I'm trying to get all trails in the Middlesex Fells mapped using GPS tracks. I'm writing this down so that I can be consistent, and so that if I'm doing anything wrong, hopefully someone can correct me. This is a revision of a previous diary entry, after getting feedback, and more closely reading wiki pages.

The Fells has a bunch of trails whose main uses are (light) hiking and mountain biking. Near the reservoirs, there are areas that are off-limits to all users. There are also some offical-use-only access roads to various reservoir-related buildings and facilities.

So, first thing is that anything behind the "no trespassing" signs near the reservoirs gets "access=no".

Next, since the "highway" tag is documented as a "description of the importance of the highway for the road grid", and since the main uses of all the trails are hiking and mountain biking, the vast majority of them will be tagged as "highway=path".

The only exceptions to "highway=path" will be the access roads. The only motor vehicles allowed on these are official park vehicles, but they are otherwise open to hikers and bikers, except of course in the "access=no" areas.

These access roads are the only ways in the park with maintained surfaces. These will either get "highway=service" ("generally for access to a building") or "highway=track" ("gravel roads in the forest") depending on their condition and use. If not already "access=no", then they will also get "motorcar=no" and "motorcycle=no", because motorized vehicle use by the public is always forbidden (but might be otherwise implied by "service" or "track"). They will also get "tracktype" and "surface" tags, as appropriate.

Next, any way that is part of a signed, named trail will get "foot=designated". If it's also part of the "Mountain Bike Loop", it will get "bicycle=designated". Each of the named trails will have its own relation, and ways will get linked to them.

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(EDIT: After feedback from others, and a more careful reading of the wiki, I think a different scheme is better suited to this area, and I'll post details soon)

I've been using my GPS-enabled Android phone to trace the various trails in the Middlesex Fells Reservation outside of Boston. This is a document specifying how I've been laying out the attributes. This is mainly for my own reference, so I can be consistent as I make progress (my goal is to get all trails into OSM over the next year or so). But, if anybody wants to chime in with any corrections or suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks!

I'm classifying the trails on two dimensions: official status, and actual physical characteristics.

As far as the actual, physical characteristics go, here are the descriptions I've got for the trails I've seen so far:

* Car-ready roads: There are a few "trails" which a regular passenger car could use without issue (of course, this is prohibited in real life). These are graded, and are usually hard-packed dirt or gravel, although they may even be paved in sections. These get "highway=service", "motorcar=no", and "motorcycle=no" tags.

* 4x4 roads: These are impassable by a regular car, but could be used by a 4x4 truck. These get "highway=track", "motorcar=no" and "motorcycle=no" tags.

* Paths: No motorized vehicle can pass, perhaps because the trail is too narrow, or too windy, too rocky, or too sheer and steep. These get "highway=path" (which implies no motorized vehicles).

Now, for official status. This park is run by the Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which was formerly the MDC. The DCR disallows decides which users get to access which trails. They prohibit all motorized vehicles entirely, and they have the following trail classifications:

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