How do I download alltrails and search for trails near you?

Download AllTrails from the App Store or Google Play and create a free account. Open the Explore tab and allow location access. The map will show trails near your current location. Tap any trail marker to see its name, distance, difficulty rating, and star rating from other hikers.

How do I use filters to find the right trail?

Tap the filter icon and set your preferences. Choose a difficulty level you are comfortable with — Easy trails are generally flat with minimal elevation change. Set a max distance that matches your fitness. Add filters like "Dog Friendly," "Kid Friendly," or "Wheelchair Friendly" if those apply. Tap "Apply" and browse the filtered results.

How do I read the trail page before you go?

Open a trail and scroll through the full page. Check the elevation profile to understand the hills. Read the five most recent reviews and look for mentions of trail conditions — mud, downed trees, construction, or wildlife activity. Check the photos other hikers have posted to get a realistic preview of what the trail looks like.

How do I start your hike with the app running?

When you arrive at the trailhead, open the trail in AllTrails and tap "Start." The app will show your live position on the trail map and track your distance, elevation, and time. If you wander off the trail, the app will alert you. When you finish, tap "End" to save your completed hike to your profile.

TekSure — Free Tech Help for Beginners & Seniors

AllTrails is an app and website that helps you find, navigate, and track hiking trails — from short, flat nature walks to multi-day mountain routes. With over 400,000 trails indexed worldwide and millions of user reviews, it is one of the most useful outdoor apps available.

To get started, download AllTrails from the App Store or Google Play, or visit alltrails.com. Create a free account. Open the app and allow it to use your location, then browse the Explore tab to see trails near you. The map shows colored markers for different trails, and you can tap any one for more details.

The search filters are where AllTrails really earns its place. You can filter by difficulty level (Easy, Moderate, Hard), distance (1 mile, 3 miles, 10+ miles), elevation gain (minimal, moderate, challenging), trail type (loop, out-and-back, or point-to-point), and features like dog-friendly, wheelchair accessible, or kid-friendly. This means you can find trails that genuinely match your fitness level and situation rather than guessing.

Each trail page includes a map with the route, an elevation profile graph showing the hills, recent photos posted by hikers, and reviews describing current trail conditions. The conditions section is particularly valuable — it tells you things like whether there is mud, snow, downed trees, or if the parking lot was full on a recent weekend.

The free version of AllTrails includes all the trail listings and reviews. AllTrails Pro, which costs around $35 per year, adds the ability to download offline maps for areas without cell coverage — strongly recommended if you hike in remote areas or national parks where signal is unreliable.

When you are on the trail, the app shows your live position on the trail map, how far you have walked, and how much elevation you have gained. It also alerts you if you wander off the marked trail.

For safety: always download the map before you go, tell someone your planned route, bring water and a charged phone, and check the weather beforehand.

How to Find and Follow Hiking Trails with AllTrails

Download AllTrails and search for trails near you

Use filters to find the right trail

Read the trail page before you go

Start your hike with the app running

Still have questions?

Official Resources

Still stuck? Let a pro handle it.

Related Guides