Death Valley National Park officials are searching for a couple of brazen blockheads, and they could use your help finding them. Specifically, they’re looking for at least two people last spotted in Eureka Dunes. The region located about 120 miles east of Fresno, California features what are likel y the tallest sand dunes in North America. “Most importantly, OFF ROAD VEHICLE TRAVEL IS NOT PERMITTED ON THE DUNES, or anywhere else in Death Valley National Park for that matter,” the park explains on its website. Unfortunately, the clearly stated rules didn’t stop these visitors in what appears to be a 2021 Toyota Tacoma from plowing through at least five miles of restricted land on December 17th, 2025. At least eight species of plants and insects are endemic to Eureka Dunes. Credit: NPS Many people mistakenly assume a place like Death Valley is just sand, scraggly bushes, and a few cacti. But although its scorching days and freezing nights certainly live up to the name, Death Valley is still home to an array of plants and wildlife—and the trespassers reportedly made a mess of things. “Illegal off-road driving…left more than five miles of vehicle tracks and damaged rare, sensitive desert plants, including species that exist nowhere else on Earth,” park officials said in a social media post on February 3rd. Eureka Dunes has remained isolated from other sand fields for around 10,000 years. The area also receives more annual precipitation than similar formations despite its arid appearance. Thanks to this extra moisture, conservationists know of at least five beetle and three plant species that are endemic to the region. Eureka dunegrass (Swallenia alexandrae) is federally classified as threatened, while shining milkvetch (Astragalus lentiginosus micans) is a candidate for Endangered Species List. Visitors have also reported many instances of “singing sand,” a poorly understood phenomenon in which sand avalanches create a tone similar to a pipe organ bass note or distant airplane engine. In a photo released to the public, the white truck had a (sadly obscured) California license plate, an equipment rack mounted in the bed, as well as a black Fox Racing tailgate cover. Anyone with possible information on the suspects are encouraged to report tips (anonymously, if preferred) through one of the following channels: Website: go.nps.gov/SubmitATip  Email: [email protected]  Phone: 888-653-0009  “Eureka Dunes are a special place meant to be enjoyed on foot,” Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds said in a statement. “They are protected as wilderness. Please help us identify those responsible for damaging these fragile resources.”Whatever the outcome of the search, it’s always good to remember the standard park visitor guidelines: take only photographs, leave only footprints. The post Death Valley National Park needs help ID’ing joyriding vandals appeared first on Popular Science. ...read more read less