From rugged backcountry trails to multiuse urban trail facilities, signage is a critical part of trail design. All pedestrians and hikers rely on some level of navigation to find their way along a given route, and the National Park Service points out that “signs are probably the quickest and easiest way to leave the trail user with a positive impression.” Aside from the navigational aspects of wayfinding on the trail, signage provides an opportunity to create a sense of place, enhancing the trail experience and reinforcing organizational identity and values. Through branding, signs can promote a cohesive experience, and allow for communication of important trail features, reinforcement of trail etiquette and regulations, and aid in decision-making for trail users. Their importance in overall planning and design cannot be underestimated, and yet so often trails lack adequate signage to allow trail users to determine where they are and where they want to go – let alone enhance their trail experience through meaningful interpretation. This workshop will outline the importance of signage, using signage to enhance the user experience and increase accessibility, content consideration for signage, and technical guidelines for signs – so you won’t feel lost while planning signage for your trails.
