# Colorado Trail Explorer — user reviews > 86 indexed App Store user reviews of Colorado Trail Explorer by State of Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology, rated 4.30/5 from 234 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorado-trail-explorer/id1435737776/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colorado-trail-explorer/id1435737776.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 156 · 4★ 36 · 3★ 18 · 2★ 10 · 1★ 14 ## What do users think of Colorado Trail Explorer? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🗺️ Comprehensive trail database with official trail information - 💰 Free app with no subscription required - 📱 Offline map functionality for areas without cell service - 🎯 Snap-to-trail route creation feature - 📊 Detailed elevation profiles and distance tracking - 🏛️ State-managed data from official trail managers - 🔍 Excellent for discovering lesser-known trails - ⚡ Works well on older/budget phones - 🎨 Clean interface and intuitive design - 📍 Accurate GPS tracking and positioning **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent bugs and stability issues - 🔄 Slow developer response to bug fixes - 📍 Outdated trail and satellite data - ❌ Missing or inaccurate trail closures - 🚫 Trails on private/closed land causing trespassing issues - ⚙️ Pinch-zoom too sensitive, causes unwanted map rotation - 📱 Landscape mode not supported - 🔐 Password reset functionality broken - 📊 Mileage tracking inconsistencies - ⌨️ Keyboard covers input fields in trip descriptions **Commonly reported bugs** - Password reset email links non-functional - Keyboard covers trip description input field - Trip trim function throws 'Undefined is not a function' error - GPS signal locking issues after iOS updates - App crashes when zooming on map - Screen timeout during trip recording - Mileage tracking significantly off from actual distance - Current location icon disappears intermittently - Spacebar non-functional in trip description field - App crashes with filter functionality - Account creation email character limit validation error - App won't open after updates - GPS tracking inaccurate during guidance mode - App requires screen to stay on for trip recording **Most requested features** - One-handed zooming (double-tap and drag) - Apple Watch compatibility - Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration - Private land overlay - Trail difficulty ratings and color coding - Game unit and wildfire layers - User-submitted trail reviews and photos - Friend location sharing on map - Garmin watch compatibility - Trail condition crowdsourced reports - Landscape mode orientation support - Navigation/turn-by-turn directions - Ability to copy coordinates without URL - Screen-off recording capability - Easier offline map downloading (bulk/drag selection) - Trail running activity category - Dispersed camping overlay - 4WD/Jeep specific trail filter ## Newest reviews (16 of 86) ### 4/5 — Great app, but some trails missing? *2026-06-06, version 1.7.3* Really useful app and in many ways superior to AllTrails. One thing I find curious though is there are many trails that seem to be missing. For instance, the trail to the top of South Arapahoe Peak isn’t here. The keyhole route up Longs Peak is likewise MIA. Not sure why the omissions, but I love the app otherwise. ### 3/5 — Meh *2026-05-26, version 1.7.3* I wonder why they thought people would need a special separate app for the same information that is in the major trail maps out there making this just a waste of data storage. Three stars for a nice try. ### 4/5 — Good, but disappointed with developer *2025-06-02, version 1.7.2* This is a good app, and a great alternative for Colorado residents who don’t want to pay a subscription for a commercial app. I still prefer AllTrails for the kinds of hikes that I do, but still cross-reference with COTrEx from time to time. Both apps have both false negatives and false positives in terms of trails. It is a bit disappointing for a CPW-sanctioned app to be missing trails that clearly exist in the real world (and aren’t just social trails), and to generally be outdated. My biggest disappointment is the slow turnaround time on bug-fixing, all too common in software development these days. I reported a bug more than a year ago about the keyboard covering the bottom of your Trip description, and even submitted a screen recording illustrating the issue. A PM immediately responded saying they would get it fixed. More than a year later, and I still have to use the website to type Trip descriptions, despite the app having received multiple updates in that time. ### 4/5 — Compass heading is way to sensitive to pinch zoom *2025-04-26, version 1.7.2* Title. I often finding myself spinning my map in circles rather than zooming in out. Slightly annoying when I have the orientation how I want it and I pinch/pull my fingers in a slight enough way to rotate the map. ### 3/5 — Needs one-handed zooming *2025-02-17, version 1.7.2* Pinch-to-zoom is difficult without using two hands or setting the phone on a table or some other surface. Almost every other map app has a single-finger way to zoom in or out. For example, in Apple Maps, tapping twice, and without lifting your finger from the second tap, allows you to zoom in by dragging your finger up and zoom out by dragging your finger down. Google Maps, GaiaGPS and AllTrails all have similar functionality. Would love to see it come to this app. ### 4/5 — Good trustworthy app but *2024-12-04, version 1.7.1* Satellite layer is at least 4 years old. Needs updated. ### 4/5 — Trip Trim function error message *2024-09-16, version 1.6.1* Love this app. If i try to trim my bike recording by first tapping Edit, then sliding the slider, then Save. Then I receive error message “Error TypeError: Undefined is not a function. OK” Thanks for your help ### 3/5 — Wildly Inaccurate *2024-04-14, version 1.5.4* This app needs it mapping updated terribly. Hiking trails that have been opened or closed in the last five years have not been updated. Forest service roads from the last twenty years are not updated. Some areas have been sold to private citizens so using this app you will find yourself trespassing or having to turn around without completing a trail. Seasonal closures are also wildly inaccurate. If this is a state ran app then this is why the government needs less control. Some features are awesome like planning your route, elevation change and more accurate distances than AllTrails. Yet the apps shortcomings are aggravating and dangerous to say the least. ### 3/5 — Quirky *2023-10-26, version 1.5.4* I had high hopes for this app, but unfortunately it's useless. It can't receive a GPS signal (and yes, my phone has buit-in GPS). It just kept saying it's unable to lock on to GPS because it doesn't have access to location services, yet there is no option anywhere I can find in the app or on the iPhone's settings to grant said access. The app doesn't appear in the list of apps in the iPhone "Privacy" settings, so there's no way to grant access there, and there are no options within the settings of the app itself to grant access. Once I deleted and reinstalled the app, thugh, it properly registered itself with iOS and was able to access location services. ### 5/5 — Great app *2023-09-06, version 1.5.4* This is such a good app and better than paid ones like Rever for motorcycle riding, in a perfect world it will soon work with apple carplay ### 5/5 — Very useful *2023-08-13, version 1.5.4* This is been a great app. It save me a few times when I was heading the wrong direction of a trail. Haven’t had any problems. Would love it. If it was, apple watch compatible just got one and this map definitely needs to be on the Apple watch, especially out dirt biking. It would be amazing to be able to just look down at my wrist instead of having to pull out my phone or use the phone mount. Also would be really cool if you could sync up the group of people you’re riding with so you could see each other on the map. I understand that might require everybody to have cell phone service but could potentially be really cool feature specially if somehow you could have an off-line feature but could see where your friends are ! ### 5/5 — Love this app *2023-05-25, version 1.5.4* I use it all the time when hiking, makes way finding trails with multiple intersections. Used it a lot when off-roading as well since you can download the map for offline use. Very handy and a must have for any Coloradian. Can’t seem to get my password reset though… ### 3/5 — Ok but mileage tracking seems off *2023-03-31, version 1.5.4* App is okay but Trail recording distance seems off. Distance reported by this app is more than reported in AllTrails and the Apple Watch activity tracking which match with each other in comparison. ### 5/5 — Wish every state had one! *2023-03-13, version 1.5.4* I love this thing. So, so much better than having to use multiple forest service maps, BLM, etc. to find and plan a great hike. Also adore how it shows trail systems operated by smaller agencies — counties, towns, state parks, etc. — that you would miss by consulting only the federal agency maps. It’s a real breakthrough to have all of these things in one place. It makes me sad when I am traveling outside Colorado and have to fall back on Alltrails. Ugh. The maps on Alltrails are OK but since it’s all crowdsourced and the underlying maps arent as good or inclusive, it really constricts your options. I am outside the state a lot so I’m looking into Gaia GPS, but really I’d love it if all states copied COTREX. Another thing that’s great about COTREX: it works on my crappy poor-person phone (2020 iphone SE). I love you COTREX! Never change! ### 4/5 — Why did elevation gain get removed? *2023-02-05, version 1.5.4* I used to be able to use the measure tool to make a route and get the distance and elevation gain. It shows the elevation profile but not the elevation gain. I bet more people care about total elevation gain over elevation profile. Please bring back elevation gain in the measure tool. ### 5/5 — Incredibly useful hiking/exploring app *2022-10-05, version 1.5.4* I love this app and wouldn’t be able to go on my many mountain adventures without it! My only gripes are some UX/UI things. In particular I’d like to be able to copy latitude and longitude from places selected on the map. Sometimes there are coordinates, sometimes not! I can’t tell why some things have them and some don’t. The other issue is when there are coordinates, copying them gives me the coordinates plus a url. What is the use case for wanting both? I want one or the other, I don’t want to have to paste a long url into my other maps app and delete it all to get to the coordinates. There is already a separate share button for the link itself, so why concatenate the two? ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Password *2025-08-16, version 1.7.2* Won’t reset password. I get the email but it does not lead you to password reset. App works good just don’t loose your password ### 1/5 — Useless *2023-10-23* I had high hopes for this app, but unfortunately it's useless. It can't receive a GPS signal (and yes, my phone has buit-in GPS). It just kept saying it's unable to lock on to GPS because it doesn't have access to location services, yet there is no option anywhere I can find in the app or on the iPhone's settings to grant said access. The app doesn't appear in the list of apps in the iPhone "Privacy" settings, so there's no way to grant access there, and there are no options within the settings of the app itself to grant access. There is also no map legend to be found on the phone app, so looking at a downloaded map doesn't tell you anything of value. ### 1/5 — Great idea horrible execution *2022-07-06, version 1.5.4* The app has tons of information but it is hard to navigate and work the app features and filters. ### 1/5 — New update is AWFUL *2021-07-24, version 1.5.0* Please fix!! It doesn’t track with the GPS correctly anymore, it is not as intuitive, and just all around a terrible app now! :( I used to recommend it to EVERYONE riding or hiking in Colorado, and now I can’t. It quits halfway through recording and does not record correct mileage. I did a 9 mile round to hike that COTREX said was 12 miles. Wth happened guys?! ### 1/5 — Needs updating *2020-07-10, version 1.3.6* This app was amazing until I updated to the new IOS and now it won’t even open. Please fix the issue so I can use it again. ### 1/5 — Crashes *2020-04-04, version 1.3.1* With the new update, when you zoom in on the map the app closes. ### 1/5 — So aggravating to use *2019-05-25, version 1.1.5* This app was so aggravating to use, I deleted it after 5 minutes. It is not user friendly at all. I mistyped my email address when signing up and couldn't find a place to update it. I tried to delete and recreate my account and now the account simultaneously doesn't exist and is already in use. Difficult to figure out which grids to download to get the trail you want offline. Couldn't figure out a way to make a route out of multiple trails. It's a mess. ### 1/5 — Absolute trash *2019-05-11, version 1.1.4* In case you don’t want to read the Terms of Service yourself, I’ll summarize: “Inaccurate, useless spyware.” Neither the maker of the app nor Colorado Parks and Wildlife believes the material to be accurate or useful (almost verbatim from the Terms of Service). They’ve also given themselves carte blanc “to access, read, use, preserve and disclose any information”. Seriously?! Your tax dollars at work... ### 2/5 — No Apple Watch Compatability *2024-07-17, version 1.6.1* I really really love this app, I use it every time I dirt bike. However, the inability to use this app on my Apple Watch is highly inconvenient. I ride hard enduro, which means I’m unable to mount my phone to my dirt bike handle bars. Having to stop at each fork in the trail/road is such a hassle. I’m probably alone on this, but, I’d much rather glance down at my watch rather than pull my phone out. If the devs made this compatible with the watch I’d pay money for it! Cheers! ### 2/5 — Slick interface, but lacking in up to date info *2023-07-27, version 1.5.4* This app is being promoted as a better solution than crowd-sourced options but it really isn’t. Popular hikes have no information and some shows trails starting from closed/private land trailheads that are likely to get your car towed or at least ticketed. So it is not more accurate than crowd sourced, and it has less information. Only a few “featured hikes” have detailed information and photos. I have not actually found a user trip report yet, so it does not appear that they are getting much help, and they don’t even have all the state parks as featured. So meh. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Love the routing tool *2026-08-30, version 1.7.3* I almost signed up for a paid Strava subscription to make some custom routes and then I remembered that COTrex lets me do it for free! It’s a super useful app with so many features and I love that we have access to it here in Colorado! ### 5/5 — So Helpful on the Trail! *2026-05-31, version 1.7.3* This app is your best friend in the backcountry. ### 5/5 — THE CO Trails App *2026-04-28, version 1.7.3* As the official app for trails in CO, what more could you ask for. Real time updates to trail closures and regular updates coming straight from the source. ### 5/5 — Best app for exploring Colorado, some UX issues *2024-10-01, version 1.6.2* Please please please reimplement one handed zooming. Literally every other map app under the sun lets you zoom with one hand/one finger. This causes such headache for me. I am perpetually trying to tap and slide to zoom (due to muscle memory since Apple Maps, AllTrails, Google Maps, Trails Off-road all working this way), but en up selecting random things and messing up my navigation. ### 5/5 — My favorite trail app *2024-08-25, version 1.6.1* This is such a great app -- and we are so fortunate to have it here in Colorado! The ability to build out custom routes using all of the existing segments, and having the route snap to the existing trails is stellar. And the option to loop or do a one-tap out and back option? What a quality of life boost. Being able to follow an area to receive updates on closures or public notices is also great, and the offline functionality? Dope. I forget to use the field notes portion when im on runs, but it seems like a great way for trail managers to get crowdsourced realtime data on trail issues or animal and plant patterns. All in all, i hope the state continues to fund this because what an improvement on the various paywalled apps. Its our land, and i love being able to use it knowledgeably! ### 5/5 — Best app for exploring Colorado *2024-05-20* I love this app, I use it any time I want to go for a walk, hike, or off road adventure. I lament hiking in any other state because they don’t have an equivalent. It would be improved by having a CarPlay app as well, there are many roads on this app and it would be useful to see the map in my vehicle I swear this used to be a feature, but being able to double tap and slide to zoom the map is such a boon for one handed use. Would be great if this were (re)implemented! ### 5/5 — Best app for exploring Colorado *2024-05-13* I love this app, I use it any time I want to go for a walk, hike, or off road adventure. I lament hiking in any other state because they don’t have an equivalent. It would be improved by having a CarPlay app as well, there are many roads on this app and it would be useful to see the map in my vehicle I swear this used to be a feature, but being able to double tap and slide to zoom the map is such a boon for one handed use. Would be great if this were (re)implemented! ### 5/5 — Best app by far *2023-11-27, version 1.5.4* I’ve tried them all, this is the clear winner and it’s free. I wish other states would add in this this but thankfully 99 percent of my hiking is in Colorado. Could the developers add game unit, private land, and previous wild fire layers? That is the only thing this app is missing but even without this, this is the best app I’ve ever used and I’ve paid for most the others. Good work devs! ### 5/5 — Please make a Garmin friendly app! *2023-11-11, version 1.5.4* I would really like to use the new Garmin watches for a GPS on OHV and single track trails for a quick glance rather than stopping to pull out a phone. Only way this app could get better in my opinion. ### 5/5 — For me, a necessity *2023-09-20, version 1.5.4* I love this app. Lets you make notes about what you encounter, lets you see national forest/park boundaries, record your hikes/drives/etc… I use it all the time and like that the info is “from the horse’s mouth” (from the state itself, not from a 3rd party). Just super well done. I also appreciate the recently added feature of being able to trim your recordings in the event you forget to stop it before you drive back from a hike. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*