Public lands in Utah are filling up with visitors — and their trash, photos show

More people are going outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic — and they’re leaving their trash everywhere.

“People are trashing your public lands thoroughly this year,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said in a Facebook post. “These photos -- taken at three DWR wildlife management areas and a fishing access point on the lower Bear River -- are just a few sad examples of what’s happening across Utah.”

Photos show mounds of trash invading Utah’s public lands. In some photos, trash is piled up next to a trail. In others, the trash covers the ground.

“Please help us fight littering on DWR lands by watching for people doing this,” Utah’s DWR said. “A license plate number and a vehicle description are all we need to track down those responsible.”

Food waste, plastic bags and dumped items at Utah’s wildlife management areas are examples of a bigger trend across the country. National parks across the U.S. have documented more graffiti and litter during the coronavirus pandemic.

At Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, park officials received 13 reports of incidents of graffiti, broken doors and windows, cut locks and other damage to structures in the area, according to the Special Agent NPS Instagram account. Last year, there were only two cases of vandalism reported during the same period. One photo showed a whole disheveled couch dumped near the brook.

Camp Rock at City of Rocks National Reserve in Idaho also saw “the worst case of vandalism in the park’s history,” according to the Idaho Statesman. Other parks have seen excessive traffic and crowds, as well as litter, scattered throughout the parks.

“Please help us prevent Cuyahoga Valley National Park from looking like this and consider enjoying this beautiful day near home,” the Ohio park said on Twitter with photos of crammed parking lots and trash. “If you visit, avoid crowds, hike clockwise, take trash with you.”

This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Public lands in Utah are filling up with visitors — and their trash, photos show."