Weird Law: Did You Know it’s Illegal to Stack Rocks in Texas?
I've seen them while hiking before outside of Austin, TX, but I didn't realize that there could be legal ramifications for stacking these rocks while visiting state parks here in Texas. Perhaps you've seen stacks too.
If you ever see a stack of rocks while on a hike, not a natural pile, but a man-made stack, you should not mess with it. These stacks are called a cairn and can look really cool, they can even be works of art, or created as a landmark, but in Texas they are illegal for you to make.
According to KSAT that while stacking rocks may seem like an innocent activity, state park officials say it's not allowed. “Doing so disturbs sensitive and critical wildlife habitats that rely on the rocks for protection,” the park said in a Facebook post.
Every year it seems The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has to remind state park visitors to leave no trace, and this includes not stacking rocks, or messing with stacks that have already been created.
Last year Dinosaur State Park warned visitors after they found cairns, "While we are impressed by your rock stacking abilities, the building of rock cairns is not allowed. Doing so disturbs sensitive and critical wildlife habitats that rely on the rocks for protection. This is even more serious during times of drought and low water levels just like we are experiencing here at the park."
A reminder that TPWD states that visitors should also leave fossils, plants, animals and resources alone, and should also not feed wildlife at Texas State Parks.