There have been numerous cases of vandalism in national parks over the past few years, generally involving tagging or graffiti of some sort on the walls of canyons or in some other visible place. One of the most grievous examples of these selfish acts came recently in Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, where vandals toppled the iconic “Duckbill” rock formation and recorded themselves committing the act. Now, a national park closer to home for residents of Las Vegas has been vandalized as well.
Death Valley national park is one of the most popular national parks tours that is offered by Bindlestiff Tours, and each year we provide an adventure experience in the area that is designed to bring our patrons closer to the natural beauty that is offered in this unique environment. One of the most photographed areas in Death Valley is the famed “Racetrack” where the unexplained movement of rocks over time leaves trails in the desert floor. The area is utilized by photographers every day to create iconic landscapes featuring the wide expanse of the playa and the trails of the rocks as they have moved over centuries. These photographs will not be the same for years, and possibly will never again be able to be created in our lifetimes.
According to a recent article on PetaPixel, which is a website and social media space for photographers to discuss their craft, a photographer named Kurt Lawson discovered the destruction on a recent visit and documented the damage. Vandalism can be clearly seen in Lawson’s photographs, illustrating that someone had driven their car or truck onto the playa (an area clearly marked as off limits to vehicles) and had even gone as far as to speed across the very rock trails that make the area so famous. The trails themselves have been destroyed, and will probably never be able to be repaired to their previous state. It appears that the only way that the damage will be reversed is through the eventual erosion of the surface that has been damaged, which could literally take centuries due to the fact that Death Valley gets so little rain. The damage can be seen is the following photographs which were posted by Lawson in his article on PetaPixel.
The vandals even went as far as to carve initials directly into one of the famous rocks. This is not surface paint that can be removed, but is actually gouged into the rock itself, destroying the natural beauty of the area forever.
Why would someone be so thoughtless as to purposefully destroy an area that is sought out by thousands every year, people looking to simply gaze upon a natural curiosity and contemplate the beauty of an area unspoiled by human beings? That question will remain unanswered as there will probably never be anyone brought to justice for these selfish acts. It simply reminds us that if we are thoughtless and careless, the beauty of the world can be destroyed in an instant. We need to appreciate what we have, before it is all gone.