What appears to be recently painted graffiti has been spotted in Arches National Park in Utah, although when it first appeared hasn't been determined.
The word "Grug" was spotted in a number of locations in the Devils Garden area of the park by a member of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks. Photos of the graffiti were shared with media Thursday.
Also spotted were visitors walking their dog along one of the trails, which is against park regulations.
Some park advocates have worried that vandalism would occur in the parks during the government shutdown, when most National Park Service employees were sent home.
Outside of reports of base jumpers and squatters in Yosemite National Park, there haven't been any significant reports of vandalism or misbehavior since the government shut down on October 1.
Graffiti has been a problem in national parks through the years. There is a surprising number of 21st century individuals who think it’s perfectly appropriate to carve their names, initials, and other signs and symbols into national park landscapes.
Perhaps the most infamous case in recent years was that of a New York City woman who went through at least seven Western national parks in 2014 and, using acrylic paints and markers, painted and drew images on rocks and cliff faces. Casey Nocket, who promoted her “work” on Instagram, eventually was tracked down, charged, and pleaded guilty to defacing government property. She was sentenced to two years’ probation and 200 hours of community service.
And she was banned from all lands administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Army Corps of Engineers during her probation period.
Nocket isn’t alone when it comes to defacing the parks. In recent years problems with graffiti have surfaced at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Zion National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, and Colorado National Monument, among other sites.
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