Sacramento County vehicle recreation area to host ‘Safety Week’ for off-roading drivers

Prairie City State Vehicle Recreation Area kicks off Safety Week and Visitor Appreciation Day on Saturday with free day use and free overnight camping.

Starting Oct. 15, Safety Week offers side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle training and training for dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles, according to a Prairie City Facebook post.

“We have (Visitor Appreciation Day) once a year,” said Barry Smith, Prairie City’s acting district superintendent chief ranger. “This year it will coincide with a Safety Week which fits perfectly. Usually there’s a fee to get in, and normally we don’t offer camping.”

Visitor Appreciation Day will include demonstrations, gear swap and a free raffle, according to a separate Facebook post by the state park. Off-highway vehicle businesses will also be in attendance.

Smith said prizes for the raffle winners are still to be determined but will be provided by about a dozen stakeholder groups like the California Off-Road Vehicle Association and the California Four Wheel Drive Association. There will be several educational booths, Smith said, and for every one that a visitor attends they will receive another raffle ticket.

“I think whatever park that you’re going to, whether you’re going boating, riding, hiking, or even (to) our historic parks, safety is our number one goal,” Smith said. “It can be a number of things depending on whether it’s a new rider or an experienced rider.”

Smith said the training will teach riders how to plan travel routes before riding while also making sure they have the required equipment. The training will also include education for riders, urging them to stay on trails, be respectful of the natural, cultural resources and to always wear a helmet and seat belt.

Prairie City is located in the California Department of Recreation’s Gold Fields District which encompasses Folsom Lake, Folsom State Recreation Area, Auburn State Recreation Area, Powerhouse State Historic Park and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.

It is one of nine off-highway motor vehicle recreation areas in California that Smith said are involved in events like Prairie City’s.

Safety Week ends Oct. 23 with a recreational off-highway vehicle driving course.

Find a full list of Prairie City events here.

This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 5:30 AM.