Hiker shares frustrating encounter with fellow hikers ignoring warning signs: 'This infuriates me'

A tourist visiting a popular attraction in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains was left frustrated after finding other hikers putting themselves and others at risk.

National parks are filled with stunning landscapes, wildlife, and historical landmarks attracting tourists from all over. As these areas are open to the public, the National Parks Service (NPS) takes great care to keep the wildlife and visitors safe, often erecting signs warning people to avoid certain areas. 

One tourist visiting Jefferson Rock in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, found that not everyone will abide by the warnings. The hiker shared a photo on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, claiming two girls climbed Jefferson Rock and refused to get down. 

In the photo shared, a sign can be seen in front of the rock reading: "Don't climb. Jefferson Rock is fragile and dangerous. Climbing Jefferson Rock damages this historic treasure. The rock is unstable and climbing may result in injury or death." The sign also says that climbing the structure violates federal law.

Two girls are seen sitting on the rock in the image. 

The hiker expressed frustrations in several comments under the post, claiming there were other large rocks the girls could have climbed to admire the view.

"There is no need [to] destroy it and potentially ruin it for those it is actually important to," they wrote. 

Jefferson Rock marks the spot where Founding Father Thomas Jefferson once stood on October 25, 1783, overlooking Virginia and Maryland. The rock originally rested on another stone, but it was replaced by four stone pillars around 1860.

While it was partly due to weather-damage, NPS says conditions of the original foundation worsened due to the "devastations of tourists and curiosity-hunters." 

Through many warning signs, the agency says climbing, sitting, or standing on the rock is prohibited to protect the landmark. NPS says it is key to removing human-caused threats that could cause the rock formation to fall downhill.

Respecting these warnings keeps visitors safe and promotes awareness for our changing climate and the wildlife around us. These frustrating encounters serve as a reminder of the history and beauty in nature that should not be exploited by tourons — a term for tourists acting like morons. 

Several Reddit users agreed that the girls seen on Jefferson Rock were putting their lives and others' in danger, with one saying: "This infuriates me." 

"I would have called the park authorities. Pretty sure they would be arrested. Not supposed to be on that. It's shale, unstable and a landmark," another user wrote. 

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