This Aug. 26, photo provided by the National Park Service shows tire tracks made by a vehicle illegally crossing the Racetrack Playa at Death Valley National Park, Calif. — AP
This Aug. 26, 2016 photo provided by the National Park Service shows fresh curved tire tracks illegally made by a vehicle, crossing earlier illegal tracks, on the Racetrack Playa at Death Valley National Park, Calif. The NPS is trying to track down the motorist who defaced the remote dry lake bed, famous for its mysterious moving stones. (National Park Service via AP)
This This Aug. 26, 2016 photo provided by the National Park Service shows tire tracks made by a vehicle illegally crossing the Racetrack Playa at Death Valley National Park, Calif. The NPS is trying to track down the motorist who defaced the remote dry lake bed, famous for its mysterious moving stones. (National Park Service via AP)
This Aug. 26, 2016 photo provided by the National Park Service shows fresh tire tracks illegally made by a vehicle crossing earlier illegal tracks on the Racetrack Playa at Death Valley National Park, Calif. The NPS is trying to track down the motorist who defaced the remote dry lake bed, famous for its mysterious moving stones. (National Park Service via AP)
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Federal investigators have identified a person of interest as they hunt a driver who took an illegal joy ride on a fragile, dry lake bed in Death Valley National Park, leaving 10 miles of swerving tire tracks. The damage was done about six weeks ago. Park spokeswoman Linda Slater said Tuesday that a witness notified authorities. Park rangers are investigating.
Motor vehicles are banned from the site known as Playa Racetrack, where visitors can see how wind and ice push rocks that leave lengthy trails in the lake bed. The tracks are shallow but broke the crust of the lake bed. Slater says there has been discussion about how to reduce the damage, but only a rare rain that covers the lake bed will erase the tracks. — Associated Press
