Upper Calf Creek Falls Trail, Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah 2015  
In fact, I began to notice that the more intricate & elaborate cairns seem to appear on shorter, more accessible trails (some of which hardly needed cairns at all). Perhaps this gives builders the luxury of more time to better express their creativity. The care and attention put into construction of these unique cairns begins to blur the line between utilitarian signpost and art form. Trail marker -- or modern art? You decide.
Rim Overlook Trail, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah 2015  
A red sandstone figure points out the trail in the parched Utah desert.
Some cairns seem so fragile that I wonder if they can last more than a season or two before getting knocked over by the wind, or a passing animal or hiker. But it's impossible to pass this and not wonder -- just for a moment -- who built it.

Hiking (even with friends), can be a somewhat solitary endeavor by its very nature. Yet there's an invisible connection between cairn-builder and the travelers that follow. The builder will never see my private smile as I pass an amusing cairn -- or the slight expression of relief upon finding these welcome signposts along an otherwise confusing or obscure trail. This unknown builder has sent a message across time, saying "follow me... this is the way -- you're on the right path".


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