Painted rocks being hidden at New Mexico national park. It needs to stop, rangers say

[Pivo]

We have all seen them.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/nati ... 57101.html

An odd mystery has been discovered at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico — and it involves artistically painted rocks hidden like Easter eggs in canyon niches.
“Although leaving painted rocks behind for strangers to discover may seem like a fun activity, it is not appropriate in national parks,” the park wrote. “Please minimize your impacts on your public lands by not leaving trash or other items behind.”

[DixieFlyer]

@Pivo
they become [ Trash Hauled Out ] if I see them

[chumley]

They’re just art with inspirational messages on them. Why do you hate people sharing their happiness with others!?

/sarcasm

[Pivo]

Why do you hate people sharing their happiness with others!?

Because, you and I agree upon hating people.

[FOTG]

I found some of these rocks recently, they were just at a campground and not in the wilderness. They had some thoughtful things written on them and directions for what to do if you found them, they were clearly made by a kid and were kind of cute.

I then threw two of them down into the bottom of a well through a cracked hole in the concrete and tossed the third one as far as I could into the woods.

[SuperstitionGuy]

I say that everyone has the right to leave a message behind, like on their tombstone!
A friend of mine says "No Regret's" and mine is going to say "Gone Home".

[skatchkins]

There's a grip of them scattered around South Mountain along with Christmas balls. Courtesy of and signed by https://www.instagram.com/ml_rocks/

[SuperstitionGuy]

There is seriously something wrong with individuals that are doing this!
If they want to make a difference they should try trail maintenance!

[ultrazona]

There's a grip of them scattered around South Mountain along with Christmas balls. Courtesy of and signed by https://www.instagram.com/ml_rocks/

Oh thanks for this! Passing this on to the rangers, I have been "relocating" these rocks for over a year(as directed).

[skatchkins]

@ultrazona
I have a friend who's a S Mtn Ranger. Sent him a couple pics of items w/ ID.

[corwinwilkins]

Rather odd that we have folks that go gaga over a piece of pottery shard left by aboriginal tribes but a painted rock is blasphemy to LNT. The only difference is time, although I would prefer these kinds of things be done with locally sourced materials and pigments.

BTW, removing a natural stone from an area violates LNT as well...

[ultrazona]

[cactuscat]

@corwinwilkins
Trash also becomes "artifacts" after a certain amount of time - but until then, it's just trash.

And it's not "a painted rock" - it's dozens of them in some areas ... and it definitely violates LNT.

[xthine]

Recently ran into painted rocks up here, fortunately in true Sedona fashion only littered up to the first 0.3 miles of the hike.

[corwinwilkins]

I see them in local parks in the valley and I'm fine with them.

And I think I'd be better with ones in the wild with two caveats:
1) That they were painted with locally sourced pigments and techniques (no latex, acrylics or enamels), which would also give them a limited life span while exposed to the elements.
2) The artists have to paint them then and there and make them more of an "easter egg" that you have to search out and find rather than blatant and numerous.

But honestly, no matter how idiot proof we try to make something, they just make better idiots.

[PatrickL]

Art is subjective. Keep your garbage at home please.