Step by Step Signing Guide

A brown sign with white text on a pole next to a trail in a forest.

NPS Photo

Signing projects typically start with you and your ideas about where national historic trail (NHT) signs are needed to make the trail and trail sites visible. The earlier you contact National Trails Office (NTIR) staff, the more assistance we can provide throughout the project. The process may also vary based on the specific needs/conditions of your project, so the steps shown here are just a general outline.

  1. Identify your sign plan area and purpose. A sign plan can be as simple as a few directional signs identifying one historic trail site or as complex as signing the historic route of the national historic trail where it coinsides with modern day roads. Most sign plans use logical project boundary areas such as city or county limits.
  2. Contact NTIR to discuss your ideas, potential funding sources, and for general assistance. This will also help NTIR staff develop a sign plan that aligns with your vision while complying with road safety standards and signing protocol.
  3. Review the draft plan with a NTIR staff member to finalize sign types and locations and to plan for implementation. Once finalized, NTIR staff will run and send a final version of the sign plan report for your project, which provides information on the sign types used, proposed sign locations, and all necessary installation location information.
  4. Obtain signed jurisidication agreement forms. This is where we need your help. Jurisdictions may include state departments of transportation (DOT), counties, cities, or other landowners/ managers. Contact all involved road jurisdictions and send them the final project sign plan report and agreement form. NTIR will provide the agreement form(s).

Once these steps are completed and funding is available, signs can be ordered and shipped directly to the road jurisdictions or land managers for installation. Total time to completion depends on many variables, including the plan size and complexity, availability of funding, and the speed of approvals. However, finalizing the sign plans and gaining the approval of the jurisdictions are the bulk of the work in signing the NHT.


Last updated: January 25, 2026

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