Introduction to New York State Trail Markers - Along with Attribution Guide to Pre-1970 Metal Markers: originally posted on Sept. 14, 2014

current 3 1/2" trail markers

During our hikes in the Adirondacks, I developed a particular fascination with trail markers. As I delved deeper into this interest, I started to observe variations among them, including differences in size, color, types, varieties, and the materials used to create them. This post serves as an introduction to what I've discovered about current plastic trail markers. However, my main focus and primary research will center on trail markers predating 1970. Be sure to revisit this post regularly, as I'll be continually updating it.

DEC issues ten types of trail markers in three colors (red, blue, and yellow) for the Adirondacks: TRAIL (blank no number), TRAIL (numbers 1-10), FOOT TRAIL, HORSE TRAIL, SNOWMOBILE TRAIL, CROSS COUNTRY SKI TRAIL, CANOE CARRY TRAIL, NATURE TRAIL, FOOT TRAIL (VALCOUR ISLAND), and BICYCLE TRAIL.

DEC describes the following trail markers

• Foot Trail - Used on all trails where only foot traffic is permitted.
• Trail - Used along multiple-use trails. Other markers appropriate on a given trail, such as foot, snowmobile, horse, and bicycle trail markers, are posted together at trailheads and intersections on guideboards. “Trail” markers are used along the trail to mark the trail route.
• Canoe Carry - Used on designated canoe carry trails.
• Cross-country Ski Trail - Used on trails considered suitable for cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing is permitted anywhere on the Forest Preserve.
• Snowmobile Trail - Used on trails where snowmobiles are permitted. Snowmobiles are only permitted on trails marked as snowmobile trails.
• Horse Trail - Used on trails where horses are permitted. Horses may not be ridden on foot trails that are not also marked as horse trails, nor on snowmobile or cross-country ski trails when they are covered with ice and snow.
• Bicycle Trail - Used on trails where bicycles are permitted. Bicycles are permitted in wild forest areas except where posted. In wild forest, it is not necessary for a trail to be marked as a bicycle trail for bicycles to be permitted. They may be used in primitive, and canoe areas only on designated roads. They are not permitted in wilderness.

 note pre-punched pinholes...DEC guideline states markers are to be nailed at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions, but that guideline is often ignored

this photo shows the reverse...note: "foot trail" marker is one solid color on both sides 

Pre-1970  guideline offers an interesting aspect on the usage of colored discs:  blue markers for north-south trails, red markers for east-west trails and trails to fire towers, and yellow markers for connector trails. However, such guidelines were not always followed.

 this is the proper over-nailing of new disc over old disk

 the lower disc should have been over-nailed to its older version above but it was not

blue marker should have been over-nailed over the red disk but it was not

When old markers needed to be replaced with new ones, old markers had to be removed completely off the trees. If removing them was not possible, new markers had to be nailed over the old markers. Although such over-nailing has been observed a number of times on trails, it was actually more common to nail new markers near the old ones.

Vintage (metal) trail markers are collectibles today. Most pre-1970 markers are quite common. Some, however, are quite scarce. Still yet, a few of them are quite rare. Small hoards of unissued/unused, along with used/decommissioned markers, do appear on the market from time to time.

floor rugs measuring 2' in diameter...green trail marker likely a fantasy issue...these rugs are copies of type 3A (see below for attribution guide)

Just like any other collectibles, state of preservation is very important. After all, nobody wants a disc with five crude holes and bent all out of shape. If such discs appear on the market, there is a very good chance they were yanked off trees recently. As for today's plastic markers, it is objectionable to own them, unless they are unissued markers obtained directly from DEC either as samples or for study purposes.

Attribution Guide to Pre-1970 Markers 

Type One: So-called "leather" and "cardboard" Conservation Department trail markers are known, measuring 3 inches in diameter. Actually, the very rigid base seems to be made from a mixture of tar and fine aggregate, designed to withstand all weather conditions. There are two known varieties within this type: 1B, and 1C. They may be prototypes that may have seen some use on lean-to(s), fire-tower cabins and other structures. Markers struck in steel are also known (rare). 

1A - letter "C" of "CONSERVATION" and "T" of "DEPARTMENT" are positioned mid-level to the letters "M" and "R" of "MARKER"  (not illustrated, unable to locate one in leather...it may not exist)

 obverse of 1B

reverse of 1B

1B - letter "C" of "CONSERVATION" and letter "T" of "DEPARTMENT" are positioned low to "M" and "R" of "MARKER"...all beginning letters in STATE OF NEW YORK / CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT are super capitalized

obverse of 1C

1C -  the letter "C" of "CONSERVATION" and the letter "T" of "DEPARTMENT" are positioned very low to the letters "M" and "R" of the word "MARKER" made of bituminous or bitumen board

1C - variety as above but made of steel, reverse in olive drab rust-proof paint, predates aluminum issues

variety 1C, made of steel

Type Two: The second generation Conservation Department trail markers (pre-1970) are made of aluminum, and they, also, measure 3 inches in diameter. Although the letterings are quite similar to "type one" leather issues, the printing on "type two" is not as crisp as those of "type one."

2A-blue

2A-yellow

2A (scarce) - the letter "C" of "CONSERVATION" is positioned low to the letter "M" of "MARKER," the letter "T" of "DEPARTMENT" is positioned low to the letter "R" of "MARKER," all beginning letters in STATE OF NEW YORK / CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT are super capitalized

Type Three: The third generation Conservation Department trail markers (pre-1970) are, also, made of aluminum and measure 3 inches in diameter. Although the letterings appear similar to "type one" and "type two" issues, "type three" uses a different set of font

3A-yellow

3A-blue

 3A (common) - the letter "C" of "CONSERVATION" is positioned mid-level to the letter "M" of "MARKER," the letter "T" of "DEPARTMENT" is positioned mid-level to the letter "R" of the "MARKER," all letters in STATE OF NEW YORK / CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT are of equal size

3B-blue-67

3B-yellow-67

3B-red-67

3B (scarce) - as above, but two digit year ('67, '68, '69) is added below MARKER, other years may also exist

3B-yellow-68

3B-red-68

3B-blue-68

3B-red-69

 

3B-yellow-69

We know that metal trail markers have been used since 1920, according to the "Tenth Annual Report for the Year 1920" issued by State of New York Conservation Commission (this unit became NYS Conservation Dept. in 1926 and Dept. of Conservation in 1970). Below is an extract from that report.

1920 photo showing the Trail Marker sign...unable to read the letters around the "TRAIL / MARKER"...but the top should read STATE OF NEW YORK and CONSERVATION COMMISSION below

"In the case of trails, however, instead of a colored band around the trees, circular metal discs have been adopted, one disc being placed on each side of the selected tree so that it is visible to a person coming from either direction along the trail. The colors of the discs are red, blue and yellow, respectively, the red discs being used on trails running in a general easterly and westerly direction, the blue discs on north and south trails and the yellow discs on diagonal trails. On the discs are printed the words “Trail Marker,” so that there may be no mistaking their purpose."

it seems the name change did not occur until 1928, based on these pins 

Although the "Conservation Commission" became "Conservation Department" in 1926, some changes were not enacted immediately (see photos of 1927 and 1928 hunting licenses), as we find from the 1926 report from the Conservation Dept. that "Tomany mountain observation station, and the Tomany mountain line will be rebuilt the first thing next spring....For the first time the trails were marked systematically with the standard circular colored trail markers used by the Commission," suggesting the terms "Commission" and "Department" were used interchangeably. 

Those trail markers would have been red in color with white lettering, as the trail runs east-to-west, and it is also a fire tower trail. Although later markers are made of aluminum, pre-WWII ones were likely made of material similar to cookie box tin, with the design application also following the manufacture of those boxes. Following the war, where aluminum was no longer needed for war efforts, those made of, now common, aluminum markers came to be in use until ca.1970. The early "Commission" markers would have been very similar in design (see photos) to the 1960s ones reading, "State of New York / Trail / Marker / Conservation Commission." 

above:  my terrible artwork of the 1920s "commission" marker...below: "department" marker 

To date, I have not encountered a trail marker with the 'Commission' design. These markers, in use only from 1920 to 1926, are exceedingly scarce. It's probable that their design closely resembled that of Type 2 (as seen in the photo above), with similar letter spacing. Given that both 'Commission' and 'Department' comprise ten letters, it's a plausible conjecture.