Even trails in the real world have names inspired by a huge array of sources, drawing walkers in with references to everything from Big Foot to donut holes. This makes them an excellent feature for a fantasy landscape, as you can go wild with their names without the risk of breaking immersion.
Good Trail Names
The best way to encourage an audience to build a rich mental image is to use a name which relies on more than one of the senses. You could mention flowers that have a particularly recognizable scent, or perhaps mention the quality of light which will be filtering through the leaves. Trails can take a while to traverse so the more layers to the scene the better, to keep everyone interested.
- Charmed Channel
- Willowy Way
- Bluebell Boulevard
- Spidersilk Way
- Honeysuckle Corridor
- Way Through the Wilds
- Walnut Walk
- The Leafy Arches
- Twilight Trail
Arboretum Avenue
The gently twisting path of this trail is lined on each side with every tree you know, and hundreds more that you could only have dreamt of. The colors and scents of all seasons can be found here, no matter the time or date.
- Coral Bottom Path
- Sunshine Straights
- Perfect Picnic Path
- Snowshoe Pass
- Bumbling Badger Way
- Leaf Litter Passage
- Lilypad Lane
Course Through the Canopy
The well-traveled road may seem like the safest route through the forest, but anyone with their wits about them would rather take the Course Through the Canopy. Brigands and ne’er-do-wells are rare up here, deterred by the watchful eyes of tree spirits.
- Dandelion Drive
- Approach of the Ancients
- Tumbleweed Trail
- Under the Arches
- Streamside Pass
- Babbling Brooks Boulevard
Funny Trail Names
Bringing humor into trail names will likely involve a bit of wordplay, but you may also want to opt for some misleading trickery. The name could set up certain expectations that are turned on their head once explorer’s venture further in.
- The Walk of Life
- Route Beer
- Pamplemousse Promenade
- Take a Hike
- The Drunken Path
- Eight Mile Trail
Goblin’s Causeway
To the short-statured troublemakers who named this path, it inspires as much awe as its giant counterpart. Yet the waist-high columns barely register with taller visitors, making it the ideal waypoint for an ambush.
- The Happy Trail
- Tipping Cow Trail
- On the Rocks
- Crocodile Walk
- Backdoor Path
- Furry Road
- Frondly Way
- Path of the Puppy
- Walk on the Wild Side
Mix Trail
An overgrown trail where all things are not as they seem. As your appetite begins to grow, so do the grasping vines of surrounding plant life. Only seasoned fathers brave this passage, armed with their trusty arsenal of fruit and nut snacks.
- Trotter’s Trail
- Alley Oop
- Hopfoot Path
- Rocky Bottom Way
- Jogger’s Nemesis
- Lazy Day Way
- Grandma’s Favourite
- Burning Sole Boulevard
Haunted Trail Names
Haunted trails conjure a very specific image of dimly lit paths through gnarled trunks, but a good name will tell the audience something new. Imagine what features will jump out or lurk in the shadows, and choose a name which warns travelers. Or perhaps one which lulls them into a false sense of security.
- Way of the Witch
- The Everdark Path
- Cursed Course
- Boulevard of the Banshee
- The Leech Beds
- Wind Spirit Walk
Path of the Pendulums
Make sure to memorize each foothold and resting place before wandering down this passage. One wrong step can lead to fatal injury as the razor-sharp yet ethereal pendulums carve through flesh.
- The Howling Aisles
- Passage
- Valley of the Dead
- Goblin Grasp Pass
- The Endless Tunnels
- Graveside Way
- Way of Weakening
- The Twice-Sunken Path
The Silent Mile
While howling winds and distant screeches may instill fear, nothing unsettles the nerves like total silence. No gentle rustling to warn of nearby predators, nor the ability to utter a single word until the mile has been traversed.
- Ransacked Run
- Infernal Path
- Cat’s Cradle
- Trail of the Twisted Branch
- Miles of Aisles
- Seven Circles Passage
- Neverending Path
- Creaking Course
- Fungus Way
I hope you enjoyed these trail names, there are certainly some paths I’d prefer to walk down than others here! Please share your thoughts in the comments, and let me know if you’ve seen any unusual trail names out in the wild.
