{{Short description|Point at which a trail begins}} {{one source|date=April 2020}} [[File:Dike Trail no. 1389.JPG|thumb|Trailhead for Dike Trail no. 1389, in the San Isabel National Forest, Colorado]] thumb|upright|Trailhead sign A '''trailhead''' is the point where a trail begins or is accessed,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trailhead |title=trailhead |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Merriam-Webster |access-date=2020-01-20 |quote=Definition of trailhead: the point at which a trail begins.}}</ref> where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles. Modern trailheads often contain restrooms, maps, signposts, and distribution centers for informational brochures about the trail and its features and parking areas for vehicles and trailers.
The United States Access Board defines a trailhead "as an outdoor space that is designated by an entity responsible for administering or maintaining a trail to serve as an access point to the trail."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=May 2014|title=Outdoor Developed Areas: a summary of a summary of accessibility standards for Federal outdoor developed areas|url=https://www.access-board.gov/files/aba/guides/outdoor-guide.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=19 July 2021|website=United States Access Board|page=29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813230610/https://www.access-board.gov/files/aba/guides/outdoor-guide.pdf|archive-date=Aug 13, 2021}} </ref> The intersection of two trails is a '''trail junction''' and does not constitute a trailhead.<ref name=":0" />
[[Image:Trailhead.JPG|thumb|Kiosk at a trailhead]] Historically, the cities located at the terminus of major pathways for foot traffic, such as the Natchez Trace and the Chisholm Trail, were also known as trailheads.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
For mountain climbing and hiking, the elevation of the trailhead above sea level is posted to give an idea of how high the mountain is above the average terrain. A trailhead may also feature a trail grade, which determines the walking difficulty of the trail.
==See also== *Trail blazing
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://comehike.com/outdoors/parks/trailhead.php Trailheads], a crowd-sourced database of trailheads in the United States
Category:Geography terminology Category:Trails Category:Trail markers
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