CleverTrail:Best Practices

These are general considerations when making edits to and adding trails.

Tips For Making A High Quality Trail Article

• Add as many trail markers as are applicable and pick a map type that is most useful. You can choose between Map, Satellite, and Terrain. Try to add Point Of Interest markers to the map - this makes the maps more useful and more interesting.
• Great trails have lots of links in them. Add any applicable categories (see more: CleverTrail:Editing_Trails#Categories) and make sure to link to them, for example in the overview. Link to other trails that intersect with this one or that are nearby. Even if (actually, especially if) the other trail doesn't exist yet on CleverTrail, add the links!
• Be familiar with, and use when applicable, the different ways you can add special syntax to the text sections when editing a trail. See the Special Formatting Syntax page for information
• When uploading photos for a trail, name them after the trail. For example, name the photos My_Trail1.jpg, My_Trail2.jpg, etc.
• Try to upload at least 1 photo for a trail and make it the Main Image. Portrait/Vertical oriented photos work best because the width is always set but the height can stretch.
• Photos that help describe the trail such as junctions, cairns, or signs should be embedded in the sections. Photos that show landscape or animals should go into the Photo Gallery. See CleverTrail:Editing_Trails#Uploading_Photos for more info.
• For multi-day or multi-route trails, add subsections within the text sections. Let people know which route the QuickFacts are about.

• For a great example that utilizes most of these tips, see The Inca Trail.

Naming Conventions

There are some general rules to follow when deciding how to name a trail you are adding:

Official Names: Many trails have official names, set by the park service or general convention. Try to use the most official name. If there are multiple official names for the same trail, which is rare, create a redirect (see CleverTrail:Editing_Trails#Redirect_Pages for information on how to create a Redirect).

Landmarks: Some articles are about getting to or exploring a specific landmark, for example a mountain (Mount Davidson) or island (Anacapa Island). If a trail uses several different trails or does not have 1 specific, well marked trail, simply use the name of the landmark for the article. If there is a single, well marked trail that encompasses the experience of the landmark, use the name of the trail for the main trail information and create a redirect for the name of the landmark (see CleverTrail:Editing_Trails#Redirect_Pages for information on how to create a Redirect).

Special Words:

• Use of the word "Loop": If the official name of the trail includes the word "Loop", DO include it. If the article is about several different trails within a loop, DO use the word "Loop" at the end of it. Make sure to add links to all of the trails within the loop so that you or others can eventually add the full trails themselves (see CleverTrail:Editing_Trails#Special_Formatting_Syntax for information on how to create links and other special syntax).

• Use of the word "Trail": If the word "Trail" is at the end of an officially named trail, DO include it. If is not part of the official name, DO NOT include it (for example we use Half Dome, not Half Dome Trail).

• Use of the word "The": Do NOT use the word "The" in front of trails, unless it is specifically part of the official title. For example, "The" in front of The Inca Trail is done by convention, but there is no "The" in front of the Appalachian Trail.

Other Considerations:

• Try not to use abbreviations - for example instead of "Mt." use "Mount".