How I Find Running Trails Near Me: 5 Best Trail Finder Apps

If you want to go trail running or hiking and have been wondering ‘how can I find running trails near me to run’ then this article is for you, because in this post I run you through the best trail-finding apps to help you do just that.

Finding local trails used to be so difficult, in fact, the whole process was pretty much trial and error. I tried so many different ways to find running trails near me. I certainly had my fair share of trail runs and hikes that ended early because I found myself on a trail that was too overgrown to carry on.

To be fair, this can still happen if a trail hasn’t been maintained properly, for example. Nowadays, you don’t have to worry about choosing the wrong trail, instead, you can easily find popular running trails near you that are beautiful, well-maintained, and provide as much of a challenge as you would like.

Before I list the apps to find local trails, quickly go through this checklist of things to consider before choosing hiking or trail running routes.

Things to consider when choosing a trail running route

It’s always worth being prepared before you explore somewhere new, so here are a few things to consider before you search for your next new trail to run or hike:

How much time you have for your run/hike?

It’s important to consider how long an activity may take you to complete because you don’t want to still be out on the trails when the sun goes down.

This is less of an issue if you go prepared with a good headlamp.

How far are you comfortable running/hiking?

Think about how many miles and hours you’re comfortable hiking.

An average walking pace is about 3 mph, but your hiking pace may be slower than that depending on terrain, elevation gain and how much weight you’re carrying on your back.

If you’re new to trail running, don’t underestimate how long it may take you to run a route you are considering. Our beginner’s guide to trail running may be a useful read if you’re just getting started with the sport.

How much elevation gain?

The amount of climbing/elevation gain on a hike is another factor that determines its difficulty.

You’ll learn to know what’s challenging and what’s easy with experience.

If you’re looking for some steep trail challenges, then consider reducing the overall distance of the run/hike.

How fit are you right now?

There are so many different levels of difficulty when it comes to trails for running and hiking, so be conservative and choose a milder trail if you’re not sure how you’ll fair out there when starting out.

Remember, this is supposed to be fun so don’t end up draining yourself of all your motivation.

Feeling strong and happy after a trail run will fast-track your progress more so than putting yourself through the wringer.

What time of year is it and how’s the weather outlook?

Some trails won’t be accessible in early spring because they’re covered in snow, so make sure you check with whoever manages the trails before turning up ready to roll.

Remember to always use a weather app to check the weather forecast before heading out so you can dress and take the necessary gear.

Logistics

Certain run/hikes require a bit more planning.

For instance, if you end up doing a hike that starts and finishes at different places, you’ll need to shuttle cars to your endpoint.

Some popular trails may have a shuttle bus running for this very purpose, others may happen to be near a bus or rail station, or somewhere you can pick up a cheap lift share if you’re not too far from your car (assuming there’s cell service in the area!).

Wear the necessary gear

Depending on whether you plan to hike, fastpack or trail run your next new trail, see the appropriate gear guide below:

• Beginners Guide to Hiking: Includes Our Hiking Gear Checklist
• The Ultimate Trail Running Gear Guide: What To Wear Trail Running
• The Ultimate Fastpacking Gear Guide: Fast & Light Backpacking

So, how do I find hiking & running trails near me? I use a combination of these 5 Best Trail Finder Apps

1. AllTrails App/website

AllTrails is a fantastic way for people to explore the outdoors because they have a huge collection of detailed, hand-curated trail maps as well as trail reviews and photos crowdsourced from a community of 10 million registered hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners.

I use this must-have trail finder app to find hiking trails near me all the time!

I love seeing all the user-sourced photos on the app and website to as it gives me ideas for new places to hike with my camera.

More data is better data! With AllTrails it’s very easy to find, customize, record, and share outdoor activities with other outdoor enthusiasts.

There are over 50,000 trails to choose from with this outdoors trail finder app, and what’s extra cool is that you can follow along on the trail using your phone’s GPS in conjunction with the app.

This website and app is also great if you’re trying to find dog friendly hiking trails near you too.

Although this is a nice feature of the trail finder app, I wouldn’t recommend using your cell battery for long hikes or trail runs because it’s very important to ensure you have mobile phone battery reserved in case of an unexpected emergency on the trails.

Instead, I would recommend downloading the GPS track from AllTrails and loading it onto your GPS Watch with Navigation, which will also have far superior battery life and durability on the trails.

Coros GPS watches have the longest battery life in their class, are very durable and lightweight, perfect for hikers, trail runners, ultrarunners, fastpackers and thru-hikers.

AllTrails is free for the most part but to download .GPX routes from them you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version. Your first week is free, then only $35.99 a year (that’s $2.99 a month).

Yes there’s a cost for all the features but sometimes you have to pay for good service, and this app is definitely one of my favorites for finding running and hiking trails near me.

2. Hiking Project App/Website

The Hiking Project app is a crowd-sourced trail guide built by outdoor enthusiasts.

These hiking trails can be used for trail running too but REI also has a dedicated Trail Run Project app if you would prefer to use that one.

Hiking Project and its sister sites showcase thousands of routes and trails in your own backyard, across the U.S., and also around the globe.

When our favorite outdoor gear store, the REI Co-op acquired Hiking Project — and the rest of Adventure Projects — they sought to solidify the future of this amazing resource for the trail-loving community.

The Hiking Project website and the mobile trail finder app can help you plan trips, connect with others, share information and navigate while on the trails, all within the trail finder app.

Although being able to follow a trail directly within an app is a nice feature, I wouldn’t recommend draining your cell battery for long hikes or trail runs because it’s very important to ensure you have mobile phone battery reserved in case of an unexpected emergency on the trails.

Instead, I would recommend taking time to look at a map and elevation profile of the area, so you have a clear idea of where you will be going, and also downloading the GPS track from the Hiking Project (or Trail Run Project) and loading it onto your GPS Watch with Navigation features.

The lightweight Coros GPS watches are reasonably priced, have the longest battery life in their class, have navigation features, are waterproof, and also very durable.

This is why we recommend them for hikers, trail runners, ultrarunners, fastpackers and thru-hikers.

The REI Co-op believes that a life outdoors is a life well-lived, and they offer this free resource as part of their commitment to inspiring, educating and outfitting for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Who doesn’t like great trail apps for free!?

The information on Hiking Project is largely crowd-sourced, contributed by passionate users excited to share their knowledge of local trails with others.

Anyone, from an experienced hiker/trail runner to someone brand new to the sport, can share their experiences.

As a contributor, you can add your favorite trails and photos, give ratings and post comments, improve existing content and spread the word about recommended trails.

Your expertise brings an authentic voice to each trail and featured run/hike.

We love that Hiking Project manages site content by reviewing every trail, hike, photo, and symbol that gets submitted.

The REI Co-op recognizes the importance of displaying only accurate and legal trails which helps to keep folks on track and protect the places we all love to play. This ethos resonates with us closely here at Trail & Kale!

3. Garmin Connect App/Website

Garmin Connect operates in a similar way to Strava in that you can build your own routes and find community-created ones too, very easily with popularity heatmaps.

I currently create my new trail running routes using the Garmin Connect website when I am using a Garmin running watch, as it syncs so effortlessly.

I also use it all the time to find running trails near me! It’s one of the best trail finder apps for trail running.

This trail finder app won’t be for everyone because you’ll need a Garmin GPS device to be able to use the platform properly.

If you have a Garmin GPS watch already then the chances are you already know that Garmin Connect has these features, but if you’re looking to buy a Garmin for their best in class navigation features then I’d recommend going for the Garmin Fenix 7 or Forerunner 965.

To read why I rate this GPS trail running watch so highly, visit our ‘best GPS watches for trail running’ buyer’s guide.

Having such a feature-rich GPS running watch like the Garmin Fenix Pro of Forerunner 965 combined with powerful software like Garmin Connect makes finding well-trodden running trails near me so easy! It’s definitely the best way to find trails near me, for sure.

I love how easy it is to set up a course/route on Garmin’s interface and then send it to the watch, ready for following during your run or hike.

When the route is displayed back to you on the watch, the map is pretty detailed.

I love to explore new routes/trails, so being able to see the trails lines on the watch map that you shouldn’t take, makes it much easier to see the ones you should, hence reducing the chances of getting lost. You will need a Garmin GPS watch to make the most of this wonderful app though.

4. Strava App/Website

Not only is Strava an excellent motivational tool for recording runs/hikes, tracking your progress and setting goals but it can also help you find or build new routes based on popularity, store them and then follow them during your activity.

To create a new route on Strava, first, make sure you are a Strava member, it’s free to join if you’re not already, once you are logged in click here to build your own route based on Strava’s heatmaps feature (on the desktop site).

This feature lights up routes on the map based on how often they have been run by Strava members. This is awesome because you can pretty much guarantee that it’s going to be a good route, based on its popularity.

And don’t forget to join the Trail & Kale Strava Club as it’s the perfect place to meet other runners who share similar goals, and learn about epic trails to run on!

5. TrailLink App/Website (Rails To Trails Conservancy)

The TrailLink App and website was created by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.

Their mission is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines, connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.

What is a Rail-Trail?

Rail-trails are multi-purpose public paths created from former railroad corridors. These paths are flat or gently sloping, making them easily accessible and a great way to enjoy the outdoors.

Rail-trails are ideal for many types of activities–depending on the rules established by the local community–including running, walking, bicycling, wheelchair use, inline skating, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. So if you like this kind of hiking or running then definitely take a look at TrailLink.

We love this concept so much! Similar to the AllTrails trail finder App, you’ll need to upgrade to their pro version in order to get all the features, like downloading trail routes for following on your GPS Watch rather than just in the app, for example.

You get additional options for upgrading to TrailLink Unlimited too, including being able to download high-resolution maps of the trail you choose to run or hike, sync your favorite trails, find nearby restrooms, etc.

A full list can be found here.

But the main benefit I see of upgrading is that you’ll be helping to support Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s mission to keep developing products to empower your next trail adventure.

BONUS: Take a map with you

Even if you have studied an area online, and downloaded the route to your GPS watch or handheld device, we strongly recommend taking a physical map with you, especially if you are going somewhere new or remote – where getting lost or losing battery/GPS signal can have very serious consequences!

For popular areas, you can usually find a good trail map online, or check out a local bookstore.

We like the National Geographic Trails Maps as they’re clear and easy-to-read, and easy to pack into your hiking daypack or running hydration pack.

I hope you found this post on finding trails to run on helpful in planning your next trail running (or hiking) trip.

It’s so great that there are so many excellent trail finder apps and GPS watches available to help make finding great trails accessible!

If you are new to hiking and interested in more hiking tips and other advice, you may also find our complete beginner’s guide to hiking useful reading before your next hiking trip.

For more trail running advice and buyer’s guides, head over to our homepage where you’ll find hundreds of articles dedicated to trail running and outdoor adventuring.