Broken Hills was already closed for scheduled maintenance.
Crews say if the Beach Trail doesn't suffer more damage from hikers they can have the Beach Trail back open in a week.
