A recent surge in vandalism along the Blue Ridge Parkway has rangers hoping for help from the public in stopping graffiti that is now a common sight around the Asheville section of the roadway.

Chuck Hester, supervisory ranger for the Balsam and Oteen subdistricts, said that in the past six months, he's seen a marked increase in acts of grafitti, or "tagging," along the Parkway. The graffiti has been found especially in the French Broad area, from the Parkway's intersection with Hendersonville Road nearly to Mount Pisgah.

Rangers are accustomed to dealing with the occasional incident of vandalism, he said, but it's gotten to the point now where in many places it's hard to tell what graffiti is new.

Signs, sidewalks, parking areas and even roads are being spray painted — including one "Marry Me?" painted in the middle of a road, Hester said.

There is no budget specifically for cleaning graffiti, he said. The cleanup just adds extra work for maintenance crews.

It somewhat ruins visitors' experiences of the Parkway, Hester added, especially when a visitor is at an overlook enjoying a view, but the sign that gives information about that overlook is vandalized, some even to the the point where they are difficult to read.

Hester has seen visitors in parking areas shaking their heads at the graffiti. He said it's hard to catch vandals because they're in and out fast, and that's where they need the community's help.

Any visitor who witnesses vandalism can help by taking a cell phone photo of the car and tag number, Hester said. Anyone with information should call Parkway dispatch at 828-298-2491.

Offenders can face charges, requiring a mandatory appearance with the Assistant U.S. District Attorney in federal court in Asheville.

The maximum penalty is a $5,000 fine and six months in jail, but Hester said he'd also seek restitution for the cost of cleanup and repainting, or if the signs needed to be replaced, some of which run in the thousands of dollars.