Archived Outdoors

Smokies rangers battle graffiti

out graffitiWith the fall season coming, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is gearing up to guard against graffiti — lasting marks that not only detract from the park’s natural beauty but can permanently damage irreplaceable resources.

In July, five men were arrested at the iconic stone tunnel at the end of the Road to Nowhere outside Bryson City for defacing park property. 

“We appreciate the hard work of the park rangers for cracking down on people who mark or deface the peoples’ park,” said Swain County Commissioner David Monteith. “People who visit our national park should not have to put up with that.”

Tagging in the park can result in a penalty as severe as $5,000 in fines and six months in jail. Sometimes, graffiti can be removed — but when it comes to the historic log structures for which the park is famous, that’s impossible to do without destroying historic wood. 

Report information about graffiti in the park to 865.436.1230. 

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.