769:
terminus, its point up or down depending on whether that was the beginning or the end. These began to be used elsewhere and are now fairly common throughout North
America, though variations of this system exist. Some trails instead use two blazes painted together at an angle to form an "L" shape to indicate a turn, with the angle between the two blazes indicating the angle and direction of the turn. Also, a few trails indicate turns with two stacked blazes, without an offset, but this can cause confusion as the direction is not implied. In addition, other trails may use two non-offset stacked blazes to indicate the trail goes straight at a location where there may be a tempting mis-turn.
129:
199:
360:
609:
317:
416:
137:
187:
689:
746:
408:
395:'s tape hung from branches or tied around trees is sometimes used to indicate trail routes, but usually only for temporary or unofficial trails, most commonly when a trail route has been selected but the trail itself is under construction. Flags are sometimes used for permanent trails, but they are the most vulnerable to the elements of any trail blazing method and may be more difficult to see.
32:
458:
758:
296:, trails are marked by three stripes. A painted stripe surrounded by two white stripes can indicate length with black, green, blue, or red representing short (<10 km) trails, and purple or orange representing longer trails (60 to 100 km). In addition, some trails are represented by specific colour combinations such as the Golan Trail (white, blue, green), the
1291:
385:
768:
Offset blazes is a system whereby a vertically stacked pair of blazes with the upper one offset in the direction that the trail turns. This system was first used in 1970 on the Beech Trail in
Harriman State Park. This system was further refined to where a triangular pattern of blazes would indicate a
531:
Duck is a term used in some parts of the US, generally for a much smaller rock pile than a cairn, typically stacked just high enough to convince the observer it is not natural. For most, two rocks stacked could be a coincidence, but three rocks stacked is a duck. In some regions, ducks also contain a
519:
in areas with heavy winters and may be easily knocked over. In some areas the recreational building of numerous cairns has obscured the proper use of cairns to mark junctions and crossings. In some areas of the United States, park rangers and land managers must disassemble excess cairns when they
778:
In the
Netherlands, signage usually consist of two bars above each other: white-red, yellow-red and red-blue are commonly seen blazes. An upcoming turn is indicated by duplicating the blazes: white-red-white-red, yellow-red-yellow-red, etc. Nowadays, stickers are often used, and instead of
194:
A painted marking of a consistent shape or shapes (often rectangular), dimension and colour or combination of colours is used along the trail route. The system by which blazes are used to signify turns and endpoints in trails (see below) strongly favors the use of paint blazes.
1127:
398:
Trail flagging is the predominant method to mark a mountain hiking trail in Japan. Red ribbons usually indicate an ascent route while yellow ribbon indicate a descent route. On some mountains, a non-standard ribbon colour (white or blue) is used to identify a specific trail.
375:
Alternatively, more long lasting plastic, metal or even sometimes wooden markers may be affixed to trees, usually with nails. The placement of these markers requires more skill and labor than paint, as well as an area with an abundant supply of trees to which to attach them.
642:
Another possible distinction is by season. In Norway, it is common to use blue for summer routes and red for winter routes. Red routes may traverse lakes and swamps, which are flat and well suited for cross-country skiing in winter, but impassable on foot in summer.
210:
uses three bars – usually one color in between two white bars, with different meanings attached to different colours – in a 10 cm x 10 cm square. Red is often used to mark difficult or summit trails. Arrows of similar design signal a change of direction.
654:, for instance, primary trails, especially longer "trunk trails" that go great distances, use red markers if they go in a generally east–west direction and blue if they go north–south. Shorter spur, loop or connector trails generally use yellow blazes.
600:, or any land open to a wide variety of users, or in a well-developed metropolitan area, blazes will be more frequent. Single-track hiking trails also receive more blazes than those that follow old roads or other more obvious routes.
1138:
657:
On occasions when two trails run concurrently, usually at a slightly staggered junction, only one trail may be signed, often with the longer or more heavily trafficked trail's blaze predominating. In other cases, such as southern
639:) are allowed on trails. For users of faster vehicles, blazes are often larger in order to be seen better at high speeds, and sometimes affixed markers best communicate who may and may not use a trail besides those on foot.
753:
In addition to reassuring the trail user that they are on the trail, the signage can alert them to imminent turns, particularly if there is some confusion about what might be the trail, and where trails begin and end.
307:
Blazes may also be painted on obvious rock surfaces or on posts set into the ground (or on utility poles, fences, or other handy surfaces) where the trail follows a road or goes through fields and meadows.
560:, at an intersection, along the edge of a field or in a forest, which often serve as waymarks for walkers and pilgrims or designate dangerous places. They are particularly common in Europe, for example in
616:
On a large piece of land, there is likely to be more than one trail. While it might seem obvious that, at minimum, trails should at least take different colours, this is not always done. In
681:
and painted red, are suspended on high poles, thus being visible to both hikers and skiers. Unlike in classic systems, they do not refer to paths or trails, but show the way to the nearest
515:
Below the tree line, cairns are used less frequently, often like flagging to indicate informal or unofficial paths or just their junctions with official trails. They may become obscured by
336:, or trails descended from those routes. Originally a tree would be blazed by hatchet chops (still the dictionary definition) but today other methods have become more common, with
1163:
710:
in the United
Kingdom is signposted using a white bicycle symbol on a blue background, with a white route number in an inset box, but with no destination names or distances.
328:
In North
America, Australia and New Zealand, there are trails blazed by cuts made in bark by axe or knife, usually the former. Most often these are informal routes made by
646:
Colours are often assigned simply with an eye toward making sure that no two trails that intersect use the same one, but it can go further than that. On all state land in
198:
266:
used very similar system. French, Italian, Austrian and Swiss trails use a similar system of white and coloured stripes. Slovenia, Croatia and other former members of
388:
Flag marker – a rare use of a tape flag as a blaze on an official trail in the US, here indicating where the trail re-enters the woods after crossing an open ledge
173:
There are several ways of marking trails, including paint, carvings, affixed markers, posts, flagging, cairns, and crosses, with paint being the most widely used.
1257:
351:
with a series of three distinctive blazes cut on the trees, usually with an axe, to define the specific route to the
Thunder Mountain Mines of Central Idaho.
749:
Symbols commonly used in trail blazing in the United States. Turn signals are often non-directional—one blaze is placed directly above the other.
159:
areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail.
863:
267:
1295:
772:
A triangular pattern with its point to the side was also devised for eventualities like spurs or junctions, but these have not caught on.
1224:
465:
Cairns are carefully arranged piles of stones. Cairns are most commonly used to indicate trails in open areas, such as higher-elevation
427:
Poles, colored or not, are often used to keep the trail visible during winter and under snow cover. Poles are standard trail markers in
222:
to a nearby spring. Today there are 42,000 km (26,000 mi) of marked trails in the Czech
Republic. This system is used also in
670:
1174:
1022:
115:
592:
requires that the land seems "untrammeled by man," and so blazes are often kept to a minimum. By contrast, in a typical municipal,
1325:
128:
963:
843:
762:
734:
53:
49:
96:
68:
1265:
727:
737:
in
England and Wales yellow marks are used for footpaths, blue for bridleways, and red for byways open to all traffic.
1315:
207:
75:
775:
In some areas, a triangular pattern with its point up indicates that a hiker is at the point of a sharp switchback.
461:
Inuksuit - a cairn in northern Canada were markers used for wayfinding and to locate caches of food or other stores.
340:
and aesthetic concerns sometimes playing a part in the choice of blazing method. Other navigational aids, such as
42:
82:
693:
523:
Where rocks are scarce, poles can be used. Poles are also frequently used to mark ski and snow shoe trails.
20:
1199:
469:, where no trees are available, or where conditions may make blazes hard to see. An ancient example is the
1320:
707:
64:
301:
166:). Originally a waymark was "any conspicuous object which serves as a guide to travellers; a landmark" (
141:
995:
608:
1073:
787:
be taken: the cross will have the same colours as the blazes (each bar will use a different colour).
316:
359:
321:
1047:
812:
415:
136:
1055:
1028:
1018:
348:
263:
206:
European countries usually use systems of painted bars or shapes in more than one colour. The
186:
1232:
688:
647:
337:
938:
219:
89:
1310:
699:
674:
585:
565:
297:
864:"Turistické značky máme od roku 1889, jsou geniálně jednoduché a závidà nám je celý svět"
617:
589:
466:
432:
215:
888:
1304:
1054:. Missoula, MT: USDA Forest Service Technology and Development Program. p. 125.
651:
636:
632:
621:
541:
502:
486:
278:
271:
779:
duplicating the blaze, the rectangle is cut into an arrow, to indicate direction. A
532:
pointer rock (or a couple of stacked rocks) to indicate the direction of the trail.
745:
685:
and adjacent towns and villages with the possibility of overnighting and catering.
682:
420:
286:
407:
867:
817:
801:
692:
Painted triangular blaze - here, the
Boardman River Trail parallels a road near
678:
436:
368:
247:
31:
572:. It can be made of wood, stone or metal. Most wayside crosses are designed as
832:
663:
628:
597:
457:
156:
1059:
162:
A blaze in the beginning meant "a mark made on a tree by slashing the bark" (
1032:
971:
827:
807:
498:
482:
392:
757:
1290:
1101:
733:
The colour used may also indicate the status of the route, for example on
837:
822:
573:
549:
440:
285:, a single colour is used, usually white, red, blue or yellow. Trails in
259:
251:
223:
202:
Basic Marker – red, used in
Central Europe for difficult or summit trails
761:
Painted marker in the USA – triangular blaze indicating a left turn, in
796:
780:
659:
624:, all trails other than the Appalachian Trail use the same blue blaze.
561:
478:
470:
428:
333:
329:
239:
235:
231:
227:
384:
16:
Practice of marking footpaths by leaving signs that indicate the route
1135:
Merkblätter des Bundesamtes für Bevölkerungsschutz, Kulturgüterschutz
593:
506:
494:
490:
293:
282:
255:
243:
320:
Carved marker – wooden marker using a stylized thistle to mark the
913:
756:
744:
703:
687:
607:
553:
545:
509:
474:
456:
452:
414:
406:
383:
358:
341:
315:
289:
are often marked by yellow footprints painted on trees and rocks.
185:
135:
127:
627:
Blaze type might also be mixed when different user groups (i.e.,
666:
follow the same path, both trails may use the same white blaze.
569:
557:
516:
1017:(2nd ed.). Weiser, Idaho: Trail Guide Books. p. 208.
726:
background. The system of symbols is based on that used by the
804:, a trail created by repeated use, sometimes informally marked
25:
132:
Left turn marker on a blue marked trail in the Czech Republic
197:
1128:"Kleinbauten im öffentlichen Raum III: Sakrale Kleinbauten"
620:
State Reservation, which contains the highest mountain in
1164:"Forest Service Wilderness Sign Guidance - Trail Signing"
493:
region of North America. These structures are found from
1258:"South West Coast Path – Is there signage on the Trail?"
1015:
Trails of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
612:
A National Cycle Network (NCN) milepost in Scotland
347:In 1902 the miners of Idaho created and marked the
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
520:become eyesores or when they mislead navigation.
1046:Hesselbarth W, Vachowski B, Davies MA (2007).
889:"Trail Markers in Israel – The Complete Guide"
218:in May 1889, to mark a trail from the town of
19:"Blazed" redirects here. For other uses, see
8:
1200:"Cross-country skiing in Krkonose Mountains"
155:is the practice of marking paths in outdoor
1137:(in German). ibid Altbau AG. Archived from
1052:Trail construction and maintenance notebook
512:and has areas with few natural landmarks.
996:"Hiking Basics - How is the A.T. marked?"
669:A quite different blazing system, called
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
344:, are used where blazes are unsuitable.
855:
783:is used to indicate a direction should
702:in England and Wales generally use an
214:This system was first used in today's
1252:
1250:
1096:
1094:
673:was created in the Czech part of the
7:
990:
988:
914:"Deep South USA Visitor Information"
662:where the Appalachian Trail and the
54:adding citations to reliable sources
728:Danish National Cycle Route network
588:, whether state or federal, the US
1225:"LyĹľaĹ™skĂ© stezky a jejich znaÄŤenĂ"
14:
1289:
1231:(in Czech). 2014. Archived from
30:
939:"Australian Alps walking track"
473:(plural inuksuit), used by the
41:needs additional citations for
943:Australian Alps National Parks
844:Trail difficulty rating system
763:Harriman State Park in the USA
164:The Canadian Oxford Dictionary
1:
1173:. 14 Jul 2005. Archived from
1000:Appalachian Trail Conservancy
190:Painted marker in Switzerland
349:Three Blaze "shortcut" Trail
300:(blue, gold, blue), and the
489:, and other peoples of the
423:at Piz Uccello, Switzerland
208:Czech Hiking Markers System
1344:
450:
411:Trail signs in Switzerland
18:
1013:Fuller, Margaret (2002).
964:"Mangonui Heritage Trail"
677:. The blazes, cut out of
501:. This region, above the
168:Oxford English Dictionary
1229:turistika.abchistory.cz
920:. Lofthouse Enterprises
840:, a GPS navigation term
694:Traverse City, Michigan
304:(white, blue, orange).
21:Blazed (disambiguation)
1326:Geopositioning markers
765:
750:
741:Meaning of trail signs
708:National Cycle Network
696:
613:
505:, is dominated by the
462:
424:
412:
389:
372:
325:
203:
191:
145:
133:
1298:at Wikimedia Commons
1102:"Reading Trail Signs"
760:
748:
691:
611:
460:
418:
410:
387:
362:
319:
302:Israel National Trail
201:
189:
142:Voyageur Hiking Trail
139:
131:
50:improve this article
1106:HowToWilderness.com
1002:. 11 December 2019.
431:, Canada, USA, the
322:Southern Upland Way
272:Knafelc trail blaze
1316:Outdoor recreation
1180:on 6 December 2018
1144:on 30 October 2014
1074:"Mt. Seymour Peak"
968:doubtlessbay.co.nz
813:Paper chase (game)
766:
751:
697:
614:
463:
425:
419:Pole marker on an
413:
390:
373:
326:
204:
192:
146:
134:
1294:Media related to
1268:on 16 August 2018
1126:Mecchi C (2007).
974:on 27 August 2016
126:
125:
118:
100:
1333:
1293:
1278:
1277:
1275:
1273:
1264:. Archived from
1254:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1240:
1221:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1210:
1196:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1185:
1179:
1168:
1160:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1149:
1143:
1132:
1123:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1112:
1098:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1084:
1070:
1064:
1063:
1043:
1037:
1036:
1010:
1004:
1003:
992:
983:
982:
980:
979:
970:. Archived from
960:
954:
953:
951:
950:
935:
929:
928:
926:
925:
910:
904:
903:
901:
899:
893:Israel by Locals
885:
879:
878:
876:
875:
860:
586:wilderness areas
366:
177:Types of signage
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
1343:
1342:
1336:
1335:
1334:
1332:
1331:
1330:
1301:
1300:
1287:
1282:
1281:
1271:
1269:
1262:National Trails
1256:
1255:
1248:
1238:
1236:
1235:on 5 March 2016
1223:
1222:
1218:
1208:
1206:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1183:
1181:
1177:
1166:
1162:
1161:
1157:
1147:
1145:
1141:
1130:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1110:
1108:
1100:
1099:
1092:
1082:
1080:
1072:
1071:
1067:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1025:
1012:
1011:
1007:
994:
993:
986:
977:
975:
962:
961:
957:
948:
946:
937:
936:
932:
923:
921:
912:
911:
907:
897:
895:
887:
886:
882:
873:
871:
862:
861:
857:
852:
793:
743:
722:numbers have a
714:numbers have a
700:National Trails
675:Giant Mountains
637:mountain bikers
606:
582:
538:
529:
455:
449:
405:
382:
364:
363:Affixed marker
357:
355:Affixed markers
314:
298:Jerusalem Trail
184:
179:
122:
111:
105:
102:
65:"Trail blazing"
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1341:
1340:
1337:
1329:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1303:
1302:
1286:
1285:External links
1283:
1280:
1279:
1246:
1216:
1191:
1171:wilderness.net
1155:
1118:
1090:
1065:
1038:
1023:
1005:
984:
955:
930:
918:Deep South USA
905:
880:
854:
853:
851:
848:
847:
846:
841:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
799:
792:
789:
781:diagonal cross
742:
739:
720:Regional Route
712:National Route
618:Mount Greylock
605:
602:
590:Wilderness Act
581:
578:
537:
534:
528:
525:
451:Main article:
448:
445:
433:Czech Republic
404:
401:
381:
378:
356:
353:
313:
310:
216:Czech Republic
183:
180:
178:
175:
140:Marker of the
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1339:
1338:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1321:Trail markers
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1308:
1306:
1299:
1297:
1296:Trail blazing
1292:
1284:
1267:
1263:
1259:
1253:
1251:
1247:
1234:
1230:
1226:
1220:
1217:
1205:
1201:
1195:
1192:
1176:
1172:
1165:
1159:
1156:
1140:
1136:
1129:
1122:
1119:
1107:
1103:
1097:
1095:
1091:
1079:
1078:trailpeak.com
1075:
1069:
1066:
1061:
1057:
1053:
1049:
1042:
1039:
1034:
1030:
1026:
1024:9780966423327
1020:
1016:
1009:
1006:
1001:
997:
991:
989:
985:
973:
969:
965:
959:
956:
944:
940:
934:
931:
919:
915:
909:
906:
894:
890:
884:
881:
869:
865:
859:
856:
849:
845:
842:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
803:
800:
798:
795:
794:
790:
788:
786:
782:
776:
773:
770:
764:
759:
755:
747:
740:
738:
736:
735:rights of way
731:
729:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
695:
690:
686:
684:
683:mountain huts
680:
676:
672:
667:
665:
661:
655:
653:
652:Catskill Park
649:
644:
640:
638:
634:
630:
625:
623:
622:Massachusetts
619:
610:
603:
601:
599:
595:
591:
587:
579:
577:
575:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
551:
547:
543:
542:wayside cross
535:
533:
526:
524:
521:
518:
513:
511:
508:
504:
503:Arctic Circle
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
459:
454:
446:
444:
442:
438:
434:
430:
422:
417:
409:
402:
400:
396:
394:
386:
379:
377:
370:
361:
354:
352:
350:
345:
343:
339:
338:environmental
335:
331:
323:
318:
311:
309:
305:
303:
299:
295:
290:
288:
284:
280:
279:United States
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
212:
209:
200:
196:
188:
181:
176:
174:
171:
169:
165:
160:
158:
154:
150:
149:Trail blazing
143:
138:
130:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
1288:
1270:. Retrieved
1266:the original
1261:
1237:. Retrieved
1233:the original
1228:
1219:
1207:. Retrieved
1203:
1194:
1182:. Retrieved
1175:the original
1170:
1158:
1146:. Retrieved
1139:the original
1134:
1121:
1109:. Retrieved
1105:
1081:. Retrieved
1077:
1068:
1051:
1041:
1014:
1008:
999:
976:. Retrieved
972:the original
967:
958:
947:. Retrieved
945:. 2013-11-12
942:
933:
922:. Retrieved
917:
908:
896:. Retrieved
892:
883:
872:. Retrieved
870:. 2016-10-09
866:(in Czech).
858:
784:
777:
774:
771:
767:
752:
732:
723:
719:
718:background,
715:
711:
706:symbol. The
698:
668:
656:
645:
641:
633:horse riders
629:snowmobilers
626:
615:
583:
539:
530:
522:
514:
467:alpine areas
464:
426:
421:Alpine route
397:
391:
374:
346:
327:
306:
291:
287:South Africa
276:
213:
205:
193:
172:
167:
163:
161:
157:recreational
152:
148:
147:
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
898:13 February
868:Czech Radio
818:Quilt Trail
802:Desire path
679:sheet metal
671:mute blazes
527:Trail ducks
437:Switzerland
248:Philippines
153:way marking
106:August 2014
1305:Categories
978:2020-07-20
949:2020-07-20
924:2020-07-20
874:2022-12-25
850:References
833:Wayfinding
664:Long Trail
598:state park
580:Prominence
574:crucifixes
324:, Scotland
268:Yugoslavia
220:Štěchovice
76:newspapers
1060:959245369
828:Trailhead
808:Land mark
499:Greenland
483:Kalaallit
144:in Canada
1204:ergis.cz
1033:50596610
838:Waypoint
823:Sea mark
791:See also
648:New York
568:and the
550:footpath
441:Slovakia
393:Surveyor
380:Flagging
312:Carvings
260:Bulgaria
252:Mongolia
224:Slovakia
1048:"Signs"
797:Daymark
660:Vermont
604:Systems
566:Galicia
562:Germany
536:Crosses
479:Inupiat
471:inuksuk
429:Austria
334:hunters
330:loggers
277:In the
264:Georgia
240:Albania
236:Romania
232:Croatia
228:Ukraine
90:scholar
1311:Hiking
1272:20 Jul
1239:20 Jul
1209:20 Jul
1184:20 Jul
1148:20 Jul
1111:20 Jul
1083:20 Jul
1058:
1031:
1021:
594:county
584:In US
507:tundra
495:Alaska
491:Arctic
447:Cairns
439:, and
342:cairns
294:Israel
283:Canada
256:Poland
244:Brazil
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
1178:(PDF)
1167:(PDF)
1142:(PDF)
1131:(PDF)
704:acorn
596:, or
554:track
548:by a
546:cross
544:is a
510:biome
487:Yupik
475:Inuit
453:Cairn
403:Poles
182:Paint
97:JSTOR
83:books
1274:2020
1241:2020
1211:2020
1186:2020
1150:2020
1113:2020
1085:2020
1056:OCLC
1029:OCLC
1019:ISBN
900:2024
724:blue
570:Alps
558:road
517:snow
281:and
270:use
262:and
250:and
69:news
785:not
716:red
650:'s
556:or
497:to
332:or
292:In
170:).
151:or
52:by
1307::
1260:.
1249:^
1227:.
1202:.
1169:.
1133:.
1104:.
1093:^
1076:.
1050:.
1027:.
998:.
987:^
966:.
941:.
916:.
891:.
730:.
635:,
631:,
576:.
564:,
552:,
540:A
485:,
481:,
477:,
443:.
435:,
369:NZ
274:.
258:,
254:.
246:,
242:,
238:,
234:,
230:,
226:,
1276:.
1243:.
1213:.
1188:.
1152:.
1115:.
1087:.
1062:.
1035:.
981:.
952:.
927:.
902:.
877:.
371:)
367:(
365:â–˛
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
