Marked a turn on the Ozark Trail with flagging tape and GPS was a game changer

I kept losing the path near the Blair Creek section where the leaf cover hides everything, so I started dropping a few bright orange strips at tricky forks and logging them on my phone. Has anyone else tried marking your own way off trail to keep from backtracking 2 miles?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_robert26d ago

Whoa yeah I used to think marking trail was cheating or something, but after circling the same damn ridge three times last fall I totally get it now. That orange tape sounds like a lifesaver compared to hiking in circles.

lucasjackson26d ago

Man, I never thought about it that way but you're right on the money. The thing folks don't talk about is how marking trail actually helps everyone be safer, not just you. When search and rescue has to come find someone, those bright tapes are basically breadcrumbs that save hours. Plus it cuts down on random social trails people make trying to find their way back. I've seen whole hillsides get torn up by folks zigzagging lost. A few strips of tape here and there keeps the impact in one spot instead of spreading trampling all over. Ever notice how much less worn down the ground is on marked routes compared to when everyone's guessing?