Cairn building is a surprisingly meditative experience that can bring you closer with the earth and community. You can make a traditional rock pile or a creative stack to help you focus on balance, permanence and harmony. http://cairnspotter.com/generated-post-2/
Throughout history, different cultures have used cairns in many ways. They were used to mark a route or indicate a food source. Cairns are also used as burial sites by Native Americans in North America. This practice is known as inukshuk.
The word «cairn», which is derived from Gaelic, means «heap or pile of stones». These are usually built to look like a hill. They can range in size from tiny rock sculptures to huge man-made stone hills. Some are comparable to kistvaens or dolmens, but built out of stone instead of ephemeral Earthworks.
Hikers, in particular, have a long and varied use for cairns. Cairns can be used by hikers to return to the trailhead at the end of a long day of hiking or to help them find their way in remote wilderness areas.
A well-placed cairn can save lives and can help guide a group of hikers who are lost or have difficulty locating their trail path. Some people believe that cairns violate Leave No Trace principles and are not a part of nature.