Vandals spray paint graffiti on rocks at Ohiopyle

Vandals spray painted graffiti on hundreds of feet of sandstone rock along the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle State Park over the weekend, park officials said.

The graffiti was discovered by a park ranger shortly after opening the park gates at 7 a.m. Sunday, said Ken Bisbee, park operation manager.

“This defaces one of the most scenic parts of the park that draws most of the visitors here,” Bisbee said. “It’s pretty unfortunate and upsetting.”

The spray paint covers hundreds of feet of sandstone bedrock on the Ferncliff side of the Main Falls Area — and can clearly be seen from the observation deck opposite the Ferncliff peninsula, he said.

The graffiti includes words, snowflakes, flowers and other images, he said.

Bisbee said neither he nor staff could recall any other act of vandalism at Ohiopyle as big as this one.

Cleanup by staff and volunteers was expected to start Monday morning with “the most environmentally friendly” method first — pressure washers and scrub brushes, Bisbee said. Cleanup likely will take all week and could cost more than $2,500 in staff time, he said.

The vandalism is being investigated by Ohiopyle park rangers. Anyone with information is asked to call the park office at 724-329-8591.