For over half a century, High Country News (HCN) has been dedicated to reporting on the lands, wildlife, and communities of the Western U.S., offering in-depth coverage and investigations. Understanding the nuances of the Western landscape, including its geological features, is crucial for appreciating its beauty and fragility. One increasingly discussed topic within these wild spaces is the practice of stacking rocks, often referred to as creating “Cairns Rocks”. While seemingly innocuous, this activity raises important questions about our impact on natural environments.
The Definition and Misconception of Cairns Rocks
The term “cairn” originates from middle Gaelic, signifying “a mound of stones built as a memorial or landmark.” Historically, cairns have served significant purposes across various cultures. In Celtic regions and among indigenous peoples of the United States, they were traditionally used as memorials or burial markers. Hikers in wilderness areas often rely on cairns as essential trail markers, guiding them through challenging terrains and crucial junctions in remote backcountry. These functional cairns are invaluable for navigation and safety.
However, the proliferation of rock stacks seen today on public lands often deviates from the traditional purpose of cairns. These contemporary stacks are frequently built in random locations, driven by personal expression or a perceived “spiritual” statement, rather than wayfinding. This distinction is critical. While traditional cairns are purposeful navigational aids, these newly emerging “cairns rocks” are often arbitrary additions to the landscape, and this is where concerns arise.
Balanced rocks stacked in a wilderness area
Why the Rise of Cairns Rocks is Problematic
The increasing prevalence of these non-traditional “cairns rocks” poses several problems in wilderness areas. Firstly, their indiscriminate placement can be misleading. Hikers relying on established trail markers might be inadvertently led astray by these unofficial stacks, potentially venturing off-trail into dangerous or sensitive areas. In environments where clear navigation is paramount, such ambiguity can create hazardous situations.
Secondly, and perhaps more fundamentally, the essence of wilderness experience is being compromised. People seek wilderness to escape the pervasive human imprint of modern life, to find solace in untouched nature. Encountering numerous, randomly placed rock stacks serves as a constant reminder of human presence, diminishing the sense of solitude and pristine nature that wilderness areas are meant to provide. It introduces an element of human alteration where the value lies in the untouched and natural.
Just as litter or graffiti detract from the natural beauty of a place, so too do these unnecessary rock stacks. They become markers of human ego, disrupting the natural flow and aesthetics of the landscape. They shift the focus from the grandeur of nature to subtle human interventions, often detracting from the very reasons people seek out these wild spaces.
A person hiking in a wilderness area with stacked rocks visible
The Environmental Impact of Cairns Rocks
Beyond the aesthetic and navigational concerns, the practice of stacking “cairns rocks” carries tangible environmental consequences. Moving rocks, even seemingly small ones, contributes to soil erosion. By displacing rocks, the underlying soil becomes exposed and vulnerable to wind and rain, accelerating erosion processes and depleting the thin soil layers essential for native plant life.
Furthermore, disturbing rocks disrupts microhabitats vital for various insects and small mammals. Many creatures rely on the shelter and stable environment beneath rocks for protection, nesting, and reproduction. Each rock moved potentially displaces or destroys these miniature ecosystems, impacting the delicate balance of the wilderness environment.
Yellowstone River landscape with natural rocks and vegetation
Leave No Trace Ethics and Respecting Natural Geology
The principles of Leave No Trace ethics are central to responsible wilderness stewardship. Building cairns where they are not essential for navigation directly contradicts these ethics. Moving rocks and constructing stacks is an act of altering the environment, transforming it from its natural state into something man-made. This intervention, however subtle it may seem, fundamentally changes the wilderness experience and its inherent value.
Moreover, depending on location and regulations, building unauthorized structures or altering natural materials on public lands can be illegal, potentially incurring fines or penalties. While enforcement might be infrequent for individual rock stacks, the cumulative impact of widespread stacking underscores the need for greater awareness and responsible behavior.
Instead of seeking to leave a physical mark, individuals are encouraged to engage with wilderness in ways that minimize impact and maximize respect for the natural environment. Alternative forms of personal expression and connection with nature, such as journaling, sketching, or simply silent contemplation, offer more sustainable and respectful ways to appreciate the wilderness experience.
Let us prioritize preserving the intrinsic beauty and geological integrity of our wild spaces. By resisting the urge to stack rocks and, when appropriate, dismantling unnecessary stacks, we contribute to maintaining the natural harmony and untamed essence of these invaluable landscapes for ourselves and future generations. The earth’s geology, in its undisturbed form, offers a profound and perfect beauty that requires no human alteration.
