trailsis

Trailsis is an open data platform designed to collect, validate, and share information about trails for hiking, cycling, skiing, and other outdoor activities. The project aims to provide accurate, up-to-date trail data such as location, length, elevation gain, surface type, access restrictions, amenities, and current conditions. Trailsis emphasizes community involvement and interoperability with mapping and navigation tools.

The platform supports user contributions, GPS data ingestion from devices, and official feeds from participating land managers. Data are published under an open license to encourage reuse in map apps, planning tools, and research. Trailsis uses standard data formats such as GPX and GeoJSON and offers an API for developers.

To maintain quality, Trailsis employs a reputation system, community moderation, and optional verification by authorities. Contributors can annotate trails with condition reports, closures, reroutes, seasonal hazards, and accessibility notes. The project also integrates with other open data projects to improve coverage and consistency.

Trailsis originated from a collaboration of hikers, GIS specialists, and open data advocates in the early 2010s, with a beta release in 2014. It has since been sustained by a multi-stakeholder governance model and a global volunteer community. Several national and regional parks have published official feeds into Trailsis, complementing volunteer data.

Usage varies from trip planning and offline mapping to ecological and transportation research. Land managers use Trailsis to monitor closures and maintenance needs, while researchers study trail accessibility and habitat connectivity. Critics note data gaps and uneven coverage in less-populated regions.