AllTrails Hiking App Review

The AllTrails hiking app is a great way to navigate hiking trails, as long as you use it to its fullest potential.

AllTrails is a well-known hiking navigation app that has been tried and tested. It’s important to use some sort of navigation while hiking so you don’t get lost. Not everyone can read a map and compass correctly, so hiking apps like AllTrails are very helpful for navigating the trail.

In this guide, I’ll review the AllTrails hiking app based on my experience of using it throughout the years.

AllTrails Hiking App is Best For

The AllTrails hiking app is best for just about anyone who needs a reliable hiking app for trail navigation.

I’ve used AllTrails for short day hikes, longer all-day adventures, and even for overnight backpacking trips. The app has more trails listed for an area than any other hiking app I’ve seen on the market. Each trail has tons of information, photos, and reviews by people who have recorded hikes on it.

AllTrails is great for families looking to spend the day in nature for the solo backpacker looking for a multiday adventure in the wilderness.

AllTrails Hiking App Specs & Features

There are three plans to choose from on the AllTrails hiking app, and each of them comes with its own set of features.

The first plan is the Base plan, which is free. The features included with this plan are:

• Save trails and create lists.
• Navigate to stay on route.

The next plan is the Plus plan, which costs money. This plan includes all of the Base plan features, along with:

• Download offline maps
• Tour photos along the trail
• Get alerts for wrong turns.
• Preview trails and terrain in 3D
• Share live activities with friends.
• Find trails by distance from you.
• Print maps for backup
• Go ad-free

The top plan is the Peak plan, which costs a bit more money. It includes everything in the Base and Plus plan, along with:

• Plan for on-trail conditions.
• Identify plants and more.
• Build your own routes.
• Customize AllTrails routes
• Explore community heatmaps

The technical requirements of the AllTrails hiking app include:

• iOS 16 or newer and Android 9 or newer are required
• A modern browser, such as Chrome or Firefox, is required for the web version.
• AllTrails is compatible with Apple Watch and Wear OS.
• An internet connection is required for most features.
• Offline map downloads are available with paid plans.

Each plan offers something different based on your needs and requirements.

Performance of the AllTrails Hiking App

The AllTrails hiking app performs exceptionally well when it is in good working condition.

If you’re hiking anywhere where there is constant cell phone data availability, then all you really need is the free version to get the basic core functionality of the app, which is to keep you on the trail.

However, if you’re hiking in areas without cell phone signal, such as most places in the Shawnee National Forest, you’ll need offline map downloading capabilities. This is where you have to upgrade to a paid plan. You also have to download the maps with an internet connection before you venture out.

The app performs as it is advertised to perform, but in order to use it in most wooded areas, you’ll have to upgrade because most of the time, there is no cell phone signal in those areas.

Durability of the AllTrails Hiking App

I feel that the AllTrails hiking app is very durable for what it was made to be used for.

You can find just about any hiking trail in your area on AllTrails. I’ve even found trails that are not so well-known and not visited as much using the app. New trails are being added all the time to the app, making it a very evergreen application.

Users can add their own routes and combinations of trails. This may cause some confusion for some hikers because the user routes aren’t exactly official routes. For example, the Garden of the Gods Backdoor Loop is a route on AllTrails, but in reality, its multiple trails routed together to make one big trail, and aside from AllTrails, you won’t find any other information about this route anywhere else because it only exists on the AllTrails hiking app.

However, I’ve done the Backdoor Loop, and the app kept me on the trail the entire time without any issues. Whether I’m doing an official route or one created by a user, the app has always kept me on the route I intended to hike. I’ve never experienced AllTrails giving me bad information.

Price & Value

The Base plan is free but very generic. I have found that other apps like Trail Forks and Gaia GPS have more featured than what the free version of the AllTrails hiking app gives me.

The Plus plan is $35.99 a year. It provides me with everything I need to enjoy the app. The ability to download maps for offline use is the main reason I suggest getting the Plus app.

The Peak plan is $79.99 a year, which is pretty high. However, it gives you some cool extra features, including the ability to identify plants, which usually requires additional apps. If you need the extra features, then this plan might be right for you.

I recommend the Plus plan when choosing the AllTrails hiking app because you can download maps for offline use, which is important because, without that, in most cases, AllTrails will be useless.

Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that buying the app using my link above will earn me a commission, but not impact your price.

Pros and Cons of the AllTrails Hiking App

There are many pros and cons of using the AllTrails hiking app.

The pros of using the app include:

• There is an extensive trail database. I’ve seen more trails listed on AllTrails than any other app out there.
• There is a big community established on the app with shared photos, user trail recordings, and reviews.
• The free version, while very basic and bare bones, does allow you to find trails and navigate them as long as you have an internet connection.
• You can track your hiking activity and fitness metrics like you would with other fitness apps available on the market.
• The AllTrails hiking app is very easy for beginners, and the user interface is very simple to use.

There are a few cons of AllTrails that I want to mention:

• A lot of the information and recordings come from users. This means that some aspects of it are inaccurate since routes are being made on demand and are not official.
• In order to use offline maps, you have to pay for that feature. You also need the internet to download the maps before using them.
• Like with any app that is being continuously used on a phone, there is a chance that it can drain your phone battery quicker.

In my experience, the pros of using the AllTrails hiking app tend to outweigh the cons. I feel like the app is worth trying to see whether it’s right for you or not.

Final Verdict

I suggest using the AllTrails hiking app if you’re just starting out and need to find more hiking trails to enjoy.

I still use the app when visiting other states and trails that I’m not used to. I continue to pay for the Plus plan so that I can continue to download maps when I need them. I also try to leave reviews of the trail to help those planning their hike.

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And until next time, I’ll see you on the trail!