Campsite Rock Sculpture

Balancing rocks at your campsite can be both decorative and therapeutic...and just about anyone can do it!

CAUTION!!! Snakes like to live in and around rocks! Be VERY careful not to stir up something nasty! (yellow jackets and black widow spiders like rocks, too!)

CAUTION!!! Falling rocks can crush your toes! Be careful!!!

Please remember to 'Leave No Trace'! Take down your scupture when you depart public areas!

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Step 1: How to balance rocks

An object will balance when its center of gravity (the place where all of its mass, on the average, resides) is over the point of support. The larger the base, the more stable the object is.

Find rocks that look like they’d be difficult to balance…or pick easier rocks to stack…the challenge is all yours!

For a full mathematical explanation
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/cm.html

optic_85 says: Dec 28, 2012. 8:40 PM

Really happy to see this as the last step. As a avid hiked and trail crew leader I just hate finding things like this when I'm out backpacking or working. Kudos to you sir, for a nice guide and following "leave no trace" standards!

chokapi in reply to optic_85Mar 21, 2013. 9:43 AM

Not only LNT, but cairns are often used to mark trails, sometimes rerouting an existing trail from a dangerous spot, or to mark a trail whose markers are missing or covered over. So, take nothing but memories (or pix,) leave nothing but footprints.

yoyology says: Dec 28, 2012. 1:42 PM

One of my favorite artists, Andrew Goldsworthy, works entirely with natural materials found outdoors. This makes me think of his stuff.

cart562 says: Dec 28, 2012. 1:33 PM

A bit ago when I was at a festival, I met this lady at the river there and she showed me how to do this. I think it is really cool and now and again I try to balance random objects, like my calculator. Here are some ones I made from broken concrete pieces at the beach near where I live.

Mr.Sanchez says: Dec 26, 2012. 5:16 PM

Like a natural Jenga.So clever.

jack_of_all_everything says: Nov 15, 2011. 5:02 PM

wakarusa waterfall? if anyone goes there, head to the waterfall for the rock stacking championships, huge stone cities built in the creek bed every fest!