TrailMates is a community platform — not a background check service. While we work hard to foster a respectful and safe community, we cannot verify the identity or intentions of every user. Your personal safety is your responsibility. Please read these guidelines before joining any group hike or meeting a fellow TrailMates member.
- ✓Every TrailMates event is a group event — by design. The platform requires a minimum of 3 confirmed participants before any event is activated. There are no 1-on-1 meetups through the App. The only exception is permit-based events on trails requiring official group permits, which are clearly labeled. Get to know fellow members through these group events before making any independent plans outside the App.
- ✓Always drive yourself to the trailhead. Have your own transportation when meeting someone for the first time. Never get into a car with someone you don't know well, regardless of how long you've chatted online.
- ✓Tell someone your plans. Before every hike or ride, tell a friend or family member who you're meeting, which trailhead, and when you expect to return. Ask them to contact you if they haven't heard from you by a specific time.
- ✓Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong before, during, or after an outing — trust that feeling. Leave immediately if you feel unsafe. You don't owe anyone an explanation.
- ✓Meet at public trailheads only. Always meet at the official, publicly listed trailhead — never at a private location suggested by someone you don't know.
- ✓Check a member's profile before meeting. Review their event history, reviews from other members, and profile completeness before agreeing to hike with someone new.
- ✓Keep your phone charged and download offline maps. Cell service disappears quickly on most SoCal trails. Download your route on AllTrails or Gaia GPS before leaving your car. Bring a portable battery pack on longer hikes.
- ✓Share your live location with a trusted contact. Use Find My, Google Maps location sharing, or a similar tool so someone off-trail always knows where you are.
- ✓Know the 10 essentials. Always carry water (1L per 2 miles minimum), sun protection, a first aid kit, navigation, a headlamp, extra food, and an emergency whistle — regardless of hike length.
- ✓Don't overshare your personal information on trail. It's fine to be friendly and social — just avoid sharing your home address, daily schedule, or other personal details with people you've just met.
- ✓Have a plan to leave if needed. Know how to get back to your car independently. Don't rely on a stranger for a ride back from a remote trailhead.
- ✓Stick to the group on group hikes. Don't allow yourself to be separated from the group by any individual member, especially on remote trails.
- ✓Use in-app messaging before moving to personal phone numbers. Keep conversations within TrailMates as long as possible before sharing personal contact details.
- ✓Be careful what your profile photo reveals. Avoid profile photos that show your home, neighborhood, workplace, vehicle, or license plate.
- ✓Don't share your home address with other members. Use the trailhead location as your meeting point — never your home or workplace.
- ✓Be mindful of real-time location sharing. Avoid posting live trail updates that reveal exactly where you are in real time to a public audience.
Report any user to TrailMates who exhibits these behaviors:
- ✗Pressuring you to meet one-on-one immediately without group events first
- ✗Asking for your home address, workplace, or daily routine
- ✗Offering to pick you up from your home or demanding you ride with them
- ✗Making romantic or sexual advances that are unwelcome
- ✗Trying to separate you from the rest of the group on a hike
- ✗Becoming aggressive or intimidating when you decline to meet or share information
- ✗A profile with no photo, no event history, and vague personal information
🚨 If You Are in Immediate Danger
Call 911 immediately. TrailMates is not an emergency response service and cannot contact authorities on your behalf.
If you feel unsafe on a trail, move toward other people, return to your vehicle, and call 911. If you cannot call, use your emergency whistle (three blasts is the universal distress signal) and activate a personal locator beacon if you have one.
After reaching safety, please report the incident to TrailMates at [email protected] so we can take immediate action on the account involved.
How to Report a Safety Concern
If you encounter behavior that makes you feel unsafe — on trail or through the app — please report it immediately.
In the app: Tap any user's profile → Report User → select the reason and describe what happened.
By email: [email protected] — include the user's name/profile and a description of the incident.
All reports are reviewed and taken seriously. Users who violate our Community Guidelines are removed from the platform. Incidents involving criminal behavior are reported to law enforcement.
Disclaimer
TrailMates provides a platform for hikers and mountain bikers to connect and organize outdoor activities. We do not conduct background checks on users, cannot guarantee the accuracy of user-provided information, and are not responsible for the conduct of users on or off the platform.
By using TrailMates, you acknowledge that outdoor activities and meeting strangers carry inherent risks. You agree to take personal responsibility for your safety and to follow the guidelines on this page.
Affirmative Acknowledgment. When you created your TrailMates account, you were required to confirm that you had read these Safety Guidelines by checking an acknowledgment checkbox before your account was activated. Dragon Sphere LLC maintains a timestamped record of that confirmation, including the specific version of this document in effect at the time of your registration.
Community Flags. If another member's behavior makes you feel unsafe, you can flag their profile directly in the App. Flags are visible to the entire TrailMates community as a transparency measure, and are reviewed and resolved by TrailMates within 24 hours. This community-level visibility is intentional — it allows members to make informed decisions about who they hike with while a report is under review.
Please review our full Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy for complete information about your rights and responsibilities as a TrailMates user.
Last updated: April 2026 · Dragon Sphere LLC