Cairn-making is a surprisingly meditative exercise that can bring people closer to the earth. It’s a great way for you to get your mind off of the everyday and focus more on balance and permanence.

Cairns have been used by many cultures throughout history for a variety of purposes. They may have served to indicate a route to follow, to indicate the location of food, or to warn about danger. In North America, cairns were also made to serve as burial sites for Native American peoples, a practice known as inukshuk (the plural is inuksuit).

The word cairn is derived from a Gaelic phrase that means “heaps of stones”. They are typically built in the shape of a hill. They range from small rock sculptures up to large manmade hills of stones. Some are similar to kistvaens, dolmens and earthworks but built with stone instead.

Cairns are used by many people, but they are most commonly used by hikers http://cairnspotter.com/what-is-cairn-making. They can be used to guide hikers back to the trailhead after a tough day of hiking, or to aid them in finding their way in remote areas of wilderness.

A well-placed, properly-marked cairn may save lives by guiding a group of lost hikers. Some people, however, argue that cairns don’t belong in nature and violate the Leave No Trace principle.