There's one thing my wife and I love to do, and that's taking a hike on one of the many trails in our area.

Now I have to admit, I'm the one who gets a little daring and loves to explore a bit when we're hiking, and that means from time to time wandering off the main trail and into the woods. But I have to admit that until now, I really had no idea what the "Purple Paint Law" was all about until I read about it.

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If you're an avid hiker like me, it's important to know these kind of laws for obvious reasons. Here's the explanation of  the "Purple Paint Law" - trees that are painted purple have become a sign for no trespassing around the country. If you see purple paint on the trees where you're hiking, get out of there immediately. There may be someone who owns that property that might not take kindly to strangers.

Now if you're hiking in Connecticut or New York, the "Purple Paint Law" is not on the books yet, however we can't rule out that some people may still do it, and in New York, it's been proposed, however it hasn't gotten out of committee and voted on yet.

With the nice weather here, more people will be getting out and even traveling a little more this summer, and your travels may lead you to a state where the "Purple Paint Law" is in full effect - so I wanted to make sure to inform you. Whether the law is in effect or not, it's great knowledge to have.

Here is a video I saw explaining what the law is:

According to snopes.com, in the states where it is the law, legally painting trees purple on your property is as good as a traditional 'No Trespassing' sign.

You can't miss the sign with the purple paint. Plus, the reason purple was chosen is two fold, the color really stands out in wooded areas and even people who are color blind can usually see the color purple.

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