Hike Search Descriptions: General Guidelines

Give back to the hiking community by sharing the places you love. This article contains some best-practice tips for writing helpful, concise descriptions for cities, parks and forests, and hikes within the Hike Search platform. Click below for more specific advice on each page category:

• City Pages. (Example: Sacramento)

• Park and Forest Pages. (Example: Mount Rainier National Park)

• Hike Pages. (Example: Quandary Peak (East Ridge))

Things to Keep in Mind

• Be as specific and accurate as possible

  • If an area is known for its wildflowers, say what kind and what months they bloom.
  • If there are steep drop-offs to a river below, try to say how many feet it is to the bottom
  • If there are cliffs or rock formations, try to say what kind of rock it is.
  • If an area has interesting cultural significance, briefly describe that culture and how you might encounter it on a hike.

• Double check any facts against reliable sources. 

  • Websites of official land managers (NPS, BLM, or USFS, etc)
  • local guides, national or state park rangers, or experts
  • scientific journal articles or government or university websites
  • guidebooks
  • Blogs are a great starting point for information but their facts should be double-checked from reliable sources.

• Never copy/paste from any other sources, including NPS or government websites.

• First off, it's plagiarism.
• Secondly, we're trying to create original descriptions aggregated from both local knowledge and reliable sources in a new and more organized way.
  
  

• Focus descriptions specifically around hiking.

• Similar pedestrian sports like backpacking, trail running, or snowshoeing are OK as well.
  
  

• Try to only write about trails you have explored extensively.

• Don't guess about descriptions you're unsure about — pick a different place to write about, or ask an expert.
  
  

• Use Markdown to style your descriptions.

• Bold or italicize text and add links. Here's a cheat sheet.

How to Edit Segments

• Start by reviewing official web pages to make sure your knowledge is current.

  • This could be the government-administrated NPS.gov or USFS.gov site, or a city or state's official tourism organization website.

• Click “Edit” under the description you want to edit.

  • This will open up the text boxes for each segment.

• Write in the Edit Segment box.

  • Describe why the park or recreation area is great for hiking. Be concise and accurate. (See General Guidelines.)
    
    

• Double check facts.

  • Can't remember something, or can't find it online? Call up the rangers or park personnel.

• Add links.

• Any time you want to provide logistical information that could change, use Markdown to provide readers a link. For example, link to NPS web pages that list things like:
  • parking and permit information
  • public transportation schedules
  • pet policies
  • current road closure info
  • weather updates

• Hit Save.

  • This will update the page with your changes.