Updated 10/18/95
The final layout of a trail can be flagged or painted so that subsequent clearing and construction can proceed with minimal supervision. The key to success in trail design is to define and follow clear objectives. Most important, keep it interesting! Keep these points in mind when laying out the trail.
Vary trail alignment and direction.
Avoid sameness by varying vegetative cover.
Take advantage of natural features and diversity.
Feature beautiful overlooks and vistas, seasonal landscapes, and
clearings.
Change the grade periodically but strive to maintain the trail on midslope
positions to promote good drainage and minimize erosion.
Keep trails inconspicuous, natural, and suitable to the land. The purpose
is to heighten the "natural experience," not to construct another four-lane
highway.
Design a trail that tantalizes the senses: sight, smell, touch, and
hearing.
Avoid monotony by adding curves and zig-zags that add to the natural
experience. Often the shortest distance between two points is the least
interesting.
Trail length can vary, but 1/2 to 1 mile is usually best.
Create a loop or rough figure-eight trail that will return the user to the
starting point. A connecting trail at the midpoint will allow visitors to
choose a shorter or longer walk.
After the trail route has been marked, construction can begin. Construction activities include tree removal, brushing or clearing, pruning, minor excavation, and occasional foot-bridge construction. Careful precon-struction planning can minimize the need for these activities.
Construction activities should be prioritized to accomplish the greatest amount
of work within the available time and other resources. Brush clearing often
yields the greatest return in defining the trail and opening it up to early
use. Later, intensive projects such as removing trees, 
installing interpretive
signs, or constructing bridges can be completed to refine the trail.
Trail clearing and brush removal can be accomplished with chain saws, mechanical brush cutters, hand saws, brush axes, regular axes, hatchets, loppers, and pruning saws. Hand clearing can be expensive and time consuming. However, labor availability may be the greatest obstacle to completing trail work. Greatest results are usually achieved when landowners can complete the work themselves.
Mechanized construction and clearing is often less expensive than hand labor; however, its use should be tempered by concerns for aesthetic and site disturbance. For instance a tractor-mounted rotary mower may make short work of brush control yet leave unsightly stumps behind. Clearly, some combination of mechanical and hand work is needed to complete trail construction in a timely and cost-effective manner. Let the individual landowner's interest and ability as well as local conditions be your guide.
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