New app helps NJ hikers track trails and find key attractions

A new app that you can add to your phone or smart device allows you to visit New Jersey parks and recreation areas armed with detailed info about attractions and sites.

State Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Robert Geist says they call it Trail Tracker.

"You can use, where available with cell signal, the ability on your smart devices to use GPS to direct you along those trails," he explained.

"Trail Tracker is an application that can be used on any smart device, either when you are at a park or forest, or when you are home planning your visit to our parks or forests. What you can do is you can download the map proactively, so you can plan out that visit, see the different attractions, the ratings, the points of interest and access detailed geographic maps that provide information on the terrain and the natural features along those trails."

Geist says staff at the Division of Parks and Forestry spent 10 years compiling the information.

"Our Geographic Information Staff, the GIS staff at state parks, were putting together those highly-detailed maps."

He says it was "soft-launched" a couple of months ago.

"We had some different people go out and take a look at the different aspects of it, including our Deputy Commissioner Dave Glass, who actually used it on one of his own visits to Swartswood State Park. He found it to be absolutely useful and fun."

The app is available at spstrailtracker.nj.gov.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5