Funds Starts to Repair City of Rocks Vandalism

The Friends of Idaho State Parks on Wednesday initiated a fund to pay for the restoration of graffiti at City of Rocks National Reserve, where vandals in late April defaced historic signatures of pioneers who passed through in the mid-1800s.

The project page is available by going to the Friends group Facebook page. A link is also available on the City of Rocks park page.

Some time on April 21, the vandals sprayed black, white and pink paint over emigrant signatures and prehistoric pictographs on Camp Rock. Special agents with the National Parks Service are investigating the crime. The federal government and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation oversee the park, a rest spot for pioneers near Almo that has become popular with rock climbers in modern times.

The goal is to raise $5,000, which is the estimated cost of safely removing the graffiti from the rock. In honor of the John Freemuth, the Boise State University professor and noted expert in public lands issues who died unexpectedly last weekend, the first $500 has been donated by the Friends group.

Restoration is expected to begin in coming weeks and at the end of the investigation.