TrailLink: Bike, Run, Walk

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About TrailLink: Bike, Run, Walk

TrailLink is the ultimate trail-finder app to help you stay active and get outdoors. Enjoy full-length trail descriptions, reviews, photos, and detailed trail maps not found anywhere else!

Discover amazing trails near you that are perfect for cycling, jogging, walking, workouts and more. Explore over 40,000 miles of multi-use trails in the US, all carefully curated for quality.

Want to get started biking, walking trails or jogging? Subscribe to TrailLink Unlimited for detailed offline trail maps, plus tens of thousands of trail amenity waypoints.

Find walking trails with exercise stations, biking trails with great views and much more. Find fitness anywhere you walk or ride with the best trails near you.

Empower your next on-the-trail adventures, whether you’re hiking, biking, jogging or walking.

TrailLink is powered by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) expert trails database which offers unique trail-finder functionality. Plus, TrailLink Unlimited lets you search Google Places for easy access to trail-side businesses.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's GIS mapping initiatives have produced more than 40,000 miles of highly accurate trail maps. Download trail maps and access them any time, then share your trail photos and trips with friends.

Take TrailLink with you today and let Rails-to-Trails Conservancy be your expert guide out on the trail. Try it out today and register to get your first map for free!

Download TrailLink today for:

OUTDOOR EXERCISE

• Discover the joys out the outdoors with scenic walking and biking trails near you.

• Get outside and get in shape whether you’re a beginner or an outdoor enthusiast.

FIND TRAILS

• Search for trails near you or by location

• Search for trails on the map

• Search for Google Places on the map

• Download trail maps for offline use

• Find the best trails for jogging, walking or biking

TRAILS FOR ALL TRIPS

• Find trails for jogging

• Biking routes

• Walking trails

• Hiking trails

• And more!

TRAIL REVIEWS

• Read RTC's expert trail descriptions

• Read and write trail reviews

• Save your trail favorites

SHARE YOUR ROUTES

• Upload trail photos

• Share trails with friends

TRAIL DIRECTIONS & INFORMATION

• See your location on the trail

• Generate driving directions

• Amenity waypoints like exercise stations, trailheads, tunnels and drinking fountains

• Find restrooms, parking & much more

RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONNECTION

• Sync your account with TrailLink's website

• Support the mission of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy!

Download the TrailLink app today and let RTC guide your way!

The TrailLink app offers the Unlimited subscription in the app directly through your iTunes Account for only $29.99 for 12 months of unlimited offline map downloads. The TrailLink Unlimited subscription will automatically renew for $29.99 after 12 months unless you cancel your subscription at least 24hrs before the end of the current subscription period. You can cancel at any time and manage your subscription, including turning off auto-renewal, in your Account Settings.

To view TrailLink Terms of Use policy, please visit: https://www.traillink.com/terms-of-use/

To view Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Privacy Policy, please visit: https://www.railstotrails.org/privacy/

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App Information

1. SEO METADATA

Title: TrailLink review: the trail app that actually knows where trails are Meta Description: Tested TrailLink for 2 weeks across local trails. Free app with 40,000+ trail maps that mostly works, though the interface feels stuck in 2018.

2. MAIN REVIEW CONTENT

Finding trails shouldn't be this hard (but somehow it is)

You'd think finding a decent trail for biking or running would be simple in 2024. Google Maps? Useless for trails. Apple Maps? Even worse. AllTrails wants $30 a year just to download maps.

Enter TrailLink, which somehow flies under the radar despite having mapped over 40,000 trails across the US. Been testing it for two weeks after a friend mentioned it at our running club. And honestly? It's weirdly good at the one thing that matters.

My experience with the app

Downloaded TrailLink on a Thursday morning, planning a weekend bike trip. First thing that hit me – this interface looks like it hasn't changed since Obama's second term. But whatever, I'm not here for pretty buttons.

The search actually works. Typed "rail trail" near my zip code and boom, 14 options within 30 miles. Each one had actual useful info like surface type (crucial for road bikes), whether dogs are allowed, parking details. Stuff you actually need to know.

Saturday's ride was the real test. Picked a 22-mile converted rail trail I'd never heard of. The app's directions to the trailhead were spot-on. Once on the trail, the GPS tracking worked fine without eating my battery (used maybe 8% over 3 hours). The mile markers matched reality. Even showed where the sketchy road crossings were.

Week two, tried it for running. Here's where it gets interesting – the reviews from other users are goldmines. Someone warned about flooding under a bridge after rain. Another mentioned the coffee shop at mile 7. All accurate. The community here actually cares about accuracy, unlike certain other apps where people review mountains like restaurants.

Biggest annoyance? The offline maps are free (yes, actually free) but downloading them is painful. Each trail downloads separately. Want to grab all trails in your county? Hope you got 20 minutes to tap buttons. Also, the app randomly logged me out twice. No idea why.

The pros and cons

How it stacks up

What the internet says

Reddit's r/cycling has a soft spot for TrailLink. Found a thread where someone called it "the Wikipedia of rail trails" – maintained by enthusiasts, not pretty but reliable. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy connection gives it credibility other apps lack.

App Store reviews tell a story. The 5-stars love the free offline maps and accurate trail conditions. The 1-stars are mostly people who couldn't figure out the download system (fair complaint) or wanted hiking trails (wrong app for that).

Interestingly, local cycling forums treat TrailLink as the default for planning group rides. Saw multiple ride organizers just drop TrailLink URLs instead of explaining routes. That's trust.

Twitter complaints mostly about the interface. Someone said it looks like "a government website from 2004" and... yeah. But also saw the official account actually responding to bug reports. They fixed a GPS issue someone mentioned within a week.

The verdict after two weeks

Here's the thing about TrailLink – it does one job really well. If you want to find rail trails, bike paths, or paved running routes, it's honestly the best free option out there.

The interface won't win any awards. You won't impress anyone showing them the app. But when you're standing at a random trailhead at 7am, and the map loads instantly offline, and the trail surface is exactly what the app said it would be... suddenly that dated interface doesn't matter much.

Am I keeping it? Already planning next weekend's ride with it. For road cyclists and runners who stick to trails, this is a no-brainer. Mountain bikers and serious hikers, look elsewhere (AllTrails or Trailforks). But for the rail-trail crowd? TrailLink just works.

Quick tip: join their email list. They send updates when new trails open. Found out about a new 15-mile trail twenty minutes from home that way. Google Maps still doesn't show it six months later.