Rock Stacking in Aruba: Everything You Need to Know

You may come across stacks of rocks in Aruba that look like the picture above. These are common across the island and you may even be encouraged by tours to build your own. Before you do, make sure you understand the meaning of stacking rocks and what it does to the island.

Rock Stacking Meaning

Wondering what stacked rocks mean? Well rock stacking, often referred to as cairns or rock balancing, can hold various meanings and serve different purposes depending on the cultural context and their location. Let’s take a look at some of the most common interpretations and uses of stacked rocks before diving into Aruba’s rock stacking meaning.

1. Trail Markers and Navigation Aids

One of the most common purposes of cairns is to mark trails and for use in navigation. Hikers and walkers use these stacks of rocks to guide their path, especially in areas where the trail might not be clearly visible. They can also be used along coastlines to help guide sailors.

If you’ve ever been to the western part of the United States, like Canyonlands National Park, you’ll find cairns are the only way hikers navigate through less defined trails. These markers prevent them from getting lost.

2. Historical Markers, Memorials, or Tributes

In other areas, stacked rocks serve as memorials or tributes to people who have passed away. These are often seen on mountain summits and along trails. In other cases, a tower of stacked rocks may mark historically significant locations or serve as religious markers. They could even be marking locations where offerings are made to deities or other religious ceremonies take place.

3. Land Art, Wish Towers, and Spiritual Practice

The last reason people create rock stacks is as a form of land art, meditation, or spiritual practice. This process can be reflective and serve as a way to focus thoughts and pay respect to nature. It can also be as simple as hoping to bring good luck or grant wishes.

Stack of Rocks Meaning in Aruba

With a few different meanings for cairns, how do you know what the rock piles in Aruba mean? Well, we’ve got your answer you’re looking for, and you should think twice before stacking them.

If you head over to the north-eastern coast, there’s an area sometimes referred to as the Rock Wish Garden of Aruba. Here you’ll find hundreds of towers of rocks located on the rocky shores of the island. It’s a popular place to visit and it may be tempting to build your own rock pile, especially with the potential to have wishes granted!

Rock stacking in Aruba is said to be a local thing where you make a wish, and it’s suppose to come true. In fact, you can make a wish with each stone stacked. This means the taller the tower, the more wishes you have – at least that’s what some of the island tours will tell you.

However, it’s really a tourist activity promoted by tourists for tourists typically. Before you stack rocks to create new cairns, know that it is actually discouraged in Aruba. In fact, there are local groups who send out teams to go knock over these stone towers to restore the natural landscape. Let’s find out why!

Why You Shouldn’t Stack Rocks in Aruba

Before you stack stones in Aruba, make sure you understand not only how it disrupts the natural landscape but also how it disturbs the local ecosystem. With the hot, sunny weather in Aruba, rocks provide a shady and cooler habitat for many of the smaller creatures of the island, like geckos, crabs, and insects.

By constantly moving and changing the habitat of these creatures, you’re interrupting their natural lifecycle and putting them at risk. It can cause them to have to constantly find new homes, expose them to the elements and predators, and lead to a decrease in their population on the island – potentially even extinction!

So before you stack stones and make your wish, think about the island and its inhabitants – both people and animals – and leave the rocks where they are. Let the landscape stay natural and the animals enjoy their shaded cover where they build their homes.