Editing Trailhead (section)

{{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]]
[[Image:Starting point of Little stony man nature trail Shenandoah NP 2007.jpg|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 [[Height above average terrain|average terrain]]. A trailhead may also feature a [[Trail difficulty rating system|trail grade]], which determines the walking difficulty of the trail.