Mobile app for Island trails

TrailsMV mobile app from Sheriff's Meadow Foundation. — Nancy Tutko

The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation’s free mobile app, TrailsMV, is an interactive guide to 220-plus miles of public trails on more than 100 protected properties. Officials with Sheriff’s Meadow (SMF) say the TrailsMV app helps residents and visitors discover new places to connect with nature across the Island.

“TrailsMV helps give people the confidence to navigate the Island’s growing network of trails safely because they can see where they are along the way,” said SMF president Adam Moore. “By keeping the trails map up-to-date and accurate in real time, it’s like having a knowledgeable hiking companion as a guide. It opens a new realm of opportunities for people who love the Vineyard’s undeveloped, natural places.”

The TrailsMV is a multiphase project in collaboration with the Island’s conservation groups and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.

TrailsMV’s features include filters to sort properties according to use (and restrictions), such as dogs, hunting, accessibility, horses, family-friendly, bikes, and scenic views; the app provides trail segment lengths to better gauge distance; it provides a guide with basic instructions on how to use the app, with Spanish and Portuguese translations; it will list events open to the public, and post articles about natural history and the outdoors; and the app will provide a resources section with safety tips and helpful links, including the Vineyard Transit Authority’s bus routes.

The updated app is available free in the App Store and Google Play Store.