Why We Chose It
The AllTrails app has become the go-to digital companion for travellers who love hiking, trail running, or simply exploring new landscapes on foot. With over 60 million global users and 400,000+ curated trails, it’s more than a map app — it’s a global community of outdoor explorers. We chose AllTrails as our App of the Month because it perfectly embodies what modern travel tech should do: make discovery effortless, navigation reliable, and adventure safer.
In 2025, more travellers are seeking nature-based experiences. From weekend city escapes to full national park expeditions, people want reliable navigation tools that work both online and offline. AllTrails fills that gap better than any other app we’ve tested. Its combination of topographic maps, real user reviews, elevation profiles, and accessibility filters sets it apart.
We also love how intuitive and inclusive it is — beginners can find short, family-friendly walks, while serious hikers can plan multi-day routes with GPS precision. The app integrates beautifully with Apple Health and Garmin, allowing you to track fitness metrics alongside route data.
For travellers who rely on public transport or car rentals, AllTrails also includes directions to each trailhead via Google Maps, Apple Maps, or your preferred navigation app. Whether you’re exploring the Peak District, the Dolomites, or the Blue Mountains, AllTrails helps you get there, stay on track, and discover hidden gems along the way.
What the AllTrails App Does
At its core, AllTrails is a trail discovery, navigation, and tracking platform designed to help you find the best hiking, running, and biking routes anywhere in the world. It’s built for everyone — from casual walkers looking for a scenic stroll to seasoned mountaineers tackling steep climbs.
Once you sign in, you can search by location, difficulty, distance, elevation gain, or user rating. Each trail listing includes detailed topographic maps, photos uploaded by other users, terrain notes, and accessibility information such as dog-friendly or stroller-friendly tags.
The app’s GPS tracking feature lets you follow your route in real time, record your activity, and even share progress live with friends for safety. If you lose signal, the app automatically switches to offline mode, provided you’ve downloaded your chosen maps in advance.
What makes AllTrails stand out is its sense of community. The in-app reviews and user photos provide authentic feedback about trail conditions, seasonal challenges, and must-see viewpoints — something no generic map can replicate.
There’s also a “Collections” feature, allowing you to group trails by theme — think “Waterfall Walks in Wales” or “California Sunset Hikes.” Add favourites, sync across devices, and export GPX files if you prefer using dedicated GPS units.
For 2025, AllTrails has introduced AI-powered trail recommendations based on your fitness level, past activity, and current location — making it smarter and more personalised than ever. Whether you’re in a national park or just exploring a local woodland, AllTrails makes every step easier to plan and more rewarding to remember.
Key Features & Highlights
The AllTrails app stands out for its impressive blend of functionality, accuracy, and design simplicity. It isn’t overloaded with gimmicks — every tool serves a clear purpose for walkers, hikers, runners, or cyclists. Here’s what makes it shine in 2025.
The first major feature is its comprehensive trail database. With over 400,000 curated routes across 150 countries, AllTrails combines crowd-sourced data with verified geographic information. Users can filter by distance, elevation, difficulty, route type, terrain, accessibility, or even by trail popularity. This flexibility makes it just as useful for a gentle lakeside walk as for a summit attempt.
Another key highlight is the interactive topographic map layer. It shows elevation changes, trail intersections, and terrain contours in real time. Satellite imagery and OpenStreetMap data give you a precise view of your surroundings, and you can overlay GPS waypoints for custom planning.
The recording tool is a favourite among fitness-minded travellers. It logs your activity, distance, pace, and total climb while syncing seamlessly with Apple Health, Strava, and Garmin. You can later revisit your statistics, share completed routes, or create a visual trail journal of your travels.
The community aspect adds a social layer — trail photos, condition updates, and reviews make every hike more predictable and trustworthy. Premium users gain access to 3D fly-through visualisations, custom route creation, and off-route alerts that help prevent wrong turns in remote terrain.
In short, AllTrails delivers everything an outdoor explorer could need: discovery, safety, and a touch of social connection — all wrapped in a clean, responsive interface that’s genuinely built for real-world adventure.
User Experience & Interface
One reason we selected AllTrails as our App of the Month is that it nails user experience from the first tap. The app’s design feels clean, modern, and functional — whether you’re opening it for a five-minute dog walk or plotting a day-long ridge hike.
The homepage layout immediately presents nearby trails, trending hikes, and saved favourites. The minimalist design hides powerful tools under intuitive icons, so there’s no clutter or confusion. Each trail card displays a summary image, route length, elevation, and a quick “verified by AllTrails” badge for reliability.
Navigation within the map view is fluid and highly visual. The search filters are straightforward yet granular, allowing you to narrow down exactly what you want — for example, “easy walks under 5 km with waterfalls.” Swiping between list and map mode feels natural, and trail details load fast even on weak connections.
AllTrails also does accessibility well. Text size adjusts automatically, colour contrast is strong, and offline functionality remains stable. The Pro membership enhances this with downloadable maps and live GPS overlay, meaning even if your phone loses data in a remote valley, you can still follow the trail safely.
Syncing between devices is seamless; planning a route on your tablet and opening it later on your phone happens instantly via cloud sync. You can even log in on desktop for trip planning, then download your chosen trails for mobile use.
Ultimately, AllTrails succeeds because it respects the traveller’s mindset: it keeps things clear, functional, and dependable. The interface doesn’t get in the way of exploration — it quietly supports it, which is exactly what a great travel app should do.
Offline Maps & Pro Membership
The true power of AllTrails becomes apparent once you step into areas with poor or no mobile signal. That’s where AllTrails+ (Pro Membership) transforms the experience from convenient to essential. With a subscription, users can download unlimited offline maps, ensuring uninterrupted access to trail routes, elevation contours, and location tracking without needing data.
Offline maps aren’t just static images — they’re fully interactive. You can still zoom, pan, and follow your GPS position in real time. This makes AllTrails an invaluable companion for hikers in regions such as the Scottish Highlands, Sierra Nevada, or Patagonia, where network coverage often disappears minutes outside towns.
AllTrails+ also unlocks off-route alerts, warning you immediately if you stray from the correct path. This safety feature alone justifies the modest subscription cost, especially for solo travellers or those exploring remote wilderness trails. Other Pro benefits include 3D route visualisation, wrong-turn prevention, map overlays (such as weather, air quality, and fire history), and custom route drawing tools.
One of the newest 2025 upgrades is live weather layer integration, which helps hikers anticipate rain, heat, or visibility changes mid-route. You can even print paper backups of your maps — a thoughtful nod to traditional hikers who still carry physical copies.
Importantly, AllTrails keeps all premium features ad-free and clearly segmented. You can test them with a short free trial before committing, and syncing your Pro data between mobile and desktop is seamless. For anyone serious about outdoor exploration, the Pro plan feels less like an upsell and more like an investment in safety and preparedness.
Best For / Limitations
The AllTrails app is best suited for independent travellers, hikers, runners, cyclists, and weekend explorers who value self-guided navigation and community insight. Its user-friendly design makes it ideal for families and casual walkers, while advanced data tools appeal to outdoor athletes tracking fitness metrics.
For digital nomads and slow travellers, AllTrails is a great bridge between adventure and practicality — you can find scenic walking routes near coworking spaces or plan eco-friendly day trips from major cities. It also complements other apps like Komoot, Maps.me, and Google Maps, offering far more curated and activity-specific data.
However, AllTrails does have limitations. While offline functionality is excellent, full map downloads require the paid plan, which may put off occasional users. Some remote regions — particularly in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — still lack detailed route coverage or verified reviews, though the database grows monthly.
Another point to note is that AllTrails isn’t a full-scale safety or rescue app. It doesn’t replace carrying a power bank, a paper map, or informing others of your route. It’s a planning and tracking tool, not a substitute for proper outdoor safety practice.
Finally, heavy GPS tracking can drain battery life during long hikes, so Pro users should pre-download maps and enable power-saving mode when possible.
Despite these caveats, AllTrails remains the most balanced, dependable, and community-driven hiking app available in 2025. It empowers travellers to explore further with confidence — whether they’re tackling a mountain ridge, wandering a city park, or simply chasing the next great view.
Rupert’s Handy Travel Tips
Heading outdoors with AllTrails? Here are my tried-and-tested tips to make the most of your next hike or walk:
- Download your maps before you set off — even short countryside walks can lose signal faster than you think.
- Take a power bank on longer routes, especially if you’re tracking GPS continuously.
- Filter your searches by “dog-friendly” or “kid-friendly” trails if you’re exploring as a family.
- Check the community photo section for real-time insights — muddy conditions, closed gates, or scenic picnic spots often appear there first.
- Pair AllTrails with a weather app like Windy or AccuWeather for live updates while hiking.
Want to meet the reindeer behind our travel tips? Find out more in our page Who is Rupert?.
Further Reading & Related App Guides
Want to prepare for every part of your journey? These related guides will help you stay informed, connected, and ready to travel with confidence.
Translate on the go with our translation apps guide → Translation Apps Guide
Keep track of exchange rates with our currency converter apps guide → Currency Converter Apps Guide
Stay connected worldwide with our eSIM apps guide → eSIM Apps Guide
Plan for any weather with our weather apps guide → Weather Apps Guide
Protect your trip with our travel insurance apps guide → Travel Insurance Apps Guide
Last Updated
This guide was last updated in November 2025.
All information was correct at the time of writing, including app features, pricing, and availability. Always check the official app listing for the latest updates and subscription options before downloading.
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