Stop Spray Painting Rock Cairns: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative Urges Hikers to Respect Wilderness Rules
The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative is asking hikers to help protect Mount of the Holy Cross after several trail marking rock cairns were recently spray painted bright yellow along the popular Colorado 14er route.
It seems as though the painted cairns were intended to help hikers navigate the trail, but the markings create unnecessary damage to a federally protected wilderness area. CFI said the spray paint violates federal regulations, Leave No Trace principles, and wilderness management guidelines.
The organization is working with the U.S. Forest Service to remove the paint and restore the affected areas.
Mount of the Holy Cross is one of Colorado’s most recognizable fourteeners, drawing hikers from across the country who want to summit the 14,011 foot peak. Hikers do not need additional painted markers to safely follow the established route.
Trail Cairns Were Carefully Installed For Navigation
When CFI constructed the Mount of the Holy Cross summit trail during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, crews carefully placed navigation cairns and constructed walls to help guide hikers, especially on the descent from the summit. Those cairns have served their purpose for more than a decade and remain part of the established trail system. The route is clearly defined and does not require additional markings.
The National Park Service also warns against painting or altering rock cairns, explaining that adding artificial markings can damage natural resources and interfere with wilderness character. The agency encourages visitors to rely on established trails, maps, and navigation skills rather than modifying landscapes.
Hikers Asked To Report New Damage
CFI is asking anyone who sees someone spray painting cairns or adding unauthorized markings to contact the U.S. Forest Service or the organization directly at CFI@14ers.org.
The group also reminded hikers visiting Colorado’s fourteeners that responsible recreation means leaving the landscape as they found it. Bright paint may seem helpful in the short term, but it creates lasting impacts on wilderness areas that are meant to remain as natural as possible.
Visitors climbing Mount of the Holy Cross are encouraged to follow established routes, carry proper navigation equipment, and trust the trail features already in place.
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