The hiking app AllTrails has rolled out a massive update that focuses on member-desired features and innovative ways to use technology to enhance your outdoor experience. The suite of six new features marks the biggest update from the brand in a decade.
The San Francisco-based platform, which was awarded Apple's iPhone App of the Year award in 2023, has steadily improved its offerings for trail users since it launched in 2010. Last year, its Public Lands Program allowed land management agencies such as National Park officials to share time-sensitive updates with users, while AllTrails+, the brand's first subscription service, has added features such as offline maps, a Live Share function to keep your friends and family up-to-date on your location and wrong turn alerts to keep you on track.
"A lot of our time is spent listening to our members, doing user research, trying to really understand what they want," says Ivan Selin, chief product officer at AllTrails.
The brand has positioned itself as the world's leading hiking app, even despite Apple Maps trying to muscle in with its custom route feature, and we didn't think there was much more it could do to keep its competitive edge. Turns out we were wrong.
Today, AllTrails unveils Peak membership, its top-tier subscription, and we recently sat down with Selin to find out more. Here's what we're most excited about:
Custom routes
Find a route on AllTrails, but think it looks a little longer or steeper than you wanted? Planning a multi-day hike where you link together different paths? In the last couple of years, it has been possible to alter your route on the fly, since AllTrails does show other existing paths, but it hasn't allowed you to create a route at home. Now you can.
The Custom Routes feature combines more than 450,000 trails and millions of miles recorded by AllTrails members with the power of AI to allow you to create your perfect trail.
"You can use any existing trail as a starting point, or you can start from scratch. And you can do this all yourself, which we built to be really intuitive and fun," says Selin, who adds that you can also use the new Smart Routing feature, and all trails will create your perfect route for you.
Community Heat Maps
If you're a Strava user or own a Suunto or Garmin watch, you may already be familiar with heat maps, which shows you the traffic levels on routes and trails. AllTrails initially built its own heat maps for public lands managers, and it proved so popular that it has now been added to Peak membership.
"One of the most common challenges we often hear from our members is that the most popular trails around the world have become too popular," says Selin.
However, his team categorizes this as a good problem, partly because it means lots of people are enjoying the outdoors and also because they believe it's easily solved with Heat Maps, which allow you to see AllTrails user traffic over time on any trail.
"You can find the most popular trail or a hidden gem and everything in between."
Trail Conditions
AllTrails+ members have been able to see weather conditions along the trail for a while now, but this is another feature that's been turbo-charged for Peak membership.
Wondering if it's a Microspikes day or if you need to pack insect repellent? Conditions can change dramatically in ways that are really important for preparation. The new Trail Conditions feature provides you with a more comprehensive weather report that aggregates 15 different weather factors every hour across a grid that covers the entirety of every trail, as well as ground conditions, bug activity and snowpack.
"Not only will we be able to tell you if you should expect snow on your trail, but we'll actually be able to show you precisely when and where to expect it and how deep the snow pack will be," says Selin.
"With trail conditions, you'll always be a step ahead. So you can hit the trail with confidence by knowing what to wear and how to prepare.
Outdoor lens
If you've ever set foot on a hiking trail, you've almost certainly seen a plant or insect and wondered what it was.
You also may know that apps exist to help you identify such things, but this summer, you'll be able to do it within AllTrails if you sign up for Peak membership.
"It's the start of a brand new set of experiences that allow you to use our in-app camera on trail to better understand the natural landscape around you," says Selin.
Outdoor Lens will help you identify plants, trees, mushrooms, and even insects so you can learn more about the natural world on your hiking adventures.
AllTrails Peak membership
AllTrails Peak includes all of the features from both AllTrails Plus and Base (free) memberships, while other new features have been added at all levels, incuding Points of Interest, making it easy to spot the can't-miss highlights along the trail, and the ability to download an entire map area with boundaries that they set so you can see all trails available in a region or park.
AllTrails Peak will be rolling out to select members in the coming weeks and will be globally available with the official release of AllTrails’ 2025 Summer Update in June. The annual subscription will be priced at $79.99 / £79.99. To learn more about Peak and register for early access to upgrade, visit https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/update/2025-summer.
