Trail-Finder
A hiking platform for discovering US trails, combining detailed data, user reviews and smart filtering.
- Role
- UX & UI Design
- Timeline
- 3 months
- Deliverables
- Responsive website Figma prototype
- Context
- Freelance
One seamless
experience.
TrailFinder is a comprehensive hiking platform helping outdoor enthusiasts discover trails across the United States. TrailFinder set out to become the definitive resource for trail discovery, bringing together community knowledge and practical planning tools in one seamless experience.
In the past, hikers bounced between multiple resources.
Trail maps
Detailed trail data lived on its own site.Reviews
Authentic user reviews lived somewhere else.Weather
Conditions meant checking yet another source.Seasons
Planning around the season took even more tabs.Four steps from frustration to trail.
Analyze
Outdoor recreation appsCompetitor analysis of outdoor recreation apps.
Interview
Hikers of varying experienceSpoke with hikers, from weekend walkers to summit seekers.
Name the frustrations
What kept coming upCluttered interfaces, unreliable difficulty ratings, outdated trail conditions.
Design the fixes
Clear, trustworthy information- Show distance, time and difficulty up front.
- Keep conditions current.
Immersion & aspiration.
The challenge was to unify these needs into a single, intuitive platform. The interface needed to handle thousands of trails without feeling overwhelming, while the design had to evoke the emotional pull of the outdoors. The visual direction centered on immersion and aspiration. The UI stays deliberately minimal - clean whites, subtle shadows, and restrained typography - allowing the landscape imagery to create the emotional connection. The aesthetic strikes a balance between premium travel platform and practical outdoor tool.
Search & discovery
Intelligent search & filtering
The search system offers multiple pathways into the content, you can filter by region, trail name, difficulty, feature, duration, or dog-friendliness.
Region-based discovery
Thumbnail cards showcase each region's signature landscapes, mirroring how most hikers plan trips.
Intelligent search & filtering
The search system offers multiple pathways into the content, you can filter by region, trail name, difficulty, feature, duration, or dog-friendliness.
Region-based discovery
Thumbnail cards showcase each region's signature landscapes, mirroring how most hikers plan trips.
Homepage
Defined search
header
Immersive hero
experience
The homepage opens with a full-width cinematic hero.
Visual region
navigation
Horizontal scrolling on mobile keeps the section compact and encourages exploration.
Curated
collections
Collections group trails by skill level and interest, from family-friendly hikes to fourteeners.
Content hierarchy
The homepage follows a deliberate rhythm: 1. Inspire (hero) 2. Orient (regions) 3. Guide (hiking styles) 4. Educate (seasonal tips) 5. Discover (hidden gems) 6. Reassure (testimonials) 7. Convert (call to action) Each section answers a different user mindset, funneling browsers and planners toward the trail database.
Trail tips
& guides
Guides and stories help hikers plan the perfect trip.
Community
testimonials
Features real hiker stories - reinforcing that TrailFinder is built on community knowledge.
Optimized for mobile
Defined search header
Immersive hero experience
The homepage opens with a full-width cinematic hero.
Visual region navigation
Horizontal scrolling on mobile keeps the section compact and encourages exploration.
Curated collections
Collections group trails by skill level and interest, from family-friendly hikes to fourteeners.
Trail tips & guides
Guides and stories help hikers plan the perfect trip.
Community testimonials
Features real hiker stories - reinforcing that TrailFinder is built on community knowledge.
Search & map
Search & map integration
Users can filter by region, difficulty, distance, elevation gain, and features. Trails appear as pins across an interactive map, letting users explore geographically rather than scrolling endless lists.
Search & map integration
Users can filter by region, difficulty, distance, elevation gain, and features. Trails appear as pins across an interactive map, letting users explore geographically rather than scrolling endless lists.
Trails page
Defined search
header
Tabbed region filtering
Active states are clearly defined, and the interface remembers selections as users scroll.
Trail style matching
This module offers personality-driven entry points.
Seasonal trail guides
Visual cards with regional tags make planning around weather intuitive.
Hidden gems collection
Highlights overlooked trails, complete with imagery.
Ready to trail smarter
Three reasons to choose TrailFinder: personalized recommendations, real hiker reviews and real-time conditions.
Defined search header
Tabbed region filtering
Active states are clearly defined, and the interface remembers selections as users scroll.
Trail style matching
This module offers personality-driven entry points.
Seasonal trail guides
Visual cards with regional tags make planning around weather intuitive.
Hidden gems collection
Highlights overlooked trails, complete with imagery.
Ready to trail smarter
Three reasons to choose TrailFinder: personalized recommendations, real hiker reviews and real-time conditions.
TrailFinder delivers a unified platform that balances inspiration with utility: beautiful enough to spark wanderlust, practical enough to plan a real trip.
The design system scales gracefully from the casual browser to the dedicated hiker, while the responsive architecture ensures hikers can access the information they need wherever they are.