Hiker makes upsetting discovery deep in the woods at national park: 'It's illegal and can lead to major fines'

A Reddit user on r/NationalPark shared photos of vandalism that left the outdoor community angry. The post questioned the mentality behind defacing natural spaces.

"I've always wondered who would write their names on trees & rocks at national parks," the original poster wrote. "I don't get the mindset of people who want to write their names everywhere."

The images show multiple visitors at a rocky cave entrance, with "DOM" clearly scratched into the rock surface above them. A person in a blue shirt stands in the first photo near the graffiti, while the second image captures a group including adults and children gathered at the same spot.

This type of vandalism does more than mar beautiful landscapes for other visitors. It damages geological formations that developed over millennia and disrupts the experience that millions of people seek when visiting these federal lands.

Defacing natural areas is illegal and can result in serious penalties. These consequences exist because such actions compromise the preservation mission that keeps federal spaces accessible for all people.

When visitors choose to carve their names or leave other marks, they're making a decision that affects every person who comes later. These lands belong to all of us, and respecting them means leaving them as we found them.

The anger this behavior provokes can fuel positive action. Supporting park funding, volunteering for trail maintenance, and speaking up when witnessing vandalism all help safeguard these natural treasures.

Commenters didn't hold back their frustration. "If this was actually done inside a National Park, it's illegal and can lead to major fines," one wrote. "If you have any other potential info on who this person is, you can send this to the park service and they'll try to hunt them down. Best way to try and fight back against morons."

Another shared a personal experience, saying: "I witnessed a family carving their names on an aspen tree, not in a national park, but national forest in Colorado. I gave them absolute hell for it. They were combative but ultimately they knew they were wrong and did not continue doing it."

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