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TIL a hiker in the Grand Canyon tried to take a 'cool rock' from a marked fossil bed
I was on a trail near the Bright Angel shale layer last year when I saw a guy trying to pry out a small trilobite fossil with his pocket knife. I told him that area was protected and taking anything is a federal crime, which can mean a huge fine (like up to $10,000, you know). He just shrugged and said 'it's just one little rock, who's gonna know?' but he did put it back after I pointed to the posted signs. Has anyone else had to stop someone from messing with a protected geologic site?
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henrybaker5mo ago
Ugh, that's so frustrating. I saw a lady stacking rocks into a little tower right on a petrified wood log at Petrified Forest, like it was her own art project. Did you have to get a ranger involved or did they just listen after you pointed it out? I ended up basically blocking the log until she stopped, it was so awkward.
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jamieburns5mo ago
My buddy had to do that too, @henrybaker.
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derekgibson2mo ago
This buddy of mine, @jamieburns, actually caught a guy pocketing a chunk of travertine at a national monument in Utah and the dude just laughed and said "it's just calcite.
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