Hiking Safety in the Age of Apps and AI

There has never been more information available to hikers. With a few taps on a phone, you can find a trail, download a route, check mileage and elevation, ask AI what to expect, and follow your progress as you hike. 

But what happens when the trail on your phone is nowhere to be found on the ground? 

At Boundless Journeys, we’ve spent more than 25 years leading small-group hiking tours around the world. One thing hasn’t changed: safely navigating a trail requires more than following a line on a screen. Trails disappear. Signs are missing. Weather moves in. Conditions change. And sometimes the smartest decision is knowing when to change course. 

That’s where a professionally trained guide and the security of a small group make a real difference.

When a Trail Isn’t Really a Trail 

A recent incident on Scotland’s Isle of Skye brought the issue into sharp focus. In a single day, the Skye Mountain Rescue Team assisted 20 hikers in several separate incidents along the Skye Trail. 

Despite its name, the Skye Trail isn’t a conventional, continuously marked path. It crosses remote, challenging terrain, including sections where there may be no obvious trail at all. Rescue officials raised concerns about hikers underestimating the terrain and relying too heavily on electronic navigation. 

A GPS line can be extremely useful. But it can’t tell you everything about what’s actually happening on the ground. 

Your Phone Is a Tool, Not a Guide 

Hiking apps have transformed how we explore, and they’re valuable tools. But they have limitations. 

Batteries die. Phones get wet. Cell service disappears. Trails can be washed out, overgrown or rerouted. Crowd-sourced routes deserve particular caution, too. The person who uploaded a hike may have had very different experience, fitness, equipment—or conditions. 

Traditional navigation skills still matter: map, compass, terrain awareness and judgment. 

And What About AI? 

AI is becoming another useful tool for planning outdoor adventures. It can suggest hikes, compare routes and explain difficulty levels in seconds. 

But AI can also work from information that is outdated, incomplete or inaccurate. It doesn’t necessarily know that yesterday’s storm washed out a bridge, what snow remains at higher elevations or that a trail has temporarily closed. And because an AI answer can sound remarkably confident, it’s easy to assume the information has been verified when it hasn’t. 

Use AI to research possibilities—not to make hiking safety decisions in the field. 

Why a Professional Guide Matters

On a small-group hiking tour, a professionally trained guide does far more than lead the way. 

Is the weather changing? Is someone tiring? Has the terrain become more difficult than expected? Is there enough daylight? Does the planned route still make sense? 

Experienced guides make those assessments throughout the day—and sometimes the right decision is to shorten a hike, choose another route or turn around. 

An app can show where a route goes. It can’t make that decision for you. 

There’s Safety in a Small Group 

A small group provides another important layer of security. If someone twists an ankle, becomes ill or reaches their physical limit, they aren’t facing the situation alone. Professional guides bring first-aid training, communication systems, local knowledge and established procedures for handling emergencies. 

There’s freedom in that, too. Instead of constantly checking your phone or worrying that you missed a turn, you can look up, take in the landscape and enjoy the hike. 

At Boundless Journeys, technology is part of the toolkit. But it doesn’t replace training, experience and human judgment. 

You’re not simply hiking with someone who knows where to go. 

You’re hiking with someone who knows when not to go there. 

About the Author: Kristin is a former European tour leader who now develops new walking, hiking, and cultural journeys for Boundless Journeys.