Former HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are being called out after committing a major faux pas during a recent nature hike.
“Had a fun couple of days in the mountains w/ this cutie 🩵,” Joanna captioned a series of photos from the couple’s Colorado getaway, which she shared via Instagram on Sunday, September 20.
The Fixer Upper alum posed for a selfie on top of a mountain, with Jo rocking a black tank top, jeans, and a camo-print crewneck sweatshirt tied around her waist. Her hair was down and her face was protected by a blue trucker hat that read, “Later [Gator].” Chip rocked black cargo-style pants, a blue Waffle House tee and a backwards trucker hat.
The pair stopped to snap photos of local cows grazing, a star-filled night sky, and a pile of rocks meticulously stacked on the trail. Some fans took issue with one photo of Joanna Tetris-ing the rocks for her photo.
“They frown on rock stacking now,” one follower commented.
“No rock stacking please,” another wrote.
“Leave no trace,” a third follower added.
Yet another called the move a “big no-no.”
“Come on, you should know that this a no go on trails. Please stop and help educate others,” another follower commented.
According to the National Park Service, rock “cairns” are often used to mark hiking routes in parks. While each park has its own laws regarding cairns, NPS explains that most are “carefully maintained by park staff to keep hikers like you on the correct path.”
“Building a rock cairn on public land in Colorado is illegal. Please understand Colorado laws when you visit,” another fan commented.
While not specific to Colorado, the NPS encourages visitors to “not disturb” existing cairns.
“Do not tamper with cairns – If an intentional cairn is tampered with or an unauthorized one is built, then future visitors may become disoriented or even lost,” the government agency reveals. “Do not build your own cairns – Moving rocks disturbs the soil and makes the area more prone to erosion. Disturbing rocks also disturbs fragile vegetation and micro-ecosystems. Do not add to existing cairns – Authorized cairns are carefully designed. Adding to the pile can actually cause them to collapse.”