In New York State, Is It Legal or Illegal to Stack Rocks?

Have you ever seen a stack of rocks while on a hiking trail? Not a natural pile that formed this way on it's own, a man-made stack of rocks. These designs can be calming to create and some look like a work of art if they are constructed well. These stacks are called a cairn and are typically created as a landmark.

Here's the thing, STOP STACKING ROCKS in New York! In some parts of the state it is actually illegal!

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Yes, a cairn looks cool and would make for great pictures on your Instagram account but when you are hiking in New York State you are asked to leave the rocks alone. Don't pull them out of a riverbed or off the path, just leave them be. According to Adirondack Explorer, it is illegal to create a cairn in the Adirondack Forest Preserve without a permit.

The United States National Park Service reports that official cairns were created and placed along hiking trails so that explorers, such as yourself, don't get lost while in the woods. Simply put, an official cairn will keep you on the right path.

What to do if you are hiking in New York and you see a cairn? First of all, leave no trace. Look at it and move along.

• Do not disturb it
• Do not knock it down
• Do not add to it
• Do not build your own cairn

Messing around with an intentional cairn, or building your own, could cause fellow hikers to lose track of their location, cause confusion and potentially get lost. Not only is this a survival concern, stacking rocks also disturbs the soil and makes the area more prone to erosion. So, leave no trace.

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