If You See Purple Paint In Louisiana, Arkansas, or Mississippi, Turn Around Immediately

With fall approaching us, everyone's gearing up for hunting season, hiking season, and leafing season. While you're out exploring the wilderness, there's some things you should keep an eye out for, just to make sure you're not putting yourself in a dangerous or unlawful situation.

While you're enjoying that natural Southeastern beauty, you may come across trees marked with purple paint. It's important that you know what this means, and why you should turn around immediately.

Are These Markings Even Important?

The short answer is yes. These markings are able to take place of a warning sign that you should know so you don't end up in legal trouble. Both Mississippi and Arkansas have laws with purple paint, so pay attention if you live on the border, and Louisiana does as well, with some added details you should know.

Arkansas Has A Law For This

In Arkansas, if you see purple paint, it's a sign to turn around because you could be breaking the law.

According to Arkansas Code § 18-11-405;

(B) Each paint mark shall be a vertical line of at least eight inches (8”) in length, and the bottom of the mark shall be no less than three feet (3') nor more than five feet (5') high.

(C) Such paint marks shall be placed no more than one thousand feet (1,000') apart and at each point of entry and shall be readily visible to any person approaching the property.

Mississippi Is The Same

Mississippi likes the idea of the purple paint laws, so they have their own as well.

Mississippi Law states that the purple paint must be:

• Vertical lines that are at least 8 inches long and 1 inch wide.
• Placed between 3 feet and no more than 5 feet from the ground.
• Be no more than 100 feet apart on forested areas and no more than 1,000 feet apart on other land.

The general idea is that it's easy to see and not hard to find where your property ends.

Louisana Is A Little Different

Lousiana puts the law out there pretty similarly in Louisiana Law (RS 14:63), but they have some added caveats the other two states don't have.

The placement of identifying purple paint marks on the trees or posts on the property, provided that such marks are:

(i) Vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in width.

(ii) Placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground nor more than five feet from the ground.

According to 107Jamz, this can also include a sidewalk.