Trash Isn't The Only Way To Sully The Outdoors

When I go hiking beside the challenge and solitude I just love the beauty of the outdoors. I have ranted many times before when people trash it up, but one thing I have never really talked about is other things that people do to vandlize the outdoors. The most obvious are graffiti, like people painting the rocks at an overlook or people etcing things into rocks or carving into trees. One of the worst examples of people graftting an outcrop is in the Jefferson National Forest, in Virginia, at a place called Bear Rock. It is a shameful thing that people do and it sullies what is a wonderful spot. But it is not alone there are plenty of other spots spoiled by people.

Stuff like this at Bear Rock...

...distracts from the view.

Another example at Jones Meadow.

I have seen countless examples of people cutting names and other things into rocks and trees (which is the worst), but there is another kind of vandlism of the outdoors and that is putting up something that doesn't belong.

This was from Big South Fork at the Twin Arches.

This was over four miles in at Smokemont.

Near Margarette Falls.

I saw an example of that on the West Fodderstack in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) last week as some "nutter" put a cross up there. I am not going to get into a rant about religion, so if that is your thing fine, but there is no place for it in the GSMNP. I am not the only who feels this way as the Ranger I reported it to at Sugarlands was of the same mindset (it had to go).

First peanut butter & jelly sandwich & now this.

It is bad enough when I see things like crosses or cell towers, on top of mountains, when I am out but those are on private land and this is not. I will say this it took some effort to get this to the Fodderstack as it is a four-mile hike.

Mount Lynn Lowry with cross and communication tower.

That is where they put the cross on the Wast Fodderstack.

I know there are people who believe right now because we live in "Trumpistan" that they can do this sort of thing, but remember at your house or church...yes in the GSMNP...NO!