Dirt Path

"Grass Path" redirects here. For the full block, see Grass Block.

"Path" redirects here. For the format used by NBT paths, see NBT path format.

Dirt Path

Renewable	Yes
Stackable	Yes (64)
Tool
Blast resistance	0.65
Hardness	0.65
Luminous	No
Transparent	JE: Yes BE: Partial (allows light to pass through)
Flammable	No
Catches fire from lava	No
Map color	10 DIRT
Note block instrument	Default (Harp)

Dirt paths are decorative blocks created by using a shovel on most types of dirt. They are mainly found in villages as a path for the villagers.

Obtaining

Breaking

A shovel is the most efficient tool for mining dirt paths.

In Bedrock Edition, a dirt path block can be directly obtained in item form with a Silk Touch tool.^[1]

In Java Edition, dirt paths always drop dirt when broken. Dirt path blocks can be obtained in item form only via the Creative inventory, commands, or pick block. They can still be created from placed dirt, however, by using a shovel on dirt, as described in § Post-generation below.

Block	Dirt Path
Hardness	0.65
Tool
Breaking time (sec)[A]
Default	11 (JE) 1 (BE)
Wooden	10.5 (JE) 0.5 (BE)
Stone	10.25 (JE) 0.25 (BE)
Copper	10.2 (JE) 0.2 (BE)
Iron	10.2 (JE) 0.2 (BE)
Diamond	10.15 (JE) 0.15 (BE)
Netherite	10.15 (JE) 0.15 (BE)
Golden	10.1 (JE) 0.1 (BE)
Options
Efficiency	000
Haste	001 1JEBE

Legend

• incorrect tool, drops nothing
• correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
• correct tool, drops the block itself
• italicized can be instant mined

Natural generation

Dirt paths are naturally generated in villages when pathways replace grass blocks. Their purpose is aesthetics, and additionally in Bedrock Edition, pathfinding for villagers. Most dirt paths connect to village structures and houses.

Dirt paths also generate as part of some village structures and abandoned camps.

Although they can't be placed that way by the player, village generation can cause them to appear under other blocks.

Post-generation

Dirt paths can be created by using any type of shovel on the side or top of dirt, grass block, coarse dirt, mycelium, podzol, or rooted dirt that has air above it. The shovel uses one durability.

Usage

Dirt paths are primarily used for decoration, although they also prevent hostile mobs from spawning. They are a similar color to grass blocks placed in a desert or savanna biome. They are only ¹⁵⁄₁₆ of a block high, therefore items that require a full block like torches and buttons cannot be placed on them. Villagers and iron golems prefer to use dirt paths the most when routing compared to any other block.‌^{[Bedrock Edition only]}

A dirt path block converts to dirt instantly if a block with a solid material is placed on top of it.

Using a hoe on dirt path converts it to farmland. Since dirt paths can be created with any variant of dirt, it can be used as an intermediate step to convert podzol and mycelium, which cannot be tilled directly, into farmland.

In Bedrock Edition, using a flint and steel on a dirt path places fire on it. Doing this does not convert the path to dirt.

Sounds

Generic

Java Edition:

grass sound type
Sound	Closed captions	Source	Description	Identifier	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	block.grass.break	subtitles.block.generic.break​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block placed​[until: JE 26.4]	Blocks	When the block is placed	block.grass.place	subtitles.block.generic.place​	1.0	0.8	16
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	block.grass.hit	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.25	0.5	16
	​Something falls on a block	Entity-Dependent	Falling on the block with fall damage	block.grass.fall	subtitles.block.generic.fall​	0.5	0.75	16
	​Footsteps	Entity-Dependent	Walking on the block	block.grass.step	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.15	1.0	16

Bedrock Edition:

grass sound type
Sound	Closed captions	Source	Description	Identifier	Translation key	Volume	Pitch
	​Block broken	Blocks	Once the block has broken	dig.grass	subtitles.block.generic.break​	0.7	0.8–1.0
	​Block placed	Blocks	When the block is placed	place.grass	subtitles.block.generic.place​	0.8	0.8–1.0
	​Block breaking	Blocks	While the block is in the process of being broken	hit.grass	subtitles.block.generic.hit​	0.3	0.5
	​Footsteps	Players	Falling on the block with fall damage	fall.grass	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.4	1.0
	​Footsteps	Players	Walking on the block	step.grass	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.3	1.0
	​Shovel flattens	Blocks	When a shovel creates a dirt path	use.grass	subtitles.item.shovel.flatten​	1.0	0.8
	​Footsteps	Blocks	Jumping from the block	jump.grass	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.11	1.0
	​Footsteps	Blocks	Falling on the block without fall damage	land.grass	subtitles.block.generic.footsteps​	0.21	1.0

Unique

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Block tags	Translation key
Dirt Path	dirt_path	Block & Item	mineable/shovel	block.minecraft.dirt_path

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item ID[i 1]	Translation key
Dirt Path	grass_path	198	Block & Giveable Item[i 2]	Identical[i 3]	tile.grass_path.name

Videos

History

Java Edition

Java Edition
1.9			15w31a				Added grass paths.
							Grass paths are unobtainable within the Creative inventory.
			15w31c				The collision height of grass paths has changed to 15⁄16 of a block.
1.10			16w20a				Grass paths now generate when village paths replace grass blocks.
1.13			17w47a				Grass path is now available in the Creative inventory.
1.14			18w43a				The texture of grass paths has been slightly changed.
			19w05a				Added wandering traders, which sell podzol, making it a renewable resource.
			19w12a				Grass paths now have random orientations when placed, similar to grass blocks.
1.15			pre2				Grass paths now suffocate mobs.
			pre3				Grass paths no longer suffocate mobs.
1.17			20w45a				"Grass Path" was renamed to "Dirt Path".
							Dirt paths can now be made on top of dirt, coarse dirt, mycelium, and podzol.
			21w13a				Dirt paths can now be made on top of rooted dirt.
1.18			pre5				The texture of dirt paths has been changed.
			pre7				Slightly changed the side texture by moving up 1 pixel of the dirt part.

Bedrock Edition

Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.11.0			build 1				Added grass paths.
							Grass paths replace gravel as paths in villages.
v0.15.0			build 2				The texture of grass paths has been slightly changed.
v0.16.0			build 1				Added sounds for when grass paths are made.
Bedrock Edition
1.10.0			beta 1.10.0.3				The texture of grass paths has been slightly changed again.
1.13.0			beta 1.13.0.9				Grass paths are now available in the Creative inventory.
1.16.200			beta 1.16.200.52				"Grass Path" was renamed to "Dirt Path".
							Dirt paths can now be made on top of dirt, coarse dirt, mycelium, and podzol.
1.17.0			beta 1.16.230.50				Dirt paths can now be made on top of rooted dirt.
1.18.10			beta 1.18.10.22				The texture of dirt paths has been changed.
1.19.40			Preview 1.19.40.21				The collision height of dirt paths has reduced from a full block to 15⁄16 of a block.
			Preview 1.19.40.24				The collision height of dirt paths has returned to 16⁄16 of a block.
1.19.50			Preview 1.19.50.20				The collision height of dirt paths has been changed back to 15⁄16 of a block.
1.21.60			Preview 1.21.60.27				Creating a dirt path now makes a unique sound instead of the grass step sound.

Legacy Console Edition

Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU43	CU33	1.36	1.36	1.36	Patch 13	1.0.1	Added grass paths.
							Grass paths are available in the Creative inventory.
TU63	CU53	1.67	1.67	1.67	Patch 32	1.0.13	Grass path can now be obtained with Silk Touch.
			1.90				The texture of grass paths has been slightly changed.

New Nintendo 3DS Edition

New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0							Added grass paths.
							Grass paths are unobtainable within the Creative inventory.

Data history

Issues

Issues relating to "Grass Path" or "Dirt Path" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• If aimed correctly, an arrow can fly past the gap between a block and a dirt path placed below using commands.
• The idea of dirt paths came from a suggestion post in /r/Minecraft.^[2][3]

Gallery

Screenshots

• 
  The original suggestion image for dirt paths
• 
  The first image of dirt paths released
• 
  The second image of dirt paths released
• 
  The third image of dirt paths released
• 
  First image of dirt paths generated in a village, tweeted by Tommaso Checchi
• 
  The ¹⁄₁₆ of a block height difference between grass blocks and dirt paths
• 
  Wheat seeds growing from dirt paths due to a glitch
• 
  Dirt, coarse dirt, podzol, and mycelium being turned into dirt paths

In other media

• 
  Artwork demonstrating dirt paths used in Block of the Week
• 
  Dirt path slabs in the 2022 Mob Vote Event
• 
  A dirt path as it appears in Caves & Cliffs Explorers
• 

References