See Stacked Rocks on Your California Hike? Knock Them Down Immediately

Warmer weather brings about some of California's best traits: opportunities to explore the great outdoors. While the State is certainly not short on outdoor activities at any point during the year, the sunshine seems to make California little bit more accessible to the masses.

While you're out and about in the California wilderness, it's always important to 'leave no trace' and for the most part, Californians and outdoor enthusiasts as a whole understand the importance of leaving nature alone.

A recent online debate about a well-intended "disruption" that certainly leaves a trace, has us surprised--and it's a request by the National Forest Service!

Have you ever been out on a hike and seen a stack of rocks? What if we told you that you're encouraged to not only avoid building those...but to KNOCK THEM DOWN!

Here's a deeper look at the 'drama' surrounding stacked rocks

What have you been taught as an outdoor enthusiast? 

Obviously, building these 'cairns' or 'stacked rocks', are well intentioned. Hikers before you wanted you to know that someone has been there before and want to indicate that "this is the way" when signage doesn't exist.

Officials say, however, that this may build a false sense of safety or guidance.

In a statement by the rangers at Yosemite National Park, it was explained: 

According to Leave No Trace ethics when we recreate in wilderness spaces, our goal is to leave no signs of our impact on the land and respect other creatures living in it.  Building rock cairns also disturbs small insects, reptiles, and microorganisms that call the underside home!

The agency also explained that rock cairns are useful for hikers--but that building these should be left to forest rangers--and not the average hiker.