‘Zion Rocks! But Graffiti Doesn’t’: Park Denounces Vandalism

Zion National Park recently took to social media to denounce recent acts of vandalism. A seemingly innocent game of tic-tac-toe scratched into sandstone rocks is not so innocent, the park says.

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“Zion rocks! . . . but graffiti doesn’t,” wrote the park in an Instagram post sharing photos of the vandalism. “Help take care of your national parks! That includes not drawing on the rocks. Sandstone is easily damaged, which makes removing vandalism difficult. To make matters worse, once someone defaces an area, other people tend to copy their behavior, and the problem can quickly spiral out of control. Even something like a quick game of tic-tac-toe can cause lasting harm to the ecosystem when it’s scratched into rock – damaging habitats for lichen and microorganisms, destroying desert varnish, and causing unsightly scars on the landscape.”

See Zion National Park’s post about recent vandalism below.

Header stock image by Mimi Ditchie Photography/Getty Images

Read more facts about the national parks:

• Great Smoky Mountain National Park
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Isle Royale National Park
• Big Bend National Park
• Zion National Park
• Voyageurs National Park
• Glacier National Park
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Yosemite National Park

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