Overlooking the Big South Fork / NPS

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, in Tennessee, produces a magnificent show in the fall as its forests change colors with the season (it's also well-known for a series of spectacular arches). A special viewfinder had been set up at a popular overlook that allowed colorblind visitors to experience the spectacle. Sometime during the night of September 21, vandals destroyed the viewfinder.

Individuals with protanopia and protanomaly — more commonly known as red-green color blindness — are not able to fully observe the effect of nature's transition from deep green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. The viewfinder featured lenses for alleviating red-green color deficiencies, enabling visitors with color blindness to see the foliage just as it appears to people with typical vision.

"The National Park Service strives to provide opportunities for people to enjoy their park to the greatest extent possible,” said Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. “But thanks to an act of sheer, wanton vandalism, visitors with color blindness will no longer be able to experience the joy of seeing the majestic fall colors of this beautiful landscape.”

The National Park Service had partnered with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to install the specially-equipped viewfinder at Big South Fork’s East Rim Overlook, a popular overlook that offers impressive views of the Big South Fork River gorge. The vandals also ripped a large hole in the floor of the overlook balcony that has been temporarily repaired but will have to be completely replaced later this autumn.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is encouraged to contact the NPS at 423-215-9740 or leave a confidential message on the Resource Protection Tip Line at 423-569-7301. The 24-hour tip line allows callers to be remain anonymous.