Cairn building can be a surprisingly meditative practice that brings you closer to your community and the earth. Whether you’re making a traditional rock cairn or a creative stack of rocks, it’s a way to take your mind off the everyday and focus on balance and permanence.
Throughout history, cairns were used by different cultures for a wide range of purposes. They could have been built to mark a path, indicate a food supply, or warn of danger. In North America, Native American peoples also used cairns as burial sites, a practice called inukshuk.
The word “cairn”, which is derived from Gaelic, means “heap or pile of stones”. These are usually built to look like a hill. The size of these man-made hills can vary from small rock carvings to large, man-made hills. Some of them are similar to kistvaens (ephemeral earthworks) and dolmens (ephemeral stoneworks).
Cairns serve many purposes, and are particularly useful to hikers. They can guide hikers home after a long day’s hiking, or help them navigate in remote areas.
A well-placed Cairn can help save lives, and guide a hiker group that is lost or having trouble finding their trail. However, some people argue that cairns are not a natural part of the environment and are in violation of Leave No Trace principles.