Talk:Trail

Start class?
While this article certainly needs improving the rating 'start class' is very odd.Rwood128 (talk) 15:19, 6 February 2014 (UTC)
 * You're right, I boldly upgraded it to C-class, probably hadn't been reviewed in a while. Montanabw (talk) 19:53, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * While I don't have much faith in the rating system, I'm puzzled by the recent edits (or rather the lack of explanation). As well why is this article of low importance for backpacking? Surely it should be high. Rwood128 (talk) 21:48, 18 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Greetings ((re|User:Rwood128}}. At the moment we defer to WikiProject Hiking trails unless there is a reason a trail related page is notable to backpackers specifically. Come join the Backpacking project and contribute to the article assessment standard. The project has only just be revived. Very early days. WikiProject Backpacking —¿philoserf? (talk) 00:58, 19 March 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks —¿philoserf? – I regularly work in this area, and will try to help. But I'm still puzzled. Firstly ¿philoserf? and Schwede66 can you explain why an article can drop from A to C so abruptly with any comment, or deserve A in the first place without explanation?


 * Furthermore, I don't see why this article is of low importance because it is also included under the WikiProject Hiking trails. I think I understand your reasoning ¿philoserf?, but it is very confusing (illogical) to the non-bureaucratic mind to say that a trail is of low importance for backpacking (hiking), and that, to take another example, Hiking is of high importance. Rwood128 (talk) 14:14, 19 March 2020 (UTC)


 * I've just discovered WikiProject Backpacking/Popular pages which confirms what I thought was the intention behind this project and the current illogic in what is included/excluded.


 * I would add Mountain huts and Youth hostels and remove many now included, starting with the various trails and mountains (any continuation of this discussion should probably move to Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Backpacking/Popular pages). Rwood128 (talk) 14:46, 19 March 2020 (UTC)

Sorry, my mistake. I have restored the A class rating. I was under the wrong impression that for A class, a formal assessment has to be undertaken (which I couldn't see on this talk page). Having now read up on the rules, I see that is not the case; a formal assessment is required for GA class but not A class. Again, my apologies.  Schwede 66  20:19, 19 March 2020 (UTC)

National Trails Systems
Re the recent edit,
 * "The National Trails System includes highways and water routes, as well as hiking trails";

the National Trail System doesn't seem to include highways. Rwood128 (talk) 21:05, 14 July 2014 (UTC)

Bicycle Trails
Doesn't some of the discussion in the section 'Bicycle trails' belong under 'Trail construction'? Rwood128 (talk) 18:27, 8 October 2014 (UTC)

Trail system layout
Is this section really needed? What does it add but what is obvious? I've never met these terms which sound bureaucratic. Any objection to deleting it? Rwood128 (talk) 01:46, 6 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Not from me. Obscurasky (talk) 09:48, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

First sentence
Could the first sentence be rewritten to actually state what the article is about? That is what I want to know when starting to read an article. What the word usually means or to what it might be applied, can be told later.

Now the first sentence reads:
 * A trail is usually a path, track or unpaved lane or road, though the term is also applied, in North America, to routes along rivers, and sometimes to highways.

In this case it is obvious that the title is at least somewhat ambiguous. For non-native speakers, of which there are lots on English Wikipedia, even an exact title is often not enough, as the (main) word used may not be well-known.

--LPfi (talk) 07:35, 5 October 2017 (UTC)

Rating
I've boldly upgraded the article to A-rating. The difference between A and B seems to be completeness to the expert. I can't think of another topic that can be sensibly included in this article, so I believe it should be an A. We can discuss here if other editors disagree. — hike395 (talk) 16:29, 6 June 2020 (UTC)
 * , I support the rating. I believe you are correct. —¿philoserf? (talk) 17:49, 6 June 2020 (UTC)
 * I've undone this. That was very out-of-process per WP:ACLASS. – Finnusertop (talk ⋅ contribs) 21:40, 10 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I believe this article deserves being a GA. You've written a large portion of the article: would you be willing to respond to suggestions for edits? — hike395 (talk) 04:51, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Hike395 I will be happy to help. It might be useful to ask the WikiProject Guild of Copy Editors to review the article. Rwood128 (talk) 11:36, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I think citations may need to be added in some sections. Rwood128 (talk) 12:41, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Maybe we should work through the article, adding citations, before going to GAR? — hike395 (talk) 04:37, 13 January 2021 (UTC)

I have started doing some copy editing. Rwood128 (talk) 11:14, 13 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I have just noticed the March 2020 discussion above, under "Start class". Rwood128 (talk) 11:56, 14 January 2021 (UTC) – Finnusertop, and  Schwede 66 , do you have any further thoughts?  Rwood128 (talk) 13:40, 14 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I have asked the Guild of Copy Editors to review the article. Rwood128 (talk) 13:53, 14 January 2021 (UTC)
 * See User talk:Rwood128

Types, Types and Types - Trail Use vs. Origin vs. Setting
Current use of "Type" seems to blend Uses, Origin and Setting. For clearer, more disciplined categorization, may I suggest ...

Trail Uses (Modes of Travel) -- which is most of the current "Types"
 * Segregated, non-motorized uses
 * Bicycle trail (main: Bike path) - typically urban/suburban and paved for commuters, but also consider wilderness routes mountain biking
 * Cross-country skiing trail - and other winter sports like snowshoeing, usually in countryside and wilderness settings
 * Equestrian trail (main: Bridle path) - horseback riding
 * Footpath - ranging from sidewalks and paved urban walkways to wilderness hiking trails
 * Shared-use path (aka multi-use trail) - usually allowing combination of activities such as walking/jogging, bicycling, inline skating, people in wheelchairs
 * Motorized and other uses
 * Off-road vehicle trail (see also Off-roading, Jeep trail) - for any type of Off-road vehicle (Four-wheel drive, All-terrain vehicle); see also Off-road park
 * Snowmobile trail (?) - often winter use of an ATV trail, but also on lake ice (like a Winter road)
 * Water trail

Suggest not categorizing by trail/path surfacing (paving asphalt/concrete/brick vs gravel vs natrual/dirt vs winter snow ...) as these are determined by the uses.

Trail Origin - often there is a historical Greenway source/precursor: Or then, just new Transportation planning (e.g. Bicycle transportation planning and engineering)
 * Desire path - whether created by humans or animals
 * Forest road, Firebreak
 * Historical Trade route
 * Holloway (Sunken lane)
 * Rail trail - also Rails with trails where a railway continues to run
 * Towpath or other waterfront path

Trail Setting
 * Urban (including Suburban)
 * Linear Park
 * Rural/Countryside
 * Wilderness — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pvalanne (talk • contribs) 09:02, 28 December 2020 (UTC)

History
Re the discussion of rating above, might the article be further improved by adding a history section? See Ancient trackway, Old military roads of Scotland, and Drove road. Rwood128 (talk) 21:08, 14 January 2021 (UTC)