
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.
Low milestone mile marker Los Gatos Creek Trail. Photo by Yves Zsutty, Trail Manager, City of San Jose
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
Trail signs include mileage to destinations on the Schuylkill River Trail; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Published December 11, 2019
Design for Understanding: Protecting Trail Users in the Time of Covid-19
Don Meeker, president of Terrabilt, reflects on trails as a critical sanctuary during COVID-19, and provides guidance on signage to keep everyone on trails safe. Terrabilt will also provide the production artwork for their COVID-19 trail sign for free.
Proper Signage Makes a Trail Come Alive
From wayfinding signage that help the public navigate your trail, to informational signs that educate trail visitors about the area, promote conservation, and create a more interactive experience, proper signage can take trails to the next level.
Making the Trail Visible and Visitor Ready: A Plan for the James River Segment
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail joined the National Trails System following designation by Congress in 2006. The trail helps visitors experience, envision, understand, and protect what the explorers and inhabitants of the region encountered 400 years ago.
Trail Tales Educational Outreach & Interpretive Plan
Trail Tales is a community-focused educational outreach and shoreline interpretive program centered in the City of Anacortes in Skagit County Washington.