A pair of bald eagles is making it tough to repair a much-needed portion of a popular bike trail along the American River.

But the eagles are just the newest setback for the trail’s maintenance. A storm caused boulders and earth to tumble onto the trail last winter. That closed a portion of a trail within the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail wraps around Lake Natoma near the Arden Bluff region of Orangevale. It’s part of a system of trails that links downtown Sacramento to Folsom Lake.

“During the summer, the eaglets flew the nest, and so the parents left,” said Adeline Yee, a spokesperson for California State Parks, who added that, “just last week the pair came back, and they are now building a new nest, which means it would be illegal to do anything to disturb them while they are present.”

The eagles have nested in the area for two years. If the couple successfully produces offspring, it will stay until mid-summer. Last year, the birds hatched two eaglets.

More at CapRadio.org >>>