Trails Board Game: Rules and Instructions for How to Play

Objective of Trails

The objective of Trails is to acquire the most points by gathering resources, taking photos, encountering wildlife, and acquiring badges.

Setup for Trails

Each player chooses a Hiker and its matching Canteen. Place your Canteen with the filled side face up. You will also take one acorn, one rock and one leaf resource.
Assemble the five Trail sites into a path. For your first game it is recommended you use the path shown in the picture below. Otherwise you can shuffle the Trail sites and randomly place them in a path.
Look for the Trail sites that feature the acorn, leaf and rock. Place the corresponding resources cubes under each Trail site.
Place the Bird Trophy below the corresponding Trail site (see below).
Place the Trailhead tile to the far left side of the path and the Trail end tile at the far right end. Make sure both of these tiles are flipped to the side corresponding to the number of players in the game.
Shuffle the Badge cards and place the deck facedown below the Trailhead tile. Draw two cards and place them next to the Trailhead tile. Draw two additional cards and place them next to the Trail End tile. Finally each player draws one card that they will keep in their hand. You should not show this card to the other players.
Shuffle the Photo cards and place them face down below the Trail End tile.
Place the Wildlife bear token on the middle space of the Wildlife trail. The die should be placed where all of the players can reach it.
Place the Sun token above the furthest right icon on the top of the Trail end tile.
Randomly choose who will start the game.
Players will place their Hikers on the trail depending on the number of players.
- 2-3 players: All of the players place their Hiker on the Trailhead tile facing the Trail.
- 4 players: The first player and the player to their left places their Hiker on the Trail End facing the Trail. The other two players place their Hiker on the Trailhead tile facing the Trail.

Playing Trails

To start your turn you will choose whether you want to move your Hiker one or two tiles in the direction they are facing (the way their hat and walking stick are pointed). You will then take the action corresponding to the space that you landed on. See the Trails Spaces section for details on each space.

Movement in Trails — The gray player has decided to move their Hiker two spaces forward. They will then take the action corresponding to the space they landed on.

Multiple Hikers can be placed on the same space.

Using Your Canteen to Move

Instead of just moving one or two spaces, you can choose to use your Canteen. You can only use your Canteen if it is filled. When you use your Canteen you can move your Hiker any number of spaces in the direction you are facing.

Using the Canteen to move — The white player has decided to use their Canteen to move three spaces instead of the normal one or two spaces.

Then flip the Canteen over to the empty side. After you use the Canteen you will flip it to the empty side. You will not be able to use it again until you fill it at the Trailhead space.

Empty Canteen — After moving their Hiker three spaces, the player flips their Canteen to the empty side.

While moving if you land on a space that has the Wildlife/bear token on it, you will take a special action in addition to the normal action you take from the space that you landed on. See the Wildlife section below for more details.

Landing on Wildlife Token

Landing on space with Wildlife Token — This player has landed on a Trail site that has the Wildlife token on it. They will get to take an additional action along with their normal action.

End of Turn in Trails

Before you end your turn there are a couple of things you need to make sure you do.

First you will count your resources. If you ever have more than eight resources, you will choose which eight you want to keep. You will return the other resources to their corresponding location.

Next check to see if you have a Badge card in your hand and if there are two Badge cards at both ends of the Trail. If there is a Badge card missing from one of these locations, draw a new Badge card to replace it.

Your turn then ends. The player to your left takes the next turn.

Trails Spaces

Acorns

When you land on the tile pictured above you will take one or two of the acorn cubes from below the space. If it is daytime on the space, you will take one acorn. If it is nighttime you will take two acorns.

Leaves

The tile pictured above is the Leaves tile. When you land on this location you will get to take some leaf cubes from below the space. If it is daytime you will take one leaf. If it is nighttime you will take two leaves.

Rocks

Should you land on the Rocks tile (pictured above), you will get to take rock cubes from below the location. If it is daytime you will take one rock. At nighttime you will take two rocks.

Resource Exchange

The location pictured above is the resource exchange space. During the day you can exchange one of your resources for two resources of a different type.

Swapping resources during the day — During the day a player can swap one resource for two resources of a different type. In this case the player is swapping one leaf for two acorns.

During the night you can exchange one of your resources for one resource of each of the other two resources.

Swapping resources at night in Trails — During the night you can exchange one resource for one of each of the other two resources. In this case they swapped a leaf for a rock and an acorn.

Take A Photo

The location above allows you to take photos. During the day you can pay any one resource in order to take a Photo. During the night you can take the Photo for free. See the Photos section below for more details.

Taking A Photo Example — During the day a player can spend one resource in order to Take a Photo.

Trailhead

When you land on the Trailhead space, you will turn your Hiker around to the the Trail.

If you have used your Canteen, you will flip it back to the filled side.

Full Canteen — After using their Canteen to move more than two spaces, they will refill it once they reach the Trailhead.

You also have the ability to earn Badges. See the Badges section below for more details.

Trail End

Landing on the Trail End space allows you to take a couple actions.

First you will turn your Hiker around to face the Trail.

Next you will gain the Sun bonus and move the Sun one space to the left. See the Sun section below for more details.

Finally you have the opportunity to earn Badges. See the Badges section below for more details.

Trails Photos

Throughout the game you will have the opportunity to take photos. When you choose to take a photo, you will decide between two options:

Draw 2 face down Photo cards. Choose one to keep and discard the other face up to the discard pile.
Take the top card from the discard pile.

Choosing a Photo card. — This player chose to take two face down Photo cards. They will choose one of the two cards to keep, and will discard the other card.

Should the draw pile ever run out of cards, flip over the discard pile to form a new draw pile. You should not shuffle the cards.

When you take a Photo card you will place it facedown in front of you. You can look at your Photo cards at any time, but you shouldn’t show them to the other players.

Photo cards can score you points in two different ways. First photo cards have points printed directly on them. The card will be worth the corresponding number of points at the end of the game.

Photo cards can also have birds pictured on them. At the end of the game you will count up these birds. The player with the most birds at the end of the game earns the Bird Trophy and four points.

The player chose a Photo card. — The player above chose the card on the left as it scores one point and provides a bird. The other card was only worth one point.

Trails Wildlife

Whenever you land on a space that has the Wildlife bear token on it, you will get to take an additional action on your turn. You may take this action before or after the action you would normally get to take from the space that you landed on.

Landing on a Trail Site that has the Wildlife Token. — The white player has landed on a tile that has the Wildlife token on it. They will get to take the action for their current location as well as the location that the Wildlife token is moved to.

You will start this special action by rolling the Wildlife die. Depending on what you rolled, you will move the bear to the corresponding space that matches the icon you rolled.

Leaf symbol on die — The player rolled the leaf symbol on the die. They will move the Wildlife Token to the corresponding tile.

You will then have the option of taking the action of the space that you moved the bear to. If the tile is flipped to the night side, you can take the night action for that space.

Move Wildlife Token in Trails — After moving the Wildlife token to the Leaves tile, they will get to take the corresponding action (take a leaf cube).

Should you roll the bear symbol on the die, you get to choose what space that you want to move the bear to. You cannot move the bear to the Trailhead or Trail End space. You will then take the action of the space that you moved the bear to.

Bear symbol on Wildlife Die — This player rolled the bear/Wildlife symbol. They can choose where to move the Wildlife token (not to the Trailhead or Trail End).

Should you ever acquire a Badge or Sun bonus that features the bear symbol, you will take the Wildlife action described above.

Trails Badges

One of the actions you can take once you reach the Trailhead or Trail End space is to earn badges.

When you reach one of the ends of the Trail you will look at the Badge cards next to the end that you are on as well as the Badge card in your hand. You may complete zero, one, two or all three of these Badges.

Acquiring Badges in Trails — For reaching the Trail End tile this player has the opportunity to acquire the Photography or Birdwatching Badges shown. They could also acquire the Badge that is currently in their hand.

To earn a Badge you must have resources matching those pictured on the card. You will discard the corresponding resources to their sections of the Trail.

Acquiring a badge in Trails — The current player decided to acquire the Birdwatching Badge card. They will have to spend two leaves, one acorn, and one rock.

You will then place the Badge face up in front of you. Badges earn you points in a number of ways. Some badges give you points directly, some give you points based on certain criteria, and others give you birds.

Badge card in Trails — This Birdwatching Badge card gives a player three points and two birds at the end of the game.

Scoring points from a Badge card. — This collector card earns you one point for each rock Badge card you acquire throughout the game.

Some Badges even give you additional bonus actions. When you acquire one of these Badges you can take the associated action immediately if you pay the associated cost. Some Badges only give you bonuses if you have already collected other Badges.

Taking a bonus action from a Badge card. — This Photography card gives you four points when you acquire it. You also get to take the Photography action.

At the end of your turn you should turn new Badge cards face up to replace any you took from the table. If you completed your own Badge card, you will draw a new Badge card and add it to your hand.

Detailed below are the specific badges that you can acquire in the game.

All of the different types of Badge cards you can acquire in Trails.

Astronomy

The Astronomy Badge is worth one point. You can also earn another Badge immediately without paying its cost. You can choose one of the Badges from the end of the Trail that you are on or the Badge card in your hand.

Birdwatching

The Birdwatching Badge is worth three points and provides two birds. The Badge has no bonus action.

Cartography and Navigation

The Cartography and Navigation Badges are worth three points. You will also gain the two resources shown on the card.

Climber

The Climber Badge is worth six points. It has no bonus action.

Collector

At the end of the game this badge is worth one point for each Badge of its type including itself.

First Aid

The First Aid Badge is worth one point and allows you to gain one resource of your choice.

Observer

The Observer Badge is worth two points and one bird. If you have the most birds at the end of the game (including tied for the most), you receive an additional two points. You will end up scoring a total of six points for the Bird Trophy.

Photography

The Photography Badge is worth four points. You also get to immediately take a Photo.

Rappelling

The Rappelling Badge is worth as many points as your highest valued Badge.

Recycling

The Recycling Badge is worth four points. You also can exchange one of your resources for two resources of a different type. If you don’t have any resources, you forfeit this bonus action.

Research

The Research Badge is worth two points. When trying to acquire the Badge, it is worth one less resource for each Badge you own that matches the type of the Research Badge.

Science

The Science Badge is worth three points. The Science Badge counts as a Leaf, Acorn, and Rock type. It also counts towards all Collector Badges.

Seeker

The Seeker Badge is worth two points and one bird. You also get to take the Wildlife action.

Shutterbug

The Shutterbug Badge is worth two points. You also get to take two Photo actions back to back.

Sunshine

The Sunshine Badge is worth five points. You also get to immediately take the action corresponding to the Sun’s current location. You will not move the Sun token.

Sun

Throughout the game the Sun sets across the Trail. It starts at the Trail End and moves towards the Trailhead.

Whenever a player reaches the Trail End space, you will receive a Sun bonus. The Sun bonus depends on where the Sun token is currently located. You will get to immediately take the action corresponding to the current location of the Sun token.

Taking the Sun bonus action — The Sun token is currently pointing at the rock icon. The player that landed on the Trail End space gets to take the rock action as a bonus action.

After you take the corresponding Sun bonus, you will move the Sun one space towards the Trailhead. For the Trail End and Trailhead tiles it will move to the next spot to the left on the tile.

Moving the Sun token. — After taking the Sun bonus action, the player moves the token one space to the left.

Whenever the Sun moves onto a new tile, the previous tile is flipped to the night side. You will not flip over the Trailhead and Trail End tiles. The Hikers on the tile as well as the Wildlife token stays on the tile after you flip it over. For the rest of the game the players will take the night action for that location.

Flipping a Location over. — After the sun moves from the rock location to the take a photo location, the rock tile is flipped over. Players will now collect two rocks instead of one each time they land on the space.

Trails End Game

The game will end when the Sun token reaches the furthest left space on the Sun Track. The player that moves the Sun token to the last space takes the Sun token. They also get to take a Photo card for free.

End of a game of Trails — The sun token is already on the last space on the track. Since the green player has reached the Trail End, they will trigger the end game. The rest of the players will get one more turn.

The rest of the players will get to take one more turn following turn order. Players can no longer receive Sun bonuses. The game ends once play returns to the player with the Sun token.

Awarding the Bird Trophy in Trails

All of the players will reveal their Photo cards. Each player counts up how many birds they have on their Badge and Photo cards. The player with the most total birds receives the Bird Trophy which is worth four points. If there is a tie for the Bird Trophy, all of the tied players receive the four points.

Determining which player acquired the most birds in Trails. — At the end of the game the players acquired these birds. The player on the left has six birds. The next player has five birds. The last two players have three birds and two birds. The player on the left has the most birds so they receive the Bird Trophy.

Determining Your Score in Trails

Players will then tally all of the points they earned from their Badges, Photos and the Bird Trophy. The player that earned the most points wins Trails.

Final Score in Trails — At the end of the game one of the players acquired these cards. They will score two points for the Photo cards on the left. They had the most birds so they will score four points from the Bird Trophy. The Observer card earns them two points plus an additional two points because they also had the most birds. The Seeker Badge earns two points, the Photography Badge earns four points, and the Climber Badge earns six points. The Collector Badge scores one point for each rock Badge acquired. This player acquired five rock Badges so it will be worth five points. Finally the Rappelling Badge is worth points equal to your Badge that is worth the most points. As the Climber Badge scored six points, the Rappelling Badge is worth six points as well. This player scored a total of 33 points.

If there is a tie, ties are broken in the following way:

The player with the most Badge cards wins the game.
The player with the most Photo cards wins the game.
The player with the most Birds wins the game.

If there is still a tie, the tied players will share the victory.

Trails

Year: 2021 | Publisher: Keymaster Games | Designer: Henry Audubon | Artist: Benjamin Flouw, Little Friends of Printmaking, Dan McCarthy, Nicolas Delort, Daniel Danger, Glenn Thomas, Chris Turnham, J.P. Boneyard, Kyle Key, Mattox Shuler

Genres: Family, Set Collection, Worker Placement

Ages: 10+ | Number of Players: 2-4 | Length of Game: 20-40 minutes

Difficulty: Light-Moderate | Strategy: Moderate | Luck: Light

Components: 5 Trail sites, Trail End, Trailhead, Wildlife die, Wildlife bear, 15 Acorn cubes, 15 Leaf cubes, 15 Rock cubes, Bird Trophy, 4 Canteens, 4 Hikers, Sun token, 42 Badge cards, 32 Photo cards (the 34 printed in the instructions is a misprint), instructions

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