The National Park Service has popular with canyoneers and boulderers following a spate of vandalism.
In a press release, the NPS blamed social media for encouraging would-be taggers, and said that the area would be shuttered to public use at least through the end of April.
Since January, individuals have defaced the day-use and canyon area of Rattlesnake Canyon with graffiti While this started as a few markings, social media posts appear to have sparked numerous individuals’ interest in adding to the vandalism of this scenic canyon. The continued malicious desecration of Joshua Tree National Park has now affected archeological sites.
The closure is likely to impact climbers, who frequent the boulders in the area, as well as canyoneers, who use the non-technical canyon as a connection between Indian Cove and Willow Hole.
Via