Trail hunter: how to find the best trail by combining Strava and Trailforks
- Guide mtb
- June 18, 2025
If you love exploring new trails or improving existing routes with alternatives, this trick might be helpful. The goal is to answer these questions:
- How can I tell if a trail on a map is actually used by mountain bikes?
- How can I know if a trail shown on the map still exists?
- How can I know if a Strava segment I want to explore is maintained or abandoned compared to others?
Cross-referencing Strava Heatmap data with Trailforks Ridelogs
Example of Strava’s Global Heatmap, clearly showing where bikers ride.
Let’s say you’re using a standard OpenStreetMap via Basecamp, a browser, Strava’s route creator, or even Trailforks’ route planning tool.
On the map, you spot a trail you’d like to explore but you’re not sure if it’s still in use. The presence of a Strava segment is a good sign—but what if that segment is 3 years old? On Strava, you can see how many people have ridden it and when. But what if there’s no segment at all? That’s quite common.
In that case, open the Strava Heatmap, select “MTB,” and check whether bikes are passing through there. Still, what if those tracks are from years ago, and the better trail is now elsewhere?
Here’s where Trailforks comes in with its ridelogs (example ridelog page), which show how many people have recently used a specific trail and how often.
Why it’s important to sync your Garmin with both Strava and Trailforks
Example of a Trailforks ridelog with dates and trails used during the ride
To summarize: once you’ve identified a trail you want to explore:
- Check the Strava Global Heatmap to see if bikes pass through there or nearby.
- Once you verify there’s traffic, go to Trailforks and search for the trail. Open the ridelog to see how frequently it’s being used today. Plus, you’ll be able to see entire routes that include the trail, giving you new ideas.
The only downside of this trick is: has that trail actually been uploaded to Trailforks?
Find a nearby trail and check the ridelog to see if bikers use your target trail
If your trail isn’t on Trailforks and there’s no Strava segment, your best option is to search for a nearby trail on Trailforks and check its ridelog to see if your new trail appears within someone’s ride.
If not, here’s the good news: it’s your turn! Explore, map, and share it all!
Cheers,
Graziano
