Graffiti along the Appalachian Trail deemed a massive problem - WSLS 10

[WhiteBlaze]

Graffiti along the Appalachian Trail deemed a massive problem  WSLS 10

More...

[Deadeye]

Don't forget all the little Gnome gardens. I'm sure plenty think they're cute, but they're just another form of tagging to my eyes. I don't get it... these people bring their sharpies with them everywhere.

[Jonnycat]

I don't get it... these people bring their sharpies with them everywhere.

They bring everything that people hike the trail to get away from with them.

[LazyLightning]

Don't forget all the little Gnome gardens. I'm sure plenty think they're cute, but they're just another form of tagging to my eyes. I don't get it... these people bring their sharpies with them everywhere.

You mean those little gnome sculptures? ... Honestly, that sounds to me like some junk to help pack out with all the other garbage I help clean while I'm out hiking (can't pack out too much extra on a thru hike but I try to do what I could otherwise).

[hobbs]

I posted that article to this years class page on FB told them they made the news locally..

[JNI64]

You mean those little gnome sculptures? ... Honestly, that sounds to me like some junk to help pack out with all the other garbage I help clean while I'm out hiking (can't pack out too much extra on a thru hike but I try to do what I could otherwise).

I think Deadeye is talking bout the rock gnome gardens .
And the white rock overlook above penmar Park is pretty disgusting with graffiti as well. Why people can't just leave things the way they are, I just don't get it.

[Traveler]

Now who can argue with that!

[rhjanes]

Now who can argue with that!

That's a LOT of WB Graffiti!

[Starchild]

I think that would qualify as graffiti on the white blazes

[Deadeye]

it appears rdljr took the warning that his post didn't have enough characters to heart

[Deadeye]

I was referring to these: but there's also the stacked rocks (I call 'em hoodoos) at White Rocks on the LT/AT and other places. I like the old Long Trail admonition to "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints"

[JNI64]

I was referring to these: but there's also the stacked rocks (I call 'em hoodoos) at White Rocks on the LT/AT and other places. I like the old Long Trail admonition to "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints"

Oh, ok I didn't realize people actually did this. They carry all this crap into the woods and just leave it like it's their own backyard,
Can't nothing stay sacred anymore. People = s#*#!!

[stephanD]

Ramdino too talked about this phenomenon in one of his videos. My own theory is that trail trashing (graffiti, genome villages, trail markers, etc.) exploded with AT YouTubers as many take selfies next to those tree trial markers and post them on YouTube. I don't know if that's a word, but I call this "Youtubization" as in "the youtubization of the Appalachian Trail".

[BlackCloud]

The self-centered, the self-ordained, and the otherwise self-obsessed. It's not YouTube it's Instagram & SnapChat.

I knock down all piles of rocks except where cairns are needed above tree line.

[Jonnycat]

I knock down all piles of rocks except where cairns are needed above tree line.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[petedelisio]

I recall one utuber get angry when he reached one huge rock garden that was knocked over. He was passed and said the knocking over was vandalism.

[One Half]

I recall one utuber get angry when he reached one huge rock garden that was knocked over. He was passed and said the knocking over was vandalism.

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

[Odd Man Out]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

Yes, the rock stacking argument is as old as the rocks. There is such an obvious difference between a legitimate trail marking cairn and rock stacking graffiti that people who knock over legitimate cairns and those who object to my knocking over rock stacking graffiti are both F*&#$%! A$$ H%$#@ as far as I'm concerned, and I don't care what they think. I did a bit of rock un-stacking St Mary's Rocks in SNP last time I was there. The worst I've seen is at Yosemite NP (Base of the Falls Trail) and Pictured Rocks NL (Au Sable Beach, I think).

[petedelisio]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

No I meant rock garden.
Rocks just piled with little reason all over the place in a small area is a rock garden.
Sorry I wasn't more clear in stating they were not cairns/trail markers/deep wilderness food cache markers etc.

[petedelisio]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

It was a large rock garden in the woods. It's not hard to distinguish them apart.
Probably the same area previously mentioned.