# newbie question



## gmcunni (Sep 3, 2008)

what is a "blazed trail" or "blazed loop" ?  i've seen it referenced at more than one MTB location on maps and in trail reports.


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## Greg (Sep 3, 2008)

gmcunni said:


> what is a "blazed trail" or "blazed loop" ?  i've seen it referenced at more than one MTB location on maps and in trail reports.



Blazes are normally used to mark hiking trails. They are rectangular strips of paint on trees or rocks. For example, the CT Blue trail system is marked with blue blazes, and the entire Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes.


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## MRGisevil (Sep 4, 2008)

gmcunni said:


> what is a "blazed trail" or "blazed loop" ?  i've seen it referenced at more than one MTB location on maps and in trail reports.



It's where the HOHAs give you the stink eye for disrupting the squirrels :lol:


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## MR. evil (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Blazes are normally used to mark hiking trails. They are rectangular strips of paint on trees or rocks. For example, the CT Blue trail system is marked with blue blazes, and the entire Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes.



Some trail systems are blazed in triangular plastic or metal markers attached to trees or rocks. Sometime they are painted.

One the painted blazes then you have two blazes one top of one another, that means the trail turns or forks. If the top blazes is to the right of the lower blaze that means the trail goes right. Sometimes this is very subtle as the top blazed may only be offset by an inch or less. With the triangulat blazes which ever way the point faces is the direction the trail goes at in intersection or fork


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