Low-flying helicopters and trail closures are on deck for Folsom this Thursday, June 25, as police move to clear a longstanding homeless encampment on state land along the Humbug‑Willow Creek Trail. The cleanup is set for 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with crews using helicopter airlifts to pull debris out of steep and hard-to-reach areas. Neighbors and trail regulars are being told to brace for noisy aircraft overhead and on-and-off traffic holds throughout the day.
Cleanup plan and logistics
According to an advisory from the City of Folsom, crews will focus on state-owned property behind the 1100 block of Sibley Street. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Air Operations Unit will ferry debris from the encampment to a designated landing zone near Bidwell Street and Folsom Boulevard.
The city says traffic on Glenn Drive between 1000 and 950 Glenn Drive will be shut down intermittently, with access to businesses kept open under on-site traffic control. The Humbug‑Willow Creek Trail will be closed to all bicycle and pedestrian traffic between Sibley Street and Coolidge Drive for the full duration of the operation.
Voices from the encampment
People staying at the camp told KCRA they were warned to move out and that some were told they could face arrest if they remained when crews return. One resident, Joey Burnham, said he had been living at the encampment for about 39 months. Another, Colin Crossman, described how hard it has been to find meals and said he sometimes hides “under a rock so they can't see me.”
The reporting underscores the ongoing friction between officials who cite safety and environmental hazards and advocates who say sweeps simply push people from one spot to another without any guarantee of housing.
Why this is happening now
Folsom police describe the cleanup as a coordinated operation with regional and state partners, including the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The stated goals are to remove accumulated debris, protect sensitive habitat and address public safety concerns along the trail corridor.
The move also lands in the middle of a broader state push to deal with encampments on state land. The Governor’s office has highlighted grants and directives aimed at prioritizing the clearing of encampments labeled dangerous while connecting people to services. Local officials say outreach is supposed to run alongside enforcement, with teams working to link camp occupants to available resources before and after removals.
Trail and traffic impacts
Trail users are being told to plan alternate routes on Thursday between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The city is warning bicyclists and pedestrians that the Humbug‑Willow Creek Trail will be fully closed between Sibley Street and Coolidge Drive, and that temporary traffic holds on Glenn Drive are possible whenever helicopters are lifting debris.
The City of Folsom is asking residents and businesses to expect visible, low-altitude helicopter activity and to follow instructions from traffic control staff stationed in the area. For more information, the city lists Folsom Police Department Lt. Jake VerHalen as the contact at 916-666-8611.
Past clearances and local context
Folsom has staged multi-agency encampment clearances before as part of combined cleanup and outreach efforts. Local coverage of earlier operations is available, including reporting on a prior multi-agency homeless encampment clearance on state land. Officials say these efforts are paired with outreach teams and referral programs, while advocates and some residents continue to call for more housing and long-term support instead of repeated sweeps.
