New Add-a-Trail Feature Debuts on Trailsnet.com
Finally, after months in the making, the new Add-a-Trail format is up and running on Trailsnet, and it’s fantastic. Old features have been improved and new features have been added. These new trail features make Trailsnet a truly unique trail website and one of the best trail-finding websites on the internet. I will explain a couple of the new features in today’s post and explain other features in upcoming posts. But most importantly, I hope you visit our new trail submission web page and add one of your favorite trails.
Improved Trail Submission Features
new trail submission form
Let’s start with the features we already had on our old Add a Trail web page that we improved on the new trail submission web page:
- Trail pictures – The new trail photo submission process is much easier for trail information contributors and for this website administrator. The old trail picture submission process was nearly impossible for most Trailsnet users to navigate and required most pictures to be submitted to the site administrator then added later. The new process is just like adding pictures on other major websites. It’s familiar, intuitive and easy.
- Trail weather – It’s nice to see the weather forecast for the trail you’re planning to visit. Our old trail information pages initially had this capability, but it stopped working correctly. Hallelujah, the trail weather feature is back and working like a charm. All you, the trail information contributor, have to do is enter a nearby city/town and state (two letter abbreviation is best) and the WordPress widget does the rest. Like magic, the trail weather appears on the trail listing.
- Trail comments – This may seem like an insubstantial addition to Trailsnet, but it’s actually a valuable tool for trail lovers. It allows constant communication and updates for trails. The perfect example of why this feature is important is happening behind my house right now. After years of work, a major regional trail was finally finished in August of 2014. In September of 2014 90% of that trail was wiped out in a flood. So now work has begun to repair the trail. Initially, the plan was to close the entire trail from early spring until early fall completely wiping out summer use of the trail. Concerned citizens convinced trail administrators to leave some sections open and incrementally open other sections as they’re completed. So now, trail users can get on Trailsnet and update each other about which sections are open. Trail administrators often don’t have the time or resources to continually update websites. A community of trail users are the perfect folks to provide trail information and trail construction updates. This trail forum is also a good place for trail users to communicate about trail additions, trail damage, trail legislation, trail rules and much more.
- Trail submission form layout – Finally, the layout for the entire Add-a-Trail process is much smoother, easier and more intuitive. It just makes more sense and is compatible with similar trail information websites. In fact, it’s much simpler to enter trail information on Trailsnet than on most of the trail websites. Not only is the layout much cleaner than before, but the instructions are more simple and helpful.
I hope you get a chance to try out our Add-a-New-Trail feature soon. If you tried it before, you’ll be surprised and pleased at how much easier it is now. You’ll also be a valuable part in the trail information update process with our new trail comments feature.
New Trail Information
Tomorrow, I’ll provide information about some of the brand new trail features on the improved trail submission form. Some of these new features are totally unique to Trailsnet and are helpful for both local trail users and active travelers who enjoy visiting trails all over the world. So please check back tomorrow and feel free to add comments right here on our blog and on our individual trail pages. Let’s talk trails!!
