2013 Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG)

Trail Class

The prescribed scale of development for a trail, representing its intended design and management standards.

Trail Classes are general categories reflecting trail development scale, arranged along a continuum.  

There are five Trail Classes, ranging from the least developed (Trail Class 1) to the most developed (Trail Class 5):

Trail Class 1:  Minimally Developed

Trail Class 2:  Moderately Developed

Trail Class 3:  Developed

Trail Class 4:  Highly Developed

Trail Class 5:  Fully Developed

Use Trail Classes to inventory trails and to identify the applicable Design Parameters or technical specifications and the costs for meeting trail management standards. 

1. Identify only one Trail Class per trail or trail segment.

2. Trail Class descriptors reflect typical attributes of trails in each class.Local deviations from any Trail Class descriptor may be established based on trail-specific conditions, topography, or other factors, provided that the deviations are consistent with the general intent of the applicable Trail Class.

3. There is a direct relationship between Trail Class and Managed Uses: generally, one cannot be determined without consideration of the other.

4. Identify the appropriate Trail Class for each trail or trail segment based on the management intent in the applicable land management plan, travel management decisions, trail-specific decisions, and other related direction. Apply the Trail Class that most closely reflects the management intent for the trail or trail segment, which may or may not reflect the current condition of the trail.

For specifics on each Trail Class, refer to the National Trail Management Class matrix.