We're excited to announce 'Hikes for Health', a month-long focus on health, wellness, and spending time outside. Each week includes its own mini-challenge, virtual event, sweepstakes prize, and inspiring special guest — to register and learn more information, click here!
Whether it's a long-awaited trek to a place you've never been or meandering around your local parks, trails are the backbone of hikes. During the week of 5/31 - 6/6, take a snapshot of trail signage that gives you the important information to get you safely on your way. Afterwards, consider taking a break from your digital device for the rest of the hike and simply enjoy the beauty your surroundings offer.
Post a photo of trail signage from your favorite trail and share a fun fact (ie. where it's located, how it helped you, the land management agency behind it, or what native land you're on)
Did you miss Week 1 or Week 2?
Are you ready for Week 4?
Spooner Summit, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park. Looping from the Tahoe Rim Trail back through North Canyon Trail, open to Mountain Bikes.
My visage reflects acceptance of who I am, not 'tude towards bikers, as I have ridden (and skied XC) the closed road.
Pinckney/Waterloo loop!
From East to West, the beginning, middle(ish), and end of our 42 mile trip on the North Country Trail across Picture Rocks National Lakeshore.
I know there are no trail signs in the Grand Portal Point photos, but Pictured Rocks without a view of Lake Superior and Grand Portal Point just seems incomplete!
Starting Point at Grand Sable Visitor Center
View of Grand Portal Point
Standing on Grand Portal Point
Finishing Point at Munising Falls Vistor Center
Skimming through my pictures really quickly, I notice that I don't really take a lot of pictures of trail signs. Here are a few from my hikes on the AT, though, and an unrelated bonus:
Where the Boulevard Trail splits off the AT shortly after Newfound Gap in the Smokies. The Jumpoff is just a short distance from here. One of my more fun hikes on the trail. It only rained once!
The Garenflow Gap sign, taken when I made up some trail I had to skip when I lost the soles of both boots, had to backtrack and skip around to Hot Spring. (The story of that is in another thread)
The metal sign at Doll Flats, where the Trail splits off from North Carolina into Tennessee. I was southbound on this trip, and camped near the summit of Hump Mountain. It was blowing up a gale up there! I set up my tarp in the lee side of a tall rock outcropping just short of the campsite on top, but still got buffeted enough that one stake got pulled out of the ground and woke me up flapping in the wind. Never did find that stake. Might be in the next county. Got some nice night views, though, while making a makeshift tie-down.
Now these aren't trail signs. They're pictures of some nice stuff found in a trail shelter log. I include them just because they're fun!
The infamous song Pack With No Frame, by Stone Raven, With Apologies to America!
And to finish, a cartoon of the journey of the Rock's Ridge Runners up to the fire tower on Albert Mountain, and what they found there!
My favorite local park frequently adds new trails so they provide updated printed maps instead to keep hikers from getting lost on the multiple loops. It’s on Seminole land and trails are maintained by the county parks and rec department.
Here is one of the trail markers from my favorite local day hike locations. It's one of two moraines in the Midwest and a large portion of it is a shared path with mountain bikers. It's a lot of fun and a beautiful location.
These are 3 trail names for a system at Lapham Peak State park in SE Wisconsin which is a favorite early and late season spot for me. A beautiful setup of rolling 300' hills and one of the only cross country trails systems with man mad snow to supplement any sub-par winter. There is another that I don't have a picture of called "Gut Buster" (because it is all uphill). I think the least creative was "Steep Hill", I think the dude naming them ran out of ideas by that point. These are hiking trails once the snow melts, but more fun in my opinion with snow.
A different kind of trail sign in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park...
I think someone else passed this way before us!
The Westerham Walking Path in Westerham, England. One of my best mates lives in Westerham, which is in the Kent district of SE England. This is your quintessential English village with thatched roofs and amazing people. This is also the home town of Winston Churchill I believe. They have wonderfully marked and maintained hiking paths around the village that allow you to have a self-guided tour of the history of the area. I fell in love with this village and almost didn't come home. The real prize for me was the "Tower Woods" Trail, which culminated in a mysterious tour of the ancient tower in the woods. The tower itself is shrouded in mystery with some even saying Anne Boleyn had, at one point, hid out in this very tower. Others suggest it was the pet project of a former eccentric local.