What AllTrails does well

AllTrails has an enormous trail database, great search filters (distance, elevation, difficulty, trail type), photos, reviews, and GPS recording. The "dogs allowed" filter narrows it to trails where dogs are permitted. For general hiking it is excellent, and if you already use it, the dog filter is a reasonable way to shortlist routes.

AllTrails is strong if you want:

  • The widest possible trail coverage, worldwide
  • Hiking-focused detail — elevation, difficulty, conditions
  • A "dogs allowed" yes/no filter on top of that

The problem with "dog-friendly"

A trail being dog-friendly just means dogs are allowed. It says nothing about whether it suits yourdog. A narrow cliff path is dog-friendly but wrong for a reactive dog that needs space. A busy popular hike is dog-friendly but hellish for a nervous rescue. A long exposed ridge is dog-friendly but dangerous for a brachycephalic breed in summer. AllTrails’ filter cannot see any of that.

This is exactly the problem TailTrails is built to solve — and the idea behind our article on why "dog-friendly" isn’t enough.

What TailTrails does instead

TailTrails tags every trail with the things that actually decide whether a walk goes well — environment, terrain, traffic, exposure, shade — and combines that with a profile of your dog (energy, sociability, confidence, sensitivities). The result is a shortlist of walks that bring out the best in your dog, not just a list of places dogs are tolerated. It also records your walks and lets you save and revisit favourites.

TailTrails is the stronger choice if:

  • Your dog has specific needs (reactive, high-energy, older, sensitive)
  • You want trail suggestions, not just a filter on a database
  • You want a dog-first community, not a general hiking app with a dog tag

Cost and offline

AllTrails is free to browse but gates offline maps, wrong-turn alerts and 3D previews behind a paid subscription. TailTrails is free. If your main use is finding the right dog walk near you rather than backcountry navigation, the free tier of TailTrails covers it without an upsell.

Which should you pick?

Choose AllTrails if you are a serious hiker first and a dog owner second, and you want the biggest trail catalogue with a dog filter on top.

Choose TailTrails if the dog is the point — you want walks chosen because they suit your dog, not just because dogs are allowed.