trailsare

trailsare is a term used to describe a proposed open standard and community project aimed at cataloging and standardizing information about trails used for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities. The goal is to enable accurate cross-platform trail data, improve safety and accessibility, and support conservation efforts.

The trailsare data model typically includes a set of core attributes: trail_id, name, location (country, region or park), length (kilometers), elevation_gain (meters), difficulty rating, surface_type, accessibility (wheelchair-accessible or not), seasonal_access, permitted_activities, hazards, closures, maintenance_status, and sources or data_verification_status. Data sources may include official park services, conservation organizations, and volunteer reports that are subject to review and quality checks.

History and development: The concept emerged in discussions among open-data advocates and trail users in the early 2020s as a way to harmonize various trail information formats. Trailsare emphasizes open licensing, versioning, and community governance to prevent fragmentation.

Adoption and impact: Some national or regional park agencies and mapping platforms have piloted trailsare-inspired schemas to augment existing GIS layers. Benefits include more consistent trail metadata, easier route planning, and safer access decisions. Challenges include reconciling differences across jurisdictions, keeping data up to date, and ensuring user contributions meet quality standards.

See also: trail map, geographic information system, open data.