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By Cheri Carlson of the Ventura County Star

Rumors made a Malibu cave famous and now graffiti has closed it to the public.

Corral Canyon Cave high up in Malibu Creek State Park became known as Jim Morrison Cave after a rumor started that Morrison of The Doors used to go to the cave.

Many say the truth is that Morrison likely was never there. But over the past few years, photos of the cave — now painted bright pink and coated in graffiti — went viral on social media.

"In two years, it has become the destination to go and tag," said Craig Sap, district superintendent for California State Parks.

Starting Monday, it will be closed to the public. Officials say the closure order was necessary to protect the area and its natural resources.

The public only will be barred from the sandstone cave and the surrounding bare rocks, which are located off the Backbone Trail and about 150 feet from the Mesa Peak Fire Road.

As photos of the "Jim Morrison Cave" spread, the graffiti kept getting worse, despite several arrests for felony vandalism, officials said.

A stream of people head up there — so many that there's a traffic jam waiting to get into the cave, Sap said.

(Click on the image below to see the closure order.)

The cave also is near the site where authorities say an illegal campfire sparked a November 2007 blaze that burned 4,900 acres and destroyed 49 homes.

State Parks plan to put up closure signs in a parking lot several miles up Corral Canyon Road, along the fire road leading to the cave, as well as at the cave itself.

Rangers also will be in the area to talk to hikers. Officials hope that will reduce the number and frequency of people going to the cave.

The closure will only impact that one small area and 99.9 percent of the park will be open to the public, Sap said.

Anyone who violates a closure order can be cited, removed from the area, or arrested, officials said.

"After a period of time when we know we have stemmed the tide" of visitors, the park will pay to have the graffiti removed from the cave, Sap said.