![[Image: Benchmark ?]](img/ceaf19980126-01.jpg)
This story has a sad ending.
I arrived at the parking lot to the nature trail above Elkmont campground around 1515. The weather was quite nice – sunny and brisk – but by this time the sun was setting below the mountain ridges. I crossed the road down to an access path leading to the campground roads. The target site now appeared to be occupied by campsite B21 [image]. At the periphery of the campsite were concrete blocks [image], apparently of origins predating the campgrounds. In the larger of the blocks was the cavity pictured above, apparently the former resting place of the marker, as there were no other obvious locations in the vicinity (surely I'm wrong about this and will have to return later to verify). One should hope that this marker was removed by agents of the Government, and not by some irreverent “citizen”, to prevent its abuse or molestation by campers. Benchmark abuse is a serious, heinous offense !
