· By Tomáš Brezina · 1 min read
What the red-white-red marks mean
A stripe, an arrow, a signpost: how Slovak trail marks work, and what to do when you lose them.
Slovak trails are marked in one simple system: a coloured stripe between two white ones, painted at eye height on trees, rocks and posts. There are four colours, and red is used for the main ridge and long-distance routes, the Heroes’ Trail among them.
Reading the marks
A plain stripe means the trail goes on: the next one should appear within sight. An arrow in the same colours means a turn. At junctions, signposts give the times to the next places; they assume a steady walk without breaks.
When you lose them
If you haven’t seen a mark for a few minutes, stop. Go back to the last one you saw and look again, especially at forks and clearings. Fallen trees and new forest roads are the usual culprits.
Who paints them
The marks are painted and renewed by volunteers of the Slovak Hiking Club. If you find a damaged or missing mark, tell the club: it helps the next hiker.