In the wake of complaints from homeowners near three access points to the popular Bump and Grind hiking trail, Rancho Mirage city officials want to install chain link gates to encourage hikers to enter the trail from Palm Desert.

City Councilman Richard Kite and other city officials will hold a special 2 p.m. meeting Tuesday at City Hall to discuss the proposal with members of several Coachella Valley hiking groups.

City officials want to install the gates at access point locations at Desert Drive, Magnesia Falls Drive and the wash.

Nearby homeowners have complained to city officials that hundreds of hikers flood their neighborhoods during all hours, especially early morning hours on weekends.

Kite, the city's representative on the Rancho Mirage Trails Commission, said homeowners on Desert Drive in particular have had to deal with noise on weekends and people parking illegally in their neighborhood.

"It's getting worse every year," Kite said."This is probably the most popular hiking trail in the desert... and on the weekends especially, the homeowners have to deal with hundreds of people in the early morning parking all around going up and down the street."

A fatal November 2006 accident in which 30-year-old hiker Kara Kaltenbach of La Quinta was hit by a garbage truck on Desert Drive at the foot of the trail led homeowners to look into the possibility of making the street private, Kite said.

"They decided it was too expensive," Kite said.

Homeowners southwest of Magnesia Falls Drive have also complained about hikers who walk along a canal easement located above their homes.

"They have no privacy," according to Kite, who said hikers could look down into the back of the homes.

Kite said the point of the proposal is to get hikers to start using the main access point behind the Desert Crossing shopping complex in Palm Desert, but "nothing's been decided yet."

"We want to get everyone's input first," Kite said.

Bermuda Dunes hiking enthusiast Sheila Callahan, who uses the Bump and Grind trail nearly every weekend from the Desert Drive location, said she understands the homeowners' concerns and will start using the official access point behind Desert Crossing.

"I don't blame the homeowners at all," Callahan said. "It's just what I learned to do 10 years ago and its always been my routine. I've always gone later in the day when its less busy... but I will have to retrain myself."

Following Tuesday's meeting, Kite said the trails commission will hold a May 7 meeting at City Hall for more input.

"It's open to the public and we're taking suggestions," Kite said.

The item is expected to be placed on the City Council's agenda in June or July, Kite said.