Another incident of petroglyph vandalism in Utah has Wyoming archaeologists upset and concerned, but they have more options to protect these irreplaceable artifacts thanks to the Wyoming Legislature.
“Meru” and “Cristina” scratched their names inside a box above a bear petroglyph at the Bear Panel. “Craig W” scratched his name in massive letters across a 6-foot-wide panel, damaging multiple petroglyphs.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Utah is investigating the two incidents of vandalism at separate sites near Moab: the Bear Panel along Highway 279 and another site near Hell’s Revenge.
Archaeologists with BLM Utah believe the damage to both panels might be permanent. Because the culprits left their names behind, they’re hoping residents might have information to identify, charge, and prosecute those responsible.
Names, Dates, And Gunshots
Wyoming State Archaeologist Spencer Pelton wasn’t surprised to hear of another incident of rock art vandalism. He recently completed an assessment of Wyoming’s known rock art sites and saw the same sort of vandalism everywhere he went.
The most recent assessment by the Wyoming Cultural Records Office said at least 157 of Wyoming's 666 known petroglyph sites — nearly a quarter — have been vandalized. Pelton said he believes that number might be higher.
“At least a third of rock art in Wyoming is damaged in some way,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s not always by vandalism, but it is a huge issue. We’re losing more and more of these sites every year because they are such a vulnerable resource.”
Pelton saw the same kinds of vandalism at most of the affected sites. Beyond their brazen disrespect, vandals throughout history haven’t been creative.
“Names and dates are the most common, but gunshots are probably just as common,” he said. “A lot of Native American petroglyphs are circular shields, and they make great targets for people shooting guns. Some people paint over them, but that's more uncommon compared to names, dates, and gunshots.”
Petroglyphs are already exposed to Wyoming’s wind and weather. Scratching or chiseling away at the rock or shooting it from afar can accelerate degradation from erosion, weather, and other natural forces.
Earlier this year, six rock art sites in the Bighorn Basin were irreparably damaged by gunshots, graffiti and, in one instance, a bonfire. The fire was placed under an overhanging rock ledge, which cracked and discolored the surface containing the petroglyphs.
Cody Field Office Archaeologist Karina Black said the intentional damage “takes away future generations’ ability to view this part of our human history and to study these sites.”
The Standard Bearer
Bonnie Smith, president of the Wyoming Association of Professional Archaeologists, saw the vandalism in Moab as a sad symbol of how much has been done, and how much of a divide there is, when it comes to protecting petroglyphs.
“Project Archaeology was a partnership with BLM and educators to create curricula in classrooms to teach the next generation that rock art vandalism is wrong,” she said. “That was born out of the vandalism and looting that was going on in Utah over 35 years ago, so it’s ironic that it continues there.”
Because Utah has taken so much ownership and pride in its petroglyph sites, Smith finds it especially discouraging that such blatant vandalism is occurring at popular sites like Hell’s Revenge.
Smith said she believes Wyoming might have a slight advantage over Utah in protecting petroglyphs, but only because it hasn’t promoted its sites as heavily.
“Utah’s sites are so highly commercialized,” she said. “There are so many more people that go to see Newspaper Rock and Nine Mile every year. Wyoming should feel some pride in the fact that we have so many sites that are as close to pristine as they can be.”
Pelton agrees that many of Wyoming’s petroglyph sites are pristine, but he notes that the state's lesser-known sites are more at risk than popular sites like Legend Rock and Castle Gardens.
“The most well-known rock art sites tend not to get vandalized all that often,” he said. “It's sites in the mid-ground of accessibility, pretty remote and not widely publicized, that tend to get the most damage. The sites that receive the most damage are where you’re pretty sure that nobody's watching you.”
Toothless
Adding to the frustration of rock art vandalism is the inability to find the perpetrators, and the perceived lack of consequences when they are found and prosecuted.
For Smith, ignorance has never been an excuse, but especially not in 2026.
“The disturbing thing is that people have been educated,” she said. “People have been told that it's wrong. Everything is very global and open. They know what they're doing is awful, and they continue to do it. They have zero regard for our shared cultural heritage.”
Smith was among many archaeologists who celebrated the 2025 sentencing of Daniela Ganassim Ericksen of Ivins, Utah. She was arrested in November 2024 for vandalizing the Buckskin Gulch Petroglyphs, east of Kanab.
For causing an estimated $7,000 worth of damage, Ericksen was sentenced to pay $14,853.36 in restitution.
She was also sentenced to 12 months probation, during which she was banned from all BLM lands and ordered to send a letter of apology to the tribes that have a cultural association with the site.
Smith felt it was “pretty fantastic that she was prosecuted at all.” In her experience, even that can be enough of a hurdle.
“There was an incident with petroglyphs on BLM land outside of Byron,” she said. “We all knew who did it because they were posting about it on Facebook. We turned that evidence over to the BLM, and nobody was prosecuted. It's like there's no teeth to any of these laws.”
Smith hoped prosecuting Ericksen would send a message that rock art vandalism would be taken seriously and culprits would be punished. It might have achieved that in the broad sense, but that wasn’t enough to stop “Craig W” and “Meru.”
Statutes And Timestamps
During the 2025 session of the Wyoming Legislature, both houses passed Senate Enrolled Act 91, which Gov. Gordon signed into law that March. It was the first time in Wyoming’s history that the state enacted statutes to protect its rock art.
Under Senate Enrolled Act 91, damaging petroglyphs, pictographs, or other rock art of archaeological or historical value is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $750, six months in prison, or both.
“We got an amendment to the Wyoming Antiquities Act passed that provided increased penalties for vandalizing rock art in Wyoming, which is great,” Pelton said. “That was followed up this year with some funding for our office to go out and record every single known rock art site on state lands in Wyoming.”
The Wyoming State Archaeologist’s Office, along with the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, documented rock art sites on state lands, including historic inscriptions from the Oregon and Overland trails.
This provided the agencies with a baseline. From here, it’ll be easier to notice and investigate rock art vandalism going forward. The year 2026 has become “the timestamp” to assess and prosecute vandalism.
“That's really important if you actually want to try to prosecute one of these things,” he said. “The rock art is protected by law. We’ll know when vandalism happens, and we’ll have the tools at hand to prosecute. You're going to need evidence like that to make those cases stick.”
Pelton praised the Wyoming Legislature for Senate File 91. He sees it as a clear message to locals, tourists, and other states that Wyoming values and intends to protect its rock art and punish anyone caught destroying it.
“It speaks well of the Wyoming Legislature that they cared enough about this to actually pass legislation and funding to support it,” he said. “Vandalism is an ongoing problem, but it's one that we're actively dealing with, and the state legislature has demonstrated a lot of interest.”
Shared Responsibility
With Senate File 91, Wyoming’s archaeological community can better protect the state’s irreplaceable rock art. However, archaeologists like Smith say long-term preservation hinges on the investment of Wyoming residents
“The residents of Wyoming should feel some ownership over these sites,” she said. “Even if it isn't their direct ancestry, it's still our shared cultural heritage, and we should be protecting it.”
,Some of Wyoming’s most visited petroglyph sites, like Legend Rock, have trail cams set up to identify vandals who deface a rock art panel. Senate Enrolled Act 91 provided legal grounds for prosecution, but that isn’t an impermeable defense for Wyoming’s 666 known sites.
For Smith, the vandalism of a popular, highly visited petroglyph site in Utah shows that awareness and legal protection only go so far. Wyoming’s history will only stay intact if Wyomingites help keep it that way or help find those responsible for permanently damaging it.
“Wyoming’s sites are more exposed than most people would think,” she said. “We can make the punishments harsher and raise fines all we want. Until there's actual action, and actual consequences for those actions, nothing's going to change.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
