AllTrails' Apple Watch update just made hiking hands-free – here's how

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you know the importance of staying on track and monitoring your stats while hiking. However, constantly pulling out your phone can be distracting.

Enter AllTrails' latest update for the Apple Watch, which promises a more seamless, hands-free outdoor experience – keeping your focus on the adventure ahead rather than your phone screen.

Hands-free hiking: What’s new?

The updated AllTrails Apple Watch app brings several key features designed to make your trail experience more intuitive and distraction-free. Here’s what you can expect:

• On-Wrist Compass for Navigation: The new built-in compass helps guide you along the trail directly from your wrist. Whether you're navigating tricky terrain or trying to stay on course, this feature eliminates the need to stop and check your phone’s map. You’ll know exactly where you’re headed at all times.
• Real-Time Activity Stats: You can track essential hiking metrics like pace, time, heart rate, distance, and elevation—all directly on your watch. No need to pause and dig out your phone; your stats are right there, letting you hike uninterrupted while keeping an eye on your progress.
• Wrong-Turn Alerts (for AllTrails+ Members): Perhaps the standout feature, AllTrails+ members now get real-time wrong-turn alerts. If you veer off course, your watch will notify you immediately, ensuring you don’t stray too far from the path. This adds an extra layer of security for those exploring unfamiliar trails.
• Sync with Apple Health: For fitness enthusiasts, AllTrails’ updated app syncs your hiking data with Apple Health, seamlessly integrating your activity into your broader wellness goals. Whether you’re counting steps, tracking heart rate, or measuring calories burned, it’s all managed automatically.

Hiking, now phone-free

All these features mean that you can now hike hands-free. With the Apple Watch Ultra 2 securely on your wrist and connected to the AllTrails app, you won’t need to constantly pull out your phone to check your route or progress. Simply tuck it away in your bag and enjoy the trail.

Ivan Selin, Chief Product Officer at AllTrails, summed it up perfectly: “Now there’s no need to reach for your phone while taking in the views or holding your dog’s leash. We built our Apple Watch app to make it easier than ever to explore the outdoors hands-free.”

Why it matters

The beauty of hiking is the chance to disconnect, but that can sometimes be challenging when you're reliant on a phone for navigation and tracking. AllTrails’ Apple Watch update addresses this head-on, giving outdoor lovers the freedom to enjoy the moment without losing essential functionality.

While Apple rolled out some exciting hiking features with watchOS 10 and expanded on them with watchOS 11, these are limited to users in the U.S., leaving a big market gap for companies like AllTrails to fill.

AllTrails' new hands-free experience is set to make your adventures smoother, safer, and more enjoyable. Features like the compass and wrong-turn alerts, combined with real-time tracking, put more control at your fingertips – literally – making sure your attention stays on nature, where it belongs. For more info, visit AllTrails.