How to Read Stacked Rocks When Hiking

Stacks of rocks along a trail are called cairns, ducks or duckies. A cairn is usually a man-made stack of rocks used as a trail marker on trails that are easy to get turned around on. Cairns may not be directly on a trail but ensure that a trail is close by. Ducks or duckies are man-made stacks of rocks that have a pointed rock within them that point the trail direction. Following cairns, ducks and duckies is difficult because you must find another cairn in the same sequence in order to use them as a guide. These stacks are easily knocked down in wind and covered over by snow. It is the responsibility of knowledgeable hikers to maintain the cairns along the trail.

Things You'll Need

  • Map
  • Compass
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Instructions

    • 1

      Read your trail map to direct you along the path. Use topographical maps, which show the area's elevation and terrain.

    • 2

      Find an unnatural stack of rocks. Look for a stack of rocks that looks man-made with a large rock on the bottom and small rocks on top. Disregard a small stack of rocks that only contains two rocks, these are most likely not man-made.

    • 3

      Inspect the stones without moving them to decide if the marker is a duck or cairn. Find a pointed rock that indicates the trail direction in the duck/duckie. If the stack has no pointed rocks then it is considered a cairn that marks the trail and does not give direction.

    • 4

      Refer to your map and compass to find the trail. Follow the direction of the duck or duckie only if your map and compass agree with the direction that it is pointing. Double-check your map and compass before moving forward. Disregard ducks/duckies that point opposite from where you are heading after making sure you are headed the right way.

    • 5

      Look for other man-made rock stacks as you hike. Check your map and compass at each stack before moving forward to make sure you are on the right trail.