What is a Cairn? – Arizona Hikers Guide

Have you ever wondered what the heck those little stacked rocks are all over the trail?  Have you ever thought about why and who the heck took the time to stack up rocks to look like a mini leaning Tower of Pisa?  Let’s take a look and discover what, why, where, and who makes these little and somewhat controversial rock formations called cairns.

A cairn is a man-made stack of rocks or stones that are typically used to mark the way on trails.  They are most commonly used on mountain tops, rivers or dry washes, and in areas where the trail can be confusing or difficult to navigate through.  The word cairn comes from the the Scottish Gaelic càrn or the plural càirn.  

How the heck do you pronounce “cairn”?  It is pronounced ‘care-nn’.  It is like saying the name Karen without the Ehh sound at the end.  Even better, it kind of sounds like Nacho Libre saying “corn”; “save me a piece of dat ‘cairn’!”.  If that makes no sense whatsoever than when you see one just say “look at the stacked rocks”. Ha Ha.

Summit

Why Cairns?

Cairns are created for a couple of reasons.  Like I mentioned above, cairns are made as natural trail markers and in some cases to signify landmarks or summits.

Where Can You Find Cairns?

These stacked rocks can be found in barren lands like deserts, glaciers, and trails above the tree lines.  In Arizona,  cairns are typically used in dry washes and confusing trails where a little extra guidance is nice.

Dry wash with many cairns

Who makes Cairns?

Cairns can be made on the trail by hikers, bikers, and trail maintenance volunteers.  Sometimes hikers will add a stone or two as they pass by to ensure that they are seen by other hikers and to help prevent cairns from weathering away.

Controversy?

Cairns are somewhat controversial because the little stacked rocks ignore Leave No Trace principles which basically say leave rocks where they are and don’t build any structures.  I have hiked with people who are disgusted at the sight of the formations and promptly kick them over.  This is especially true when there is a plethora of unneeded cairns that distract from the natural beauty of the outdoors.  Also, I have read about park rangers and other state employees who maintain official cairns built by the Park Service and get annoyed by the unwanted and overuse of cairns.

Here’s the bottom line.  Cairns have been used for a very long time (dates before the Bronze Age) to signal passages, landmarks, and pointing people in the right direction.  On the other hand, I do understand the annoyance of seeing the little guys all over the place especially on more popular hikes where people feel like they are “marking their territory” or something by building their own personal cairn.

What Do You Think?

How do you feel about cairns?  Should we kick over the little nuisances or should we revere them for keeping us from wondering in the wilderness like lost puppies?  Let me know in the comments below.