cairns
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈkɛɹnz// UK //kˈeənz// cairns
n. small piles of stones built by people to mark a path or a special place. You often see them on top of mountains or along hiking trails to show the way.
n. man-made piles or stacks of stones, typically serving as landmarks, trail markers, or burial monuments. Often found in upland or coastal areas where natural paths are unclear.
Hikers built small cairns to mark the mountain path.
Without a clear trail through the rocky terrain, we had to look for small stone cairns to find our way back.
The summit was decorated with several ancient cairns, some of which had stood for centuries as silent sentinels over the desolate highland pass.
Usage
Usually used in the plural when referring to a series of trail markers.