TrailLink

So it's finally the weekend and the long work week in the office has left you aching to get outside and enjoy nature. You know of a few place to hike, but want to be sure you're not missing out on anything near by. That is where TrailLink comes in.

TrailLink is not just a trail finding app it's a connection to local history. The app was designed by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to turning abandoned railroad lines and connection corridors into multi-use pathways for exercise and leisure.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has done some incredible work by preserving the history of these paths and enhancing the character of the communities they reside in. Now with the TrailLink app you can take advantage of the over 30,000 miles of preserved trails. The app allows you to look for free but creating a profile is easy and can be done either through your email or Facebook. Once your profile is set up you have access to an abundance of maps and other features.

TrailLink login screen

TrailLink uses your phones location
to find trails near you

Once you've picked a location you
can see the details of the trail 

Like many other trail finding/hiking apps, TrailLink allows the user to connect with other users by highlighting your favorite trails, writing reviews, posting pictures, creating guidebooks, and using GPS to create your own route for the trail. While there are numerous quality hiking apps like AllTrails, Map My Hike, and ViewRanger only TrailLink offers the unique connection to these preserved man-made paths. For anyone interested in history, enhancing their community through adaptive reuse, or just a nice bike ride, rail trails are an excellent option.

Once the map is accessed the user will see an exact location
as well as points of interest along the trail.

With TrailLink being created by the nonprofit Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC for short) there is an emphasis on donation and becoming a member. Although giving back wouldn't be a bad thing the app itself does not pressure the user and still allows you to operate it with ease. RTC does find a subtle way to provide aid for itself by making the trail maps available for purchase for offline use. This won't impact your experience at all as the maps are all still available for free when logged on. The real benefit for a nonprofit like RTC is that this app provides exposure to their cause. 

An example of the offline maps
available for purchase

TrailLink brings together people who are interested in exploring local rail trails for a variety of reasons. Through this form of social networking people can learn and contribute to the preservation of something the benefits their community while enjoying the trails for their ultimate purpose. By creating an app that provides information and social networking Rail-to-Trails Conservancy has attempted to tap into the groundswell to get new people interested in their cause.