How to Keep an Online Hiking Journal

How to Keep an Online Hiking Journal
Seasoned and novice hikers can record notes, photographs and experiences in an online hiking journal. It's an efficient and free way to share your thoughts and help other hikers looking to hit the trails. Depending on the length of your hike, you can create your own online trail journal entry in less than an hour with minimal technical expertise.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:
  • A bound hiking journal, pencil, digital camera, computer and online hiking journal subscription.
  • A bound hiking journal, pencil, digital camera, computer and online hiking journal subscription.
Step 1
Keep notes in a bound hiking journal with a pencil during your hike.
Step 2
Take photos with your digital camera of the trail, important points along the way and interesting views like the ocean or mountains whenever possible.
Step 3
After you return from your hike, set up an online trail journal on a free hiking site. You can use www.TrailJournals.com or another popular hiking and blogging software.
Step 4
Read over your notes and type them into your online trail journal. Use compelling details about weather conditions, finding the trail head, how to hike the trail, important points along the way, the duration of your hike, where to find water, the history of the area and any fees or permits you needed to pay.
Step 5
Find the photo upload instructions on your online hiking journal provider. Upload photos from your digital camera to your trail entry. Arrange your pictures throughout the story to match your copy. Include an image of the trail head marker when writing about the start of the hike.
Step 6
Create a link to the state park or preserve, online park maps, directions or other useful information that can be found online.
Step 7
If you used a hand held GPS to map your hike, upload the map into your GPS software. Clean up any backtracking, delete unnecessary marks and export your file as a GPX. You can also save your GPX file as a Jpeg and upload the image to your journal the same way you uploaded your photos.
Step 8
Create one online hiking journal entry for each day or each hike. This method will keep your entries well organized and easy to read.
Step 9
Save your online hiking journal and invite friends, family and other hikers to view and comment on your work.

Tips & Warnings

 
A water resistant hiking notebook and pencil is an easy way to keep your notes dry and easy to read. Open your pictures in photo software like Photoshop to improve the color and quality of your images.
 
A water resistant hiking notebook and pencil is an easy way to keep your notes dry and easy to read.
 
Open your pictures in photo software like Photoshop to improve the color and quality of your images.
 
Always keep a printed copy or digital back-up of your online hiking journal in case you lose your work. Remember that anyone can read your work online. If you don't want someone to know where you were hiking on a specific day, do not include the entry in your hiking journal.
 
Always keep a printed copy or digital back-up of your online hiking journal in case you lose your work.
 
Remember that anyone can read your work online. If you don't want someone to know where you were hiking on a specific day, do not include the entry in your hiking journal.

Article Written By Contributing Writer

Write for Trails.com
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