It would be a real bummer if you made a trip to a national park only to find out that part of it was closed due to the irresponsible actions of a few people. That happened to one Reddit user during a trip to a national park in New Mexico.
Bandelier National Monument is home to Ancestral Pueblo cave rooms carved into rock walls. Ladders lead into some of these ancient rooms, allowing visitors to climb into the past and get a glimpse at how Ancestral Puebloans lived.
The Redditor posted a photo in the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit showing the outside of one of the ancient carved-out caves. A piece of wood blocks the ladder, and caution tape is wrapped around it. Next to the ladder, a sign describing the cave had a temporary sign that read: "Closed Due to Vandalism."
"Makes me angry to have people damage things like this," they wrote in the caption.
This particular stop on the Pueblo Loop Trail is known as Cave Kiva. Kivas were the center of Pueblo societies, acting as ceremonial chambers, private clubs, and lounging rooms for men.
It's incredibly frustrating, considering the sign specifically requests people show the kiva the respect it deserves. "This ladder [takes] you to a very sacred place known as Cave Kiva [that] deserves your respect," the sign reads. "… Kivas are centers of religious and social life for Pueblo people today, as they were in the past."
This vandalism disrespects the people who once inhabited these dwellings and other visitors who want to experience these sites. The sign next to the ladder put it best: "Leave it as is, so you and others can appreciate its significant story with reverence and awe."
Spending time in nature and visiting national parks is an excellent way to build a connection with the world around us and should inspire us to take care of our home, not take advantage of it.
Actions like the ones that led to this kiva's closure ruin the experience for other visitors and create unnecessary work for park rangers and others who maintain these sites.
According to the National Park Service, this is a common issue. "Unfortunately, this kiva cavate must be smoked and replastered regularly to remove graffiti left by visitors. Please help the National Park Service preserve this cultural heritage for all to experience."
People in the comments were just as irritated.
"It's hard to have nice things when people specifically go out of their way to do this," one person wrote.
Others tossed around some punishment suggestions for the vandals.
One wrote: "Anybody found guilty of this should receive mandatory prison time."
Another had a more constructive suggestion: "How about making them clean up graffiti and clogged toilets and cigarette butts etc at our national parks?"
Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
