Graffiti Prompts Closure In Arches; Unwind In Zion And Bryce

An area just southeast of Sand Dune Arch, in Arches National Park, has been closed to the public because of excessive graffiti - mostly names that have been carved into the sandstone. The park is considering ways to prevent more damage in this and other areas.

NationalParksTraveler.com has this on the problem, information including this quote:

"Some of it is so deeply incised, we're really sort of pondering what the options are. Some of it is pretty easy to erase, some of it is probably not," said Paul Henderson, the park's assistant superintendent, on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, it grows like a cancer. As soon as there is some, everybody else, 'Hey, I want my name, I want my design.'"

Unwind In Utah

The Wall Street Journal online has this interesting article about challenging adventures where you can be papered. Bryce and Zion make the list. Below we list their destinations and then a quote from their section on Utah.

• Unwind In Utah
• Find Calm In Canada
• Sip And Stride In Italy
• Take A Historic Route In Japan

"Austin Adventures offers a tour that covers Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks in a way that's both strenuous and indulgent. Travelers spend six days in the area, exploring canyons and rock formations on hikes that range from 2 to 20 miles long. They overnight near the trails in hotels, including Seven Wives, a historic inn on the edge of Snow Canyon..."