How can I survey a trail?
Anyone can gather trail data, or “field survey.” No fancy tools nor special skills required. You may even be surveying trails without realizing it while enjoying outdoor activities.
Why survey trails in the field?
Field surveys are invaluable to anyone creating digital trail data. A good field survey typically produces more accurate, more detailed, and more up-to-date information than may be available from public data sources like aerial imagery.
What is the end goal of field surveying?
The goal of field surveys is to improve digital trail data. The most direct way to achieve this is by contributing your survey data to OpenStreetMap, since OSM powers most outdoor recreation apps. OpenStreetMap is a free, global, collaborative database maintained by volunteers.
How can I survey the route of a trail with my phone?
Several phone apps allow you to capture the route of your hike, bike ride, etc. These captures are commonly known as “GPS traces,” and they can indicate trail geometry.
For example, say you want to survey the alignment of a new trail. You could start a GPS trace on your phone at the trailhead and then hike the trail. When your hike is over, you’d have a data file outlining the general shape of the trail, which you could later reference while mapping.
On a technical level, GPS traces are saved as “GPX files” (file extension .gpx). This stands for the “GPS Exchange Format.” Some apps use “GPS” and “GPX” interchangeably.
About the Digital Trails Handbook
This is a community-driven guide to the data we rely upon to navigate the great outdoors. It’s written by trail mapping experts (not by AI), with insight from trail users, land managers, and app developers.
This handbook comes out of the OpenStreetMap US Trails Stewardship Initiative, a collaborative effort to improve recreation data in the United States and beyond.
Passionate about trails? You can get involved or donate to support our work.
This chapter last revised Feb 25, 2025.
Something amiss? You can propose a change ➛
