Current:Home > reviewsVisitors are seen on camera damaging rock formations at a Nevada recreation site -WorldMoney
Visitors are seen on camera damaging rock formations at a Nevada recreation site
View
Date:2025-04-12 20:38:29
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Federal authorities are asking for the public’s help in tracking down two men seen damaging rock formations at a national recreation site in Nevada.
Officials at Lake Mead National Recreation Area said the damage happened during a recent weekend near the Redstone Dune Trail on the north side of the lake. The petrified red dunes found there make it one of the most popular hiking spots in the park.
A video shows two men shoving chunks of sandstone off the edge of an outcropping as a girl screams. Park officials called the behavior appalling, saying the damage can’t be fixed.
“It’s one of my favorite places in the park and they’re up there just destroying it. I don’t understand that,” John Haynes, public information officer at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, told television station KVVU.
Destruction like this at federally protected sites can result in felony charges that come along with potential fines and jail time, Haynes said.
Spanning 2,344 square miles (6,071 square kilometers) of mountains and desert canyons, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area just outside of Las Vegas draws around 6 million visitors every year. Officials said staffing levels mean park officials often rely on the public to also keep watch over resources within park boundaries.
Authorities said visitors can use their cellphones to capture any video or photos of suspicious activity if it’s safe to do so and to collect any information, such as a license plate, that might help to identify offenders. The National Park Service operates a tipline that receives thousands of submissions each year.
“It’s really important to let us know,” Haynes said.
There also have been others cases of vandalism on federal land across the West over the past decade, with visitors defacing petroglyphs, toppling rock features and pounding climbing bolts into centuries-old rock art.
veryGood! (27)
Related
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- What time does 'The Golden Bachelorette' start? Premiere date, cast, where to watch and stream
- Trail camera captures 'truly amazing' two-legged bear in West Virginia: Watch
- After shooting at Georgia high school, students will return next week for half-days
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Anna Delvey's 'lackluster' 'Dancing With the Stars' debut gets icy reception from peeved viewers
- Chris Hemsworth Can Thank His 3 Kids For Making Him to Join Transformers Universe
- Prosecutors charge 10 with failing to disperse during California protest
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Dancing With the Stars' Brooks Nader Reveals Relationship Status During Debut With Gleb Savchenko
Ranking
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Floor Plans
- MLB playoff bracket 2024: Wild card matchups, AL and NL top seeds for postseason
- Boar's Head to 'permanently discontinue' liverwurst after fatal listeria outbreak
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Eric Roberts makes 'public apology' to sister Julia Roberts in new memoir: Report
- Dancing With the Stars' Gleb Savchenko Shares Message to Artem Chigvintsev Amid Divorce
- New Study Suggests Major Climate Reports May Be Underestimating Drought Risks
Recommendation
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Kate Middleton Reaches New Milestone After Completing Chemotherapy for Cancer
Tori Spelling Reveals If She Regrets 90210 Reboot After Jennie Garth's Comments
Bachelorette: Jenn Tran's Ex Devin Strader Was Arrested, Had Restraining Order From Ex-Girlfriend in Past
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Most maternal deaths can be prevented. Here’s how California aims to cut them in half
California passes protections for performers' likeness from AI without contract permission
Bodies of 3 people found dead after structure fire in unincorporated community