All Trails, an app that connects people with hiking and running trails all over the world, has expanded its community platform and unveiled a new brand identity.

The app, which launched in 2011, now has over 400,000 curated trails and supports 45m users who have logged 700m miles of trails in every continent and country in the world.

The new identity and brand voice evokes the tone of an adventurous friend and this works with the expanded community feature – which encourages members to engage in-feed and to share adventures – to help users discover and explore new trails and outdoor spaces.

Suggested trails are curated according to the user's location and network and fellow trail lovers can be found within the app or by syncing contacts, through posting activities, leaving reviews and adding photos. Some of the main advantages for users include being able to see the trail before taking it and trying out new trails that have already been vetted by trusted connections.

“We’re building a movement to redefine the outdoors, remove hurdles in the path and help everyone find a sense of belonging in the outdoors,” said Carly Smith, chief marketing officer of All Trails. “The time has come to reflect this in our brand. We’re re-introducing ourselves with a fresh look and feel and a new brand for our premium offering.”

All Trails has been led by CEO Ron Schneidermann since 2019 – he joined as CMO and COO in 2015 – after stints at Yelp and Liftopia. The company was founded by Russell Cook who is president of Fit On, a health and wellness platform he co-founded with his wife, former Fitbit executive Lindsay Cook. In 2021, All Trails raised US$150m from the growth fund of private equity firm Permira to develop the business further, following a period of breakout growth in 2020 driven by the pandemic.

COVID-19 changed people’s health and fitness habits and in 2020 outdoor activity surged with people walking and exploring open space more than ever. It was the year that US national parks had a record number of visitors and during the first lockdown in the UK Sport England reported walking and cycling to be the most popular forms of outdoor activity – an increase of 59 per cent walking for exercise in week one compared to 63 per cent in week six.

All Trails is free to join, but a premium account (All Trails+) costs US$29.99 (or £29.99) a year and allows users to download maps for offline navigation, receive off-route notifications and access real-time map details.