If you're wandering through the woods and see purple paint you may want to think twice about continuing down that path.

Fall is one of the best times of year to get out an explore nature in Upstate New York. We have so many great hiking trails and parks to take in the sights, but sometimes it can be a little tempting to go off the beaten path to find your own little secluded spot.

Sure, the woods can be very calming but it is also very possible that they little spot you think you discovered is possibly somebody else's property. One major giveaway is if you see purple paint on trees.

Purple Paint Law

This purple paint law took affect a few years ago across a number of states. The reason you see purple paint on trees is to mark property lines instead of those recognizable "posted" or "no trespassing" signs. It doesn't just have to be purple paint either, it can also be ribbon or strings tied to items on the property. This is mostly to warn hunters not to be on that property.

How does the purple paint law impact us here in New York?

It doesn't. That's right, it doesn't apply to New York State and people will still need to use the posted property signs or other signs to let people know they are on private property. So what if you don't see a sign letting you know that you're on their property?

Trespassing is illegal even on unposted property. Instead of posting, a landowner or other authorized person may issue written notice to another individual informing them that they are prohibited from entering the property. The notice must contain a description of the property, what restrictions apply (hunting, fishing, trapping) and the person or persons prohibited from entry.

That is directly from the NYS DEC on how to enforce this on your own private property. A proposed purple paint law was tossed around the New York State assembly way back in 2017, but never got passed.

So if you are in the woods here in Upstate New York and see purple paint on a tree could it mean you're on private property? Maybe, but it's not a legal way of marking the property so therefore I have to believe you wouldn't be in trouble for being there. There's also always a possibility that someone is just marking places to keep people out with the paint that they do not officially own.

 

There are 15 states currently who have purple paint laws, only of them are nearby New York.

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Arizona
  • Florida
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Maine
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • North Carolina
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

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