From unique fauna to poison ivy, trails may have a variety of features to pique a traveler’s curiosity. Fortunately, a popular app is taking the guesswork out of identifying what they are.
The outdoor hiking app AllTrails recently released a new feature called Outdoor Lens, which uses artificial intelligence to identify and spot a hiker’s surroundings. The feature, which rolled out last month, boasts a database of more than 50,000 plants and insects. The lens can even identify different fungi in a variety of locations.
Outdoor Lens is exclusive to AllTrails’ paid-membership tier, called Peak, which costs $79.99 per year.
“Users can log their discoveries with photos, locations, and timestamps, turning every hike into an interactive adventure,” a spokesperson for AllTrails said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure.
AllTrails
To use the new feature, hikers simply take a photo within the AllTrails app. Once the image is captured, a “leafing through data” message appears on the screen. After about 10 seconds, the app reveals the result.
T+L tested the feature, and the service quickly and correctly identified a snake plant along with its scientific name, dracaena trifasciata. The app also provided a probability score for the image, which in the case of our test was a 97% confidence rate.
The images are then stored in a logbook—a virtual scrapbook of sorts—along with information like altitude and location. If a user is hiking in an off-the-grid or remote destination, the photo would be safely stored on their phone and analyzed once internet connectivity is restored.
The feature is a fun way to collect images along a trail, but may also be helpful in identifying potentially toxic or dangerous plants. Hikers could use the Outdoor Lens tool to capture potential interactions with poison ivy or poison oak, for example, or even dangerous insects. The logbook feature can also be helpful in recording anything suspicious that may need to be monitored.
AllTrails said the feature has safety protocols, and is not intended for foraging.
In addition to this new tool, the company’s Peak subscription includes access to a “heatmap” to help outdoor enthusiasts avoid crowds along with the ability to customize routes and plan for on-trail conditions.
Safety when hiking is always a top concern and it’s never a bad idea to invest in emergency tools just in case. Staying properly hydrated is also critical with experts recommending travelers drink at least a quart of water per hour, and consume at least a liter of water before even stepping on a trail.
