I was thinking about taking a trip to Windrock, however, if they are going to charge me just to see a trail map what else are they going to nickel and dime me for? I was hoping to get an idea of the type of trails they have such as easy to moderate, but I’m not going to pay $20 just to better plan a trip that is two states away. I can understand charging for a GPS map, but it’s 2020 and I should at least be able to see a non interactive map before a trip! I’ll go to McCoy Hatfield instead.

Before making a decision on whether to download the app or not, be sure to check dates on the negative reviews. Most of them are from the early stages of release. Make sure you subscribe when you have internet access for best download of the map. I recently downloaded and used this app for a trip to Windrock to run Panther Rock trail 51. Anyone that’s been to the park knows how big it is and how many intersecting trails there are. The general store offers a paper map for $7, for me the $20 price for one year of active map use was worth it. Knowing where you are on the trail and not just looking for the next trail sign was very helpful. The park also has multiple maintenance offshoots that can be confusing for first time visitors. There are also points of interest locations and trail information data all on the the app. The clear color markings of the trails will help you avoid the double black diamond trails that don’t look so bad in person, at least not at the trail entrance. The reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is the fact that the map doesn’t move with your location. You have to move the map to keep your location pin in view. It would be nice if the orientation would change with direction also. It is locked in a north south orientation like a paper map set on a table.

I used this map to aid in navigating Windrock while riding ATVs. Combined with your phones location ability it is a very useful tool to determine where you are in the park and confirm that you are following your desired trail. Physical trail markers can be hard to find on certain trails. App worked great and between Verizon cell service and iPhone gps my location was always shown on the map. The fact that it downloads to the phone is great. I hope that future improvements are to come examples: let the app trace where you have traveled, allow you to add pins with pictures to ID favorite places, allow real time trail feedback to be sent back to Windrock genera store to keep them posted on trail conditions, allow riders to rate trail difficulty and show trail difficulty on the interactive map in near real time(trails often change in different following extreme rain events, downed trees, or logging road maintenance. It would also be nice if the trails appeared as thinner lines as you zoom into the map as sometimes trails are close together but not connected and the thick lines on the app map may not allow you to determine this. Altogether I am thrilled that Windrock park had the initiative to creat this app and I hope that they continue to improve it to facilitate the navigation and safety of all park guest. Thanks