Is this true?

[bluestar99]

While hiking at Cave Point, up in Door County WI we came across this rock beach with all these rocks stacked up. I asked someone on the trail what it meant and they told me that the Indians placed them on the trail for "safe passage" . He said he was not sure it was true, and I said I like the story, true or not. Since then I have noticed them more. Anyone know the truth?

[James.]

Re: Is this true?

If you want it to be true let it be true.

[Mike]

Re: Is this true?

I am not an "Indian" nor am I a Native American, but I believe that I might have put at least one of those stone on one of those piles.

[terasec]

Re: Is this true?

saw the same thing in aruba,
when asked what it meant, they just said some tourist started it years ago and people just kept adding to it

[bluestar99]

Re: Is this true?

Can't believe no one knows for sure where this came from.

[rajncajn]

Re: Is this true?

Can't believe no one knows for sure where this came from.

If you absolutely have to know, terasec is likely more right than anybody. There's no way those were left by Indians on a great lakes shoreline and are still standing. Storms and tides woud have knocked them over and/or swept them away long ago. Most likely visitors to the point started it and it became tradition.

[terasec]

Re: Is this true?

there are indian rock piles around the country,
but they tend to be old, and not much of a pile remaining, in a protected area its generally 2-3 rocks in the pile
average person wouldnt be able to recognize them anymore,
piles such as those you see are generally new,
once 1 person makes a pile others tend to follow and make more

[rajncajn]

Re: Is this true?

there are indian rock piles around the country,
but they tend to be old, and not much of a pile remaining, in a protected area its generally 2-3 rocks in the pile
average person wouldnt be able to recognize them anymore,
piles such as those you see are generally new,
once 1 person makes a pile others tend to follow and make more

As I recall they used to use them as territory boundaries and trail markers of sorts, but these in the photo are most definitely much more recent.

[James.]

Re: Is this true?

Blair Witch?

[bluestar99]

Re: Is this true?

I did not think these were placed there years ago. I figured someone started the tradition over again and I wanted to see what the original meaning of it was.

[rajncajn]

Re: Is this true?

Yes, indigenous people all over the world used these for various purposes. You can Google something like "Indians stack rocks" and it comes up with all sorts of reasons from memorial stones to trail markers.