Trail blazes are used to denote the path of a trail. They most commonly consist of painted markings on trees or fences, but can also take the form of affixed markers, cairns or carvings.

Both the Bruce Trail and Oak Ridges Trail use a blazing system adopted from that used on the Appalachian Trail through the Eastern United States. The system is shown below:

Trail continues straight ahead

Trail continues straight ahead (Alternate symbol used on lightly coloured surfaces)

Trail veers left

Trail veers right

End of trail

Trail blazes often use colour coding to denote separate or side trails. For example, the Bruce Trail and Oak Ridges Trail use white markings for main trails and blue markings for side trails. Colour coding can become more complex if there are a number of different trails located in one geographic area.

Most trail associations produce literature or brochures that explain their own system of blazing.

Adapted with permission from the Bruce Trail Conservancy's Explanation of Blazes.

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