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The Great Outdoors

Questions tagged [trails]

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A trail is a path marked with blazes, to facilitate walking without precise maps and show the most interesting places.

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8
votes
1answer
177 views

What is the leave no trace thing to do when parallel trails start to form?

Sometimes in areas with sandy/muddy ground, multiple parallel trails will start to form. What is the least impactful way to walk a trail like this? Do you stay on whichever trail shows the most ...
1
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0answers
44 views

Additional map source information for Willmore Wilderness Park in Alberta?

I currently have the Canada NTS 1:50,000 maps, and the 1990 revision of the complete park map. They don't agree on details, and so far the NTS maps have higher error rates. I also have a couple of ...
6
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0answers
1k views

What is the longest dead end road on US public land?

In this answer at; I am lost, I found a trail, which way do I go? It claims ...logging roads These may extend many miles into the forest, with multiple branches, all ending in dead ends. There can ...
51
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10answers
17k views

I am lost, I found a trail, which way do I go?

If I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road, how do I decide which way to go? Autumn Veatch was 16 years old in 2015, when her grandparents small plane crashed in the North Cascade ...
4
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1answer
135 views

What equipment is used to “groom” single track hiking and biking trails?

I've heard of single track hiking/biking trails being "groomed" before to keep them in good condition for users. The use of shovels, rakes, and possibly chainsaws to keep the trails free of debris ...
1
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1answer
113 views

What are directional, height, and distance guidelines for marking trails?

Generally, I'm more used to methods described here for the US. Our task this past weekend was to use dots to remark a trail, but the method of placement was opposite to what I'm used to: the dots ...
12
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3answers
4k views

How is elevation gain and change measured for hiking trails?

If a trail is listed as 1500m of elevation change, what exactly does that mean? For example, if the trail goes up 500m, then down 200m, then up 100m, then down 300m, then up 400m, is that considered ...
14
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3answers
3k views

Is there a difference between a hiking trail and a backpacking trail, including if it's the same piece of land?

I saw an article about the Long Trail, a 272-mile trail through the Green Mountain range in Vermont, USA. It's famous for being the oldest hiking trail in the United States, having been built between ...
4
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1answer
1k views

Is there a standard hiking trail difficulty rating system in the United States?

At a local park I've seen hiking/mountain biking trails marked with a green circle, blue square, or black diamond representing easy, intermediate, and hard trails. I've only ever seen this while ...
2
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1answer
50 views

Hiking trails between Mt Moosilauke and Rumney NH

I would like to hike from Mt Moosilauke to Rumney NH. From the all trials map it looks like I can take the Carriage Road Trail almost all the way to some sort of extension to the Three Ponds Trail, ...
16
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1answer
12k views

What does “out and back” mean in terms of understanding the length of a trail?

If I am going on a 10 mile hike and the book says the hike is 10 miles out and back, how many miles will it be total?
5
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1answer
285 views

How can I distinguish between rock pile types cairn, duck, and natural?

I've seen cairns while hiking in mountains and they are usually easy to distinguish from natural rock piles. However, I am a bit confused by what makes a duck and what distinguishes it from a cairn ...
3
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3answers
150 views

Where are some good places for a day-hike within an hour or two of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA?

Some friends and I were thinking of doing a one day hike somewhere in Minnesota. I have looked online for places but nothing I have found really gives me a sense of the place. My requirements are ...
7
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1answer
104 views

How are trail surface firmness and surface stability defined?

Nevada State Parks have the most numerically precise characterisation of hiking trails I have yet seen. For example, see this map and list for Valley of Fire State Park or this one for Beaver Dam ...
4
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2answers
124 views

Printable maps of the Tony Knowles coastal trail

The maps of the trail at http://anchoragecoastaltrail.com/index.php are not well suited for printing. Even the printable map is pretty much illegible. Are there perchance higher quality maps available ...
4
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2answers
396 views

What are the busiest months for hiking in the New Hampshire Presidential Mountains?

I'm planning a 3 day hike (somewhere between early June and early September) in the New Hampshire's White Mountains, specifically the Presidentials. I'd like to avoid the biggest crowds and would ...
7
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1answer
201 views

Can a dog thru-hike 2500 miles in 6 months?

Recently I came across the story of Bobbie the Wonder dog and it really got me wondering about the veracity of this. So, aside from the fact that the dog found the way on his own, if a person is ...
4
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1answer
465 views

How to describe a trail well for others in a systematic way?

I occasionally design or lead hikes in areas with multiple trail junctions. I attempt to be thorough in the planning by having several different ways for hikers to follow the trail. (Maps and GPS are ...
4
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1answer
415 views

Why does the Iditarod sled dog race use separate routes in alternating years?

The Iditarod sled dog race is a competition that takes place in Alaska, USA. Each team consists of a musher, who drives the sled, and 16 sled dogs. The race usually starts in Anchorage and ends in ...
5
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2answers
243 views

Are there reasons for not putting the mileage on trail signs or is it just a matter of style?

I have seen a lot of trail signs and one thing I noticed is that sometimes they have the distance from one point to another like, Phelps Lake 4 miles Death Canyon Shelf 8 miles and sometimes ...
1
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0answers
93 views

What were the original trail signs on the Toiyabe Crest Trail?

This summer I did the Toiyabe Crest Trail and noticed that there are three different kinds of trail signs: Cheap plastic triangular ones that say Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail Square posts ...
7
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2answers
191 views

What are the best possible ways of indicating a 'closed' trail?

I live in a region where you have trails that are open any time of the year, some of the other trails are usable throughout the year except rainy (monsoon) season. There are also rare cases of the ...
10
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3answers
332 views

How are the routes of hiking trails determined?

While hiking and backpacking, I often ponder how the trail came to be located where it is. Some trails, especially longer ones, seem like they could take several different routes to get to their ...
9
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1answer
447 views

Do military style obstacle course trails exist in a genuinely forested setting and open to the general public?

I am interested in knowing if there are any military style obstacle course trails that exist in a completely forested setting for the military, police, search and rescue, and so on, yet are open to ...
4
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2answers
228 views

What devices would help me track my outdoor activities and fitness? [closed]

I recently moved to CO and I want to buy a device to help me track various activities such as hiking, trail running, snowboarding, etc. Along with the general "outdoor activities", I also want to use ...
11
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3answers
377 views

Hiking uphill, two choices of trails: how to deal with each one?

There are two trails leading to a beautiful spot in a nearby park. One of them has a steady climb all the way (trail A) while the other has some sharp climbs followed by relative level segments (trail ...
9
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1answer
266 views

Does it harm deer when I walk on their trails?

I've often walked on deer trails already. The last time I've done this I suddenly realized that it might not be the best practice. I was (and I am) concerned that the "human smell" might stop the deer ...
3
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3answers
137 views

Marked trail off the Beartooth Highway to a peak

I'm looking for a marked trail off the Beartooth highway that leads to a peak with a nice overview about the region. I googled for the last couple of hours, but couldn't find a lot of information. Is ...
29
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3answers
5k views

Is it offensive to “just hike” on a pilgrim's path?

I am considering taking a pilgrim's path - Olaf's Trail - in Norway (about 3 weeks). However, I don't want to do it for any religious reasons. I just saw this trail in pictures and thought: "What a ...
7
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1answer
139 views

Good two-day tour for the “Trekkinghütten” in the saxon switzerland

Since May 2015, the German Elbsandsteingebirge (Elbe Sandstone Mountains) has so called "Trekkinghütten" (trekking cabins). However, due to the fact that they're pretty new, there aren't really any ...
7
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1answer
1k views

Yosemite in late March a good idea?

My wife and I have never been to Yosemite. We will have some time off in a couple of weeks (end of March) and we're considering planning a trip to Yosemite. The amount of rain and snow in recent ...
18
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3answers
329 views

When is it appropriate to make a cairn?

Cairns are small stacks of rocks used to mark trails. These can be especially useful above the tree line where other trail blazes would be inappropriate or unsightly. This answer discourages their ...
9
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2answers
239 views

Are pets allowed to thru-hike US National Scenic Trails?

In the US, National Scenic Trails span many different land types (state/federal parks, forests, etc). While these all have different rules on pets, I was wondering if the National Trail System ...
2
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2answers
55 views

Highest point of the Planneralm 3D course (Robin Hood land)

I'll travel to the Planneralm next summer to shoot a little 3D. However, we've a person in the group which is a little bit concerned about the height (she has a shortness of breath if she goes too ...
7
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1answer
207 views

What's the best way to plan a 3D archery course?

Let's say you want to establish a 3D archery tournament. You want to create a small 3D course. You are at the stage where you want to make a concept for the trail. How do you create a map to ensure ...
4
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1answer
1k views

How many miles of hiking trails are there in the United States?

Wikipedia has a list of Long-distance trails in the United States I exported the table to excel and found there more than 150 trails listed, totaling more than 74,000 miles. Another resource with a ...
8
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3answers
230 views

What is the longest stretch of bike trail that parallels a navigable river in the US?

I have begun adventuring where I drive to a boat launch on a river near a bike trail, put the canoe on a trailer, and tow the canoe up the trail with the bike. At another boat launch I put the canoe ...
8
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4answers
648 views

How to hide a trail turn?

There is a trail (Not really a "trail" as such), adjacent to my appartment I am lucky to be by a 100m x 500m patch of earth (not an official park), that is not built on. Swerving from the trail, where ...
8
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2answers
176 views

Is it feasible to hike Zion and Bryce in Utah in mid-May?

Is it feasible to hike trails to at least some overlooks around Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah in mid-May? If yes, do we need a 4x4, or will a sedan do? We are only interested in day ...
20
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3answers
11k views

When is it OK to hike off trail?

I visited my local forest preserve recently (in a suburb of Chicago, IL) and found new signs every mile or so that read something to the effect of Please stay on the trail so as to preserve the ...
9
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1answer
297 views

What does the status “W: Available at the Facility” mean regarding trail permits?

When looking for trail permits for a particular trail at recreation.gov, I almost always see the status "W: Available at the Facility" for today and the next day, and rarely anything available for 2 ...
4
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2answers
1k views

Two day hike recommendations in New England area

I am interested in a recommendation for a good hike in New England (MA, NH, ME, VT, etc). We will have Saturday and Sunday and we want to do a long hike/backpacking. Preferably with elevations of 4k+ ...
33
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7answers
5k views

Wood versus plastic trail signs?

My town (Groton MA, USA) has 110 miles of trails open to the public, but virtually no signs helping people navigate at intersections in the woods. I am on the Trails Committee, and I'm pushing hard ...
16
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4answers
3k views

What are good designs for volunteer-buildable trail bridges?

We have several places on local trails maintained by volunteers where the trail crosses a small stream or ditch. In these places the stream is a bit too wide and deep to expect people to jump accross....
13
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1answer
293 views

What are traditional Sami trail markings?

This weekend I came down to Vuodnabahta along the spectacular Ávttje-canyon. The Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT) marks trails with cairs and red painted T-marks. The local Sami organisation in ...
8
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1answer
2k views

Devils path shuttle

I'm planning on through hiking Devil's Path in the Catskills in November with some friends, and I'm trying to figure out the transportation. We leave about 3 hours away, so I'd prefer not to have to ...
4
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3answers
170 views

Backpacking in southern NY or PA

All- I'm looking for a good 25-30 mile backpacking trail in southern NY or PA. I've looked into Allegany State Park and National Forest, but couldn't find a loop that would keep us out of campgrounds....
8
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2answers
2k views

What resources are needed to attempt E3?

E3 is a 7000 km hike through Europe. What resources would every member of a small group of average adults need in order to realistically have chance of completing it: Vacation time Money Equipment ? ...
12
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4answers
807 views

Is it generally allowed to walk in German forests in the night?

I was geocaching a bit and I've found in many caches the warning not to cache in the night during the winter because of hunting season. My question is, have such limitations a legal basis, and if so, ...
12
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2answers
228 views

How do I find a less crowded trail in the southeast United States on the 4th of July?

In addition to "longest walk possible" are there any good guidelines for finding trails/areas in the southeast that are typically less crowded on holidays such as the 4th of July? State parks here in ...

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