American River Bike Patrol

The American River Bike Patrol (ARBP) is an all-volunteer team that provides emergency medical and mechanical assistance to walkers, cyclists, equestrians and other users of the 32-mile American River Parkway's Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (Old Sacramento to Folsom Lake), one of the most heavily-used recreation trails in North America (8 million users), the 37-mile El Dorado Trail (Folsom to Camino) and City of Roseville Bike Trail.

ARBP is a unit of the National Ski Patrol (NSP) and its National Bike Patrol (NBP).  To be certified by the NSP/NBP, all ARBP bike patrollers undergo rigorous and ongoing training in first aid, CPR, bike repair and trail etiquette. 

Unlike ski patrols, the ARBP has no ski area to underwrite the cost of first aid supplies, equipment and training and receives no funding from the County of Sacramento, California State Parks, the County of El Dorado, City of Placerville or City of Roseville, which manage the trails on which it patrols. 

Prior to 2020, there was no bike patrol on the American River Parkway, and until 2022, there was no bike patrol on the El Dorado Trail.  Since then, hundreds of instances of emergency care have been provided by the bike patrol.  In one case, an ARBP bike patroller used his CPR training to save the life of a parkway user who was in full cardiac arrest.  The patroller was awarded an American Red Cross Medal of Merit and the California Civilian EMS Award for life saving.

Since the ARBP began patrolling in 2020, its bike patrollers have conducted 5,902 patrols, ridden over 16,476 hours (avg. 2.79 hours per patrol) and 107,169 miles.  During those patrols, they assisted 12,192 parkway users, repaired 763 bicycles and provided emergency first aid to 1,298 cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians.  And they did this all as volunteers without anyone being paid or the patrol receiving any subsidy.

In partnership with UC Davis Trauma Prevention and Outreach, the ARBP gives bike helmets to kids whose families are otherwise unable to afford them.  This program seeks to prevent and reduce the #1 cause of death and disability among children - traumatic brain injuries from riding a bicycle while not wearing a helmet.  In 2023, we initiated a Junior Patroller program which trained 17 at-risk teenagers in cycling, leadership, first aid and community service, awarding each graduate a brand-new Trek bike and related equipment; in 2024 the Junior Patroller is mentoring over 30 young students with a public graduation ceremony planned on November 10.

The bike patrol serves as safety ambassadors along the trail, positively and gently informing trail users of trail etiquette, providing directions and assistance to those in need, being watchful for public safety and actively looking for people who need medical or mechanical assistance.