Trails with Green Flag status ensures the best possible hiking experiences to hikers. Trails are however not graded subjectively from good to bad. Instead the system centres on the concept of allowing hikers, by supplying detailed information, to make their own informed decisions of the trails they’d like to walk. Green Flag Trails is thus an accreditation programme that seeks to offer hikers all the information needed to ensure the hike meets their expectations.
Contrary to other systems that make use of someone’s opinion of how a “good trail” should look like, Green Flag allows the hiker to make his/her very own assessment of what type of trail is preferred, and thus ensures a good experience.
By assessing the environmental conditions as well as safety along the trail, Green Flag ensures sustainable trails in terms of conservation of the environmental resources as well as the quality of experience had by hikers.
Green Flag accredits trails through its unique audit procedure and identifies, acknowledges and rewards those trails that demonstrate and practice responsible management.
Walking trails meeting HOSA's minimum standards are also accredited through the Green Flag Trails programme.