Glossary of Trail Building Terms

Access Point: Locations where users can enter or exit a trail.
Adaptive Management: Adjusting management practices based on monitoring and experience.
Alignment: The layout or routing of a trail.
Aqueduct: A constructed channel to carry water across a trail.
Armoring: Using rock or other hard materials to protect the trail surface from erosion.
Aspect: The compass direction that a slope faces.
Backslope: The cut side of the trail above the tread, usually angled for drainage.
Bench Cut: A type of trail construction where the trail is cut into the side of a slope.
Berms: Raised banks or walls often found on the outer edge of turns.
Bike-Optimized Trail: A trail specifically designed for mountain bike use.
Borrow Pit: An area where soil or fill material is taken to be used elsewhere.
Braiding: Multiple trails created when users create new paths around muddy or eroded sections.
Bridging: Using timber, stone, or other materials to span a wet or sensitive area.
Buffer Zone: An area surrounding a trail that protects natural or cultural features.
Camouflaging: Making features or trail segments blend into the natural environment.
Climbing Turn: A switchback designed for uphill travel.
Connector Trail: A trail that links two or more primary trails.
Corridor: The entire width of a trail, including the tread and the vegetated area on either side.
Crib Wall: A retaining structure made of logs or rocks, filled with soil.
Cross Slope: The angle of the trail surface relative to the horizon.
Crown: A raised center of a trail to promote water shedding.
Culvert: A pipe or channel that allows water to flow under a trail.
Daylighting: Creating openings in the forest canopy to allow more sunlight onto the trail.
Deberming: Removing the raised outer edge of a trail to improve drainage.
Duff: The layer of decaying plant material on the forest floor.
Equestrian Trail: A trail specifically designed for horseback riding.
Erosion: The wearing away of the trail surface by natural forces like water and wind.
Fall Line: The most direct route down a slope, often where water flows and erosion occurs.
Filter: A barrier or obstacle used to prevent unauthorized access to a trail.
Flow Trail: A type of mountain bike trail designed for smoothness and speed.
Ford: A shallow place in a river or stream where it can be crossed by wading or riding.
Full Bench: A trail construction method where the entire tread is built from cut material.
Gargoyles: Rocks or logs placed to guide users and prevent them from shortcutting a switchback.
Grade: The steepness of the trail, often expressed as a percentage.
Grade Reversal: A dip followed by a rise in a trail's alignment to divert water.
Half Bench: A trail construction where half the tread is cut and the other half is fill.
Hardening: Strengthening the trail surface using gravel or other materials.
Impervious Surface: A surface that does not allow water to pass through.
Inslope: When the trail surface is tilted into the hillside.
Kiosk: An informational sign or board at a trailhead.
Kick: The rise at the end of a feature, like a jump.
Knicks: Shallow drainage ditches cut into the trail to divert water.
Landing: A designated area for users to land safely after a jump or drop.
Lopper: A tool used to trim branches and vegetation.
LNT (Leave No Trace): An ethical principle promoting conservation in outdoor settings.
McLeod: A two-sided trail tool with a rake on one side and a flat blade on the other.
Multi-Use Trail: A trail designed for different types of users, such as hikers, bikers, and horse riders.
Outslope: When the trail surface is tilted away from the hillside.
Puncheon: A raised platform used to cross boggy or wet areas.
Reroute: Creating a new path to avoid sensitive or eroded areas.
Retaining Wall: A structure that holds back soil or rock from the trail.
Riprap: Loose stone used to form a foundation or protect against erosion.
Roller: A mound of soil or rock that users can roll over.
Sight Line: The visible distance ahead on a trail.
Singletrack: A narrow trail typically wide enough for one user at a time.
Switchback: A sharp turn in a trail that allows it to ascend or descend steep terrain.
Tabletop: A type of jump with a flat top.
Technical Feature: A trail obstacle challenging the user's skills, such as rocks or roots.
Tread: The surface of the trail where users walk or ride.
Trail Crew: A team responsible for trail construction, maintenance, and repair.
Trail Ethics: The principles guiding responsible and respectful trail use and construction.
Trail Fork: A point where a trail splits into two or more directions.
Trail Marker: Signs or blazes used to guide users.
Trail Stewardship: The responsibility of maintaining and preserving trails for future use.
Trail Technical Feature (TTF): Built or natural features on a trail intended to enhance the user's experience or challenge.
Trailhead: The start or entry point of a trail.
Turnpike: A raised section of trail, often built with logs or rocks, used in wet areas.
Water Bar: A barrier or dip that diverts water off the trail.
Widowmaker: A dead tree or branch that poses a fall hazard.