Key:trailblazed

Description
Markings on outdoor paths and trails by signs, markers, poles, cairns or in another way.
Group: hiking
Used on these elements
Useful combination
highway=* trailblazed:visibility=*
Status: approved
trailblazed=* More details at taginfo
Tools for this tag
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Trail blazing, or way marking, is the practice of improving visibility of trails in outdoor areas, and making them easier to follow, by use of a variety of signs, objects, or markings.

Usage

• Tag =* on paths or tracks which are marked using poles, cairns or other markings. If only part of the way is trailblazed, only tag the relevant sections. Do not tag =* on route relations containing such a way. In route relations, use osmc:symbol=* symbol=* wiki:symbol=* or colour=* to tag the waymarking of the entire route.
  

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Way
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Relation

• In some quite rare cases it can happens that two or more types of blazing appear on section of the way. In this case dominant blazing should be tagged or simply =yes can be used.
• Tag =no indicates that blazing is expected, but doesn't exist. This could e.g. be the case in snowy areas where the trail is visible on the ground only in the summer.
• trailblazed:visibility=* tag can be used as additional tag giving information about trail marking visibility
• In the case there will be additional symbol (painted or attached) on pole or cairn the way should be tagged =poles or =cairns and additional tag can be used osmc:symbol=* symbol=* or wiki:symbol=*. In this case =symbols shouldn't be used.
• =symbols can be used only if there is no waymarked route tagged with a osmc:symbol=* symbol=* wiki:symbol=* or colour=*. If this condition is met =symbols can be used and additional tag can be added osmc:symbol=* symbol=* or wiki:symbol=*
• =poles or =cairns can be used as combination with waymarked route tagged by a osmc:symbol=* symbol=* wiki:symbol=* colour=*.

Values

Tag	Description	Picture 1	Picture 2	Definition of marking
=yes	trail is blazed in some way			Any trail marking which will not fit any definition below.
=no	trail is not blazed			No trail marking at all.
=poles	trail is blazed by poles			Trail marking made by erected poles wooden or plastic, colored or natural. If poles for example having red crosses on top for better vissibility it still should be tagged as =poles. osmc:symbol=* symbol=* or wiki:symbol=* can be added if there is additional sign on them.
=cairns	trail is blazed by cairns			Trail marking made by piled stones. Stones should be piled up in such manner that there is not doubt they are man made and they are there for navigational reason. If a cairn is colored it still should be tagged as =cairns. osmc:symbol=* symbol=* or wiki:symbol=* can be added if there is additional sign on them.
=symbols	trail is blazed by symbols			Trail marking made by colorful symbols painted directly on other objects like trees, stones, houses and so on. Or marking made by colorful or natural labels made from metal, wood, plastic or other material attached firmly to other objects. osmc:symbol=* symbol=* or wiki:symbol=* can be added if possible.

Examples

Picture	Tag	Description
	=poles trailblazed:visibility=good osmc:symbol=red:red_x	Trail marking made by poles. Even there is red cross on top of pole tag it as =poles Because of distance between poles I would tag it as trailblazed:visibility=good in heavy snowfall or fog poles might not be perfectly visible. osmc:symbol=red:red_x can be used here.
	=cairns trailblazed:visibility=bad osmc:symbol=red:red_arch	Trail marking made by cairns. Even there is red color on the cairn I would tag it as =cairns Because of distance between cairns I would tag it at least as trailblazed:visibility=bad and maybe even trailblazed:visibility=horrible osmc:symbol=red:red_arch can be used here.
	=symbols trailblazed:visibility=intermediate osmc:symbol=red:red_round:white_dot	Trail marking made by symbol defined by osmc:symbol=* So it should be tagged as =symbols Visibility of marking is impossible to define by this picture so just for example trailblazed:visibility=intermediate osmc:symbol=red:red_round:white_dot can be used here.
	=symbols wiki:symbol=*	Trail marking made by marker attached to the tree so it should be tagged as tag it as =symbols Trail visibility is unknown. wiki:symbol=* can be used here.

See also

• The original proposal for this key (Abandoned)
• The proposal to additional values (Approved)
• The proposal for the "Marked trail"-key
• "marked_trail" on taginfo
• Symbol - symbol disambiguation page
• tourism=information + information=trail_blaze (or tourism=information + information=route_marker) - A marker that shows the position of the way. Could be a symbol or a painted marking.
• guidepost=* + marker=* + man_made=cairn - Some additional keys and tags that can be considered when dealing with trail blazing features.