Trail Closures for a Tiny Mouse | San Francisco News

A tiny, critically endangered mouse is sparking a heated battle in upscale Dana Point, California, where a popular hiking trail through its last known habitat is being restricted to protect the species — but the city is fighting back, calling the limits an overreaction and demanding full public access. Once thought extinct, the Pacific pocket mouse’s numbers plummeted from 82 to just six as trail use doubled, only rebounding when the trail closed during the pandemic. Now, the Coastal Commission has ordered limited hours — four days a week, closing at 4 p.m. in winter and 6 p.m. in summer — while the city sues, arguing there’s no proven harm and conservation shouldn’t come at the cost of public access. The standoff continues as both sides scramble to find a balance between conservation and community. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/352a271e3c97cc76