About Green Flag Trails

Green Flag Trails is a global system for assessing the responsible management of trails. All criteria that are relevant to responsible trail management are recorded and evaluated using a standardized procedure. The GFT system can be used for self-assessment, serves as a guideline for improvement and is the basis for certification by accredited auditors.

APPLY TO HAVE YOUR TRAIL ACCREDITED

 

Rewarding trails that demonstrate responsible management, environmental accountability, undertake relevant risk and safety assessments and communicate accurate trail information.

Vision

Great trails all over the world.

Mission

We establish the worldwide standard for the evaluation of the responsible management of trails and empower trail managers to improve and promote them.

The Leading System in the World

With the relaunch of the Green Flag Trail (GFT) system in 2025, we have created the world’s only trail assessment system for evaluating all necessary criteria relating to trails. This replaces the previous GFT Version 1, which only covered sustainability issues. The new system now also includes all criteria from all existing trail assessment systems worldwide, which primarily evaluate the user experience. This makes GFT the world’s leading and most comprehensive system.

Who is it for?

Trail managers and maintenance teams

Regional trail authorities and parks agencies 

Sustainable tourism bodies and trail organizations

Communities that want to showcase their trails on a world stage

BENEFITS OF GREEN FLAG TRAILS

By earning Green Flag Trails certification, trail managers and organizations will:

  • Be recognized as among the best-managed trails globally
  • Benefit from an independent, credible evaluation of trail quality
  • Position their trail as a trusted destination for tour operators and travelers
  • Strengthen local communities with sustainable trail tourism
  • Access a network of professionals for continuous learning and support
  • Improve trails’ visibility through the World Trails Network and its partners
  • Get International benchmarking with the leading trails of the World
  • Utilize accurate trail data for marketing purposes
APPLY TO HAVE YOUR TRAIL ACCREDITED