Buddhist monks on cross-country walk for peace are near Rock Hill. How to see them
Buddhist monks who have captivated online and roadside followers since setting out last fall on a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace are about to set foot in Rock Hill.
Nearly two dozen monks left Fort Worth, Texas, in October with plans to stop in nine state capitols on their way to Washington, D.C. The group reached Columbia on Saturday, and spent most of Monday walking north along U.S. 21 from Ridgeway to Great Falls.
After an overnight stay in Great Falls, the group plans to follow U.S. 21 through Rock Hill and Fort Mill before arriving in Charlotte on Thursday. Overnight and lunch stops in the Rock Hill region weren’t listed on the group’s online tracking map as of Monday morning, but live updates are available on the Walk for Peace Facebook page.
If the monks walk the same distance on Tuesday that they did on Monday, it would have them crossing into York County just south of Rock Hill by Tuesday evening.
A million Buddhist monk followers and Aloka the Peace Dog
On Monday morning, the Facebook page that began posting route updates 12 days into the walk reached 1 million followers.
“Together, we are proving that peace is not just a dream — it is alive, it is real, and it is growing stronger every single day,” Walk for Peace organizers posted Monday.
The page posts details each night on the next day’s route. It also has photos with throngs of people gathered by roads to see the monks, along with etiquette suggestions for anyone who comes out to be part of the Walk for Peace.
The page shows when the monks will be available at lunch or during evenings for visitors.
On Monday, the page offered an update on the viral companion making the Walk for Peace with the monks — Aloka the Peace Dog. The 4-year-old Indian Pariah dog has nearly 600,000 of his own followers on Facebook. Aloka underwent surgery Monday on his leg and will be limited in how much he can walk in the coming weeks.
“We are deeply grateful for the excellent veterinary care Aloka is receiving, and we are confident that with proper rest and treatment, he will recover well,” the Walk for Peace page posted. “Aloka has walked alongside the venerable monks, bringing joy and inspiration to so many hearts. Now it is time for him to rest, heal, and regain his strength. We will take great care of him every step of the way.”
Half an hour after that post, more than 3,000 comments wished Aloka well in recovery.
“How many dogs will be named Aloka after him?” Alex Garcia said in the comments. “I bet some people will start naming their kids Aloka after him.”
How to greet Walk for Peace monks
The Walk for Peace has drawn large crowds as it entered major cities.
Some online commenters say they’ve come from neighboring states to see the walk. The monks opted not to hold their traditional lunch visit on Monday due to a lack of parking at their rest stop.
The State newspaper in Columbia offered several tips on visiting the Walk for Peace, having just seen the event pass through that area. Greeting monks with hands in a prayer position, with a slight bow, is recommended. Visitors should avoid touching monks or bringing dogs.
Visitors should check the Walk for Peace Facebook page the evening before heading out, as it will give updates on lunch or evening visitation options.
The monks intend to keep walking through mid-February. For a group on so long a journey and with so far left to go, they welcome visitors at any opportunity they can.
Monks walking by itself doesn’t create peace, the monks wrote in a “Why We Walk” post on their homepage dhammacetiya.com. The goal is to take a small step that creates a memorable moment with a stranger, who in turn will live in a more mindful way.
“And it continues,” the post said. “Ripple by ripple, heart by heart, moment by moment — spreading outward in ways none of us will ever fully witness, creating more peace in the world than we could possibly measure.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 12:02 PM.
