How to contribute a new trail to AllTrails

Our database of trails currently exceeds 500,000 verified routes! We rely on our active community of members to contribute to this vast set of data, so if you know of a trail that should be on AllTrails, please take a minute to submit it. The AllTrails community will thank you!

When submitting new trails, we are specifically looking for trails that start and end at a parking area and are on public property. Our strong preference is for out-and-back or loop trails that begin and end in the same location, but thru-trails are also welcome. Keep in mind that any suggested trail additions will first be evaluated by our internal team of moderators. This process may take a while, depending on our ability to verify the route. The more information you include in your trail submission, the faster our team will be able to verify it.

To draw a new trail using a desktop/laptop:

1. Log into your account
2. At the top right of any page, hover over your profile image and click 'Show profile'
3. In the left sidebar, there will be a link to 'Submit a new trail' below your 'Stats' and 'Lists'. You can also go to our contribute screen directly.
4. Find your desired starting location by doing one of the following:
   1. Pan and zoom the map to your desired location
   2. Enter the city or park name in the search box
   3. Enter the latitude and longitude in decimal degree format (e.g., 37.25917401458528, -112.95127217492531)
5. Create your route by selecting the 'Draw Route' button in the left side panel. For help on how to use our drawing tools, see our section on Smart Routing vs. Drawing Mode in this article. If you have a GPX file (or other acceptable file format), you can upload that directly by selecting the 'Upload route' button.
6. After creating your route, be sure to enter a trail name in the 'Name' text box. Your trail is much more likely to be approved if you include the official trail name. If your route includes multiple trails, be sure to include those as well.
7. Determine the type of route (out and back, loop, or point-to-point)
8. Add in as much additional information as possible, including difficulty level, season start/end, permitted activity types, features, etc.
9. Add a clear description (strongly recommended):
   1. What the route is: Include the route type, key points of interest, and named trails (e.g., “X Trail to Y Falls loop via Z Ridge”)
   2. Terrain & difficulty context: Surface type (e.g., single track, fire road, paved); steep, exposed, or scrambling sections
   3. Access details: Exact start point (trailhead/parking); fees, permits, or private-but-permitted land
   4. Seasonality: Best time to visit; snow, mud, flooding considerations
   5. Safety notes (if relevant): Wildlife, sensitive areas, staying on trail
   6. Official maps & resources: You may also include links to official maps or land manager resources for our verification
   7. General tip: Describe what someone new to the area would need to safely and confidently complete the route. This helps us verify it as a real, repeatable trail.
10. To verify the route and direction of your new trail, scroll down to the bottom of the page to the gray elevation graph and move your cursor over the bar (left to right)
11. When you're finished, click the 'Save' button at the bottom of the page, and you’ll be taken to the pending trail page

To submit one of your recorded activities as a trail on a desktop:

1. Log in to your account
2. Hover over your Profile icon in the header at the top right of any page and then select 'Show profile'
3. Your default Profile view will be a Feed of your recent activity. You can select an activity from here, or navigate to the Activities tab to see a list of all your recorded activities.
4. Open the activity that you'd like to suggest as a new trail
5. Add helpful details in the Notes section. This acts as your trail description — see guidance above on what to include.
6. When you're ready to submit, scroll to the bottom of the panel and select 'Suggest as new trail' (Note: If an existing verified route is tied to your activity, you won't be able to suggest your route as a new trail — only original routes can be submitted)
7. From the next page, you can edit the route further, if needed. This is where you can select route information, such as the type of route (out and back, loop, point-to-point). Fill in as much additional information as possible, including name, difficulty level, season start/end, activities, features, etc.
8. When you're finished, click the 'Save' button at the bottom of the page, and you’ll be taken to the pending trail page

To submit one of your recorded activities as a trail on the iPhone or Android app:

1. Tap 'Activity' in the bottom navigation bar
2. Open the activity that you'd like to suggest as a new trail
3. Add any photos from your trip at the bottom of the page. If you haven't already, tap 'Add a trail review' under the star rating to leave a text description. This acts as your trail description — see guidance above on what to include.
4. When you're ready to submit, tap the overflow menu (3 dots) in the upper right and select 'Suggest as new trail'
5. Update the route name. Your trail is much more likely to be approved if you include the official trail name. If your route includes multiple trails, be sure to include those as well.
6. Tap 'Submit' to send it to our team of moderators for review