Vanessa Hudgens Defends Against Criticism from Rock 'Carving' Controversy: 'I Love Mother Nature'

Hudgens addressed the incident on Sway Calloway's Sirius XM's morning show, Sway in the Morning

Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty

Vanessa Hudgens is addressing the rock “carving” controversy that got her and Austin Butler in hot water almost a year ago.

On Monday, the High School Musical star paid a visit to Sway Calloway’s Sirius XM’s morning show, Sway in the Morning, to put all criticism to rest.

“It was this whole thing in Sedona,” Hudgens, 28, said. “Me and my boyfriend were on a hike and then wrote our names on a rock with another rock and then people accused me of carving into this rock, but literally I took a piece of rock and wrote on the rock.

“It’s the type of thing where it’s chalk, so if you rub it, it comes off,” Hudgens continued.

She added: “So I knew with the first rain it would go away. I’m such an earth person. I love mother nature. I love being connected to the natural environment. It was a whole situation that was really frustrating. I don’t mean to disrespect anyone or the land. It’s not like I took a key and carved it.”

In February 2016, the stars were under investigation after allegedly carving both their names and a heart on a rock in Arizona’s Coconino National Forest.

“I donated a lot of money to the park to say ‘Sorry’ for the drama it’s caused you guys, but like literally with the first rain, it would’ve washed off,” said Hudgens.