How far have I gone? How far is it to the trailhead?
Mileage can be marked off on signs, posts, stones, or stencils on the pavement.
by Stuart Macdonald, Trail Consultant, American Trails
Measuring distance along trails and greenways is important in urban areas as well as in the remote backcountry. Mileage can be marked off on signs, posts, stones, or stencils on the pavement. Being able to state more accurate locations along a trail can also help with emergency response. Maintenance needs can also be more readily identified where accurate mileage is measured. Some mile posts include the direction and distance to trailheads and access points. In some places such as trailheads, larger signs are used to convey distance and destination information. Presented here are a wide variety of solutions for conveying trail distances to trail users.
The classic concrete mile post with logo on the White River Trail, Indianapolis
Wood mile post with a reflector for safety on the Cady Way Trail, Orlando,Florida
Wood mile post along Cherry Creek Greenway, Parker, Colorado
Cast concrete post on Big Dry Creek Trail, Westminster, Colorado
Standardized concrete trail marker in Denver's City Park; 17 June 2010
Timber mileage marker post on the Highline Canal Trail; Greenwood Village, Colorado
Low milestone mile marker Los Gatos Creek Trail. Photo by Yves Zsutty, Trail Manager, City of San Jose
Artistic mile markers along the Tennessee Riverway in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Thermoplastic mile marker applied to the concrete trail surface at Willamette River Greenway; Eugene, Oregon
Mile marker made from standard concrete block; Little Tennessee River Trail, Franklin, North Carolina
Metal sign marks distance on the Aurora Reservoir Trail; Aurora, Colorado
Mile post includes destination information on the Willamette River Greenway; Eugene, Oregon
Trail signs include mileage to destinations on the Schuylkill River Trail; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Privately-funded direction and mileage marker along Rock Creek Trail; Washington, DC
Trail signs include mileage between bridge access points on the Schuylkill River Trail; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sign listing distance to the trailhead
Published December 11, 2019
Stuart Macdonald spent 19 years as Colorado's State Trails Coordinator. He is the editor of American Trails Magazine. During 1998-99, he represented State Trail Administrators on the national committee that proposed regulations for accessible trails. He chaired the National Recreational Trails Committee, which advised the Federal Highway Administration in the first years of the Recreational Trails Program. Stuart grew up in San Diego and his main outdoor interest besides trails is surfing. He has a BA in English from San Francisco State and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from Utah State.
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