Alltrails is the type of guidebook for the digital age. Using it, I’ve put together massive lists of hikes from across the world, and I’ve put together lists for around my town. It’s introduced me to places I’d never knew existed and helped me get there with easy directions. If you’re planning a trip it’s a great repository to know exactly what to expect when you’re there.
Getting Started
You’ve signed up on a website before, right? Yeah well it’s like that. Thankfully it’s free – with the option of paying for an account for more features, but you’re still getting tons of good stuff without paying.
After you’ve created your account you’ll probably see something like this.
This is the AllTrails homepage. It’ll highlight popular trails near you as well as different activities you can sort trails by (trail running, backpacking, good for dogs, etc.)
You can go ahead and type your city name into the searchbar if you want something close. It’ll present you with the most popular trails in a list where you can click on each to learn more about them.
Alternatively, you can click on the map right above this list of trails to see all your options (this is what I prefer to do). It also lets you expand your search into other areas and really see what’s out there.
So now that you’ve found a trail that you’d like to save, you can click the heart button next to the name and create a list. I have a list for trails to do in my area, so most of mine go into there. You might want to start making multiple lists for different occasions or places.
While viewing this trail we can also scroll down to see the weather conditions in that area as well as reviews people have left. Sometimes these are useful, sometimes they aren’t. One time, before heading out I learned that the trail I was planning to do had been closed for maintenance – and that wasn’t posted anywhere online. If I hadn’t had checked the reviews on AllTrails I would have had a disappointment waiting for me at the trailhead.
It’s also good to know that when you’re searching for trails you can use the filters at the top of the map to help narrow down your results. Oftentimes it’ll show me the same trails it always does, just because they’re the most popular. Since I don’t want to see these ones anymore I go through to personalize the search more for myself.
After you’ve found the trail that you’d like to do, I’d recommend downloading the AllTrails mobile app. Once you login and go to your lists it should be very easy to see the trails you’ve been saving.
From there, there is a button which gives you directions. Or more specifically, opens a directions app like Google Maps to help get you to the trailhead. It couldn’t be simpler than that.
With all that being said, you’re ready to go hiking. But wait! There’s more. Make sure to keep the AllTrails app open because there’s also a feature to record your hike (if you’re into that sort of thing). It’ll track your elevation as well as speed and all that other good stuff. You can build a portfolio of trails on your account and even give your own reviews as well as post your trail recordings.
Now everything I said is what you get for the free version. That’s all I’ve ever used and I think that it’s great how much they offer. BUT! Consider the paid version because that offers really cool things too.
You can download maps for offline GPS use. This could be very useful if you plan on doing any backpacking and don’t have a dedicated GPS or aren’t comfortable with your own mapping skills. There’s also realtime weather maps so you can see for yourself if a storm is moving into your area or if it might just pass right by. You can also print out maps when you sign up for a paid account which is just cool. They’re more physical than your phone and you can put them up on your wall afterwards!
I hope this quick guide helped familiarize yourself with the interface of AllTrails, it’s a pretty neat app and hopefully it’s the motivation you need to get out there and enjoy more trails.
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