George Land checks out rocks tagged with graffiti in the Cap Rock area of Joshua Tree National Park, one of many premier federal wilderness areas struggling to curtail a new generation of vandals who deface rocks and historical structures by scrawling graffiti. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
National parks are the latest target of graffiti artists.
Rocks tagged with graffiti in the Cap Rock area of Joshua Tree National Park. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
On a visit to Joshua Tree, 5-year-old Austin Serafin of San Diego explores historic remains of a structure tagged with graffiti at Ryan Ranch. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Rebecca Swartz and her daughter Lilly, 5, walk past the remains of pink house in Joshua Tree National Park that has been tagged with graffiti. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
A table at the Joshua Tree National Park visitor center now displays graffiti. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
“Playing devil’s advocate: If provoking outrage is not part of your intention as a graffiti artist, why do it?” Jeremy Cross, an artist and curator at the Night Gallery in Santa Ana, said with a impish grin. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
