BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Visitors to Utah's national parks, monuments and recreation areas might be drawn to the incredible views, but a small sheet of paper posted at locations across the state has received a large amount of recent attention.
Following an executive order from President Donald Trump, the paper encourages visitors to report anything they see that they believe to be negative about America by scanning a QR code and leaving a comment.
While it's required at all locations managed by the National Park Service, FOX 13 News has seen the paper posted at Golden Spike National Historical Park in Brigham City, Natural Bridges National Monument in Blanding, and Timpanogos Cave National Monument in American Fork.
"We're really worried that they’re asking folks for their opinions on rewriting history,” said Cassidy Jones with the National Parks Conservation Association.
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Jones feels the order made by the administration simply piles on to what's already been a stressful year for park rangers, with sharp cuts affecting staffing and budgets.
“The idea of posting an 8-by-11 sheet of paper with a QR code asking visitors to provide opinions about history is ultimately sort of questioning professionalism and tiptoeing dangerously toward rewriting history based on what people are comfortable with as opposed to what is true,” she explained.
FOX 13 News reached out to the National Park Service about the QR codes, but the department has yet to respond.
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The Swenson family was among those visiting the Golden Spike park in northern Utah on Wednesday and said history can't be rewritten.
"Bygones should be bygones," said David Swenson.
“I think history is the way it is," Mary Swenson added, "and you just have to accept it for what it is.”
Jones and the National Parks Conservation Association hope visitors will use the QR codes to support the parks.
"Let them know that the parks need to be supported and not questioned.”
