09/07/2026
Leave what you find! 🪨
Help stop the cairns. Don’t stack rocks.
Smokies streams aren’t just beautiful spots for visitors to enjoy, they’re thriving wildlife habitats. Cool mountain waters support fish, salamanders, and countless aquatic invertebrates. But these species can only survive when their homes stay undisturbed.
A cairn—an intentionally stacked pile of rocks—might seem harmless, but it’s not.
When rocks are stacked or moved, it destroys the shelters where animals live, hide, and lay eggs. You can help protect these fragile aquatic ecosystems by leaving rocks exactly where you find them.
NPS / Kirkpatrick Photo