WikiProject Thailand/Hiking Guide
A Mapping Guide for Hikers in Thailand
Thailand has a vast network of trails, from well-known national park paths to hidden jungle routes. Contributing to OpenStreetMap (OSM) helps improve navigation and benefits the hiking community. Mapping your hikes makes trails safer and more accessible. Every contribution, big or small, helps! Here’s how you can contribute:
Basic Contributions
Track Your Hike
- Use GPS-enabled apps like OsmAnd, AllTrails, Strava, or Gaia GPS to record your hike.
- Ensure high accuracy by letting the device get a good GPS signal before starting.
- If using a dedicated GPS device, save your tracks in GPX format.
Take Notes & Photos
- Mark key points such as signs, gates, trailheads, junctions, viewpoints, shelters, water sources, and obstacles.
- Take geotagged photos for reference.
- If you don’t want to edit OSM directly, share your tracks and observations publicly on platforms like GaiaGPS, AllTrails, Strava or Komoot.
- Engage with local hiking groups (Chiang Mai) to encourage more contributions.
Respect Nature & Local Communities
- Follow Leave No Trace principles.
- Be mindful of private property and local regulations.
Intermediate Contributions
Upload Your GPX Tracks
- Upload your GPX tracks to OpenStreetMap.
- Select "Public" for visibility.
Making your GPX tracks public will allow them to be visible in the OpenStreetMap GPS Traces overlay, ensuring greater accuracy.
Your First OpenStreetMap Edits
- Use the OpenStreetMap web editor (iD) to edit the map.
- Add missing trails (highway=path), double tracks (highway=track), points of interest (e.g., tourism=viewpoint), and provide a trail description.
- Use the sac_scale tag to classify trail difficulty, avoiding the use of signed/legal access tags (e.g., foot=yes/no).
Congratulations on making your first edits! Your changes will appear in OSM-powered applications within a few days to weeks (or months), depending on how often they update their maps!
Advanced Contributions
Create More Detailed Edits
- Document other recommended tags such as width, surface, and trail_visibility.
- Add missing gates, obstacles, and other relevant details at the respective nodes.
Verify & Improve Existing Data
- Cross-check existing OSM data with your recorded and public tracks.
- Review available Photo Imagery in iD, such as from Mapillary.
- Realign trails using the iD Strava Heatmap and OSM GPS Traces overlays.
Discuss Best Practices
Common Tagging Mistakes
- Avoid using access tags on trails (e.g., access=yes/no, foot=yes/no) that are not explicitly marked with signage or legal restrictions. Instead, use the sac_scale tag to classify trail difficulty.
- Do not use the name tag for trails without official/signed names. Instead, use the description tag.
- Do not use a single GPX trace to realign a trail. Check for other public traces via the OpenStreetMap GPS Traces layer and Strava Heatmap extension, and average them if available.
- For trails wider than 2 meters, use highway=track instead of highway=path.
- Do not use highway=track for double tracks that serve a different function than agricultural and forestry. For instance use highway=unclassified for tracks linking settlements, and highway=residential for tracks giving access to residences.
Happy hiking and mapping!
Examples
National Park Managed Trails
For trails managed by the Department of National Parks, open to the public, and requiring an entrance ticket.
Ways
| Description | Sample Image | Minimal Tags | Additional Tags | Full Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stairway |  |
highway=steps
|
surface=*
|
highway=steps
fee=yes surface=concrete step_count=10 width=1 |
| A built footpath |  |
highway=footway
|
surface=*
|
highway=footway
fee=yes surface=concrete sac_scale=strolling width=1 |
| Official Trail |  |
highway=path
|
footway=designated
|
highway=path
fee=yes footway=designated surface=dirt sac_scale=hiking width=1 |
| Informal shortcut |  |
highway=path
|
surface=*
|
highway=path
informal=yes surface=dirt sac_scale=mountain_hiking width=0.5 |
Relation
Note: Some trails within national parks require a special permit that must be obtained in advance. These trails are not accessible to the general public, even with a standard park entry ticket. In such cases, use access=permit to indicate the restriction.
| Description | Sample Image | Minimal Tags | Additional Tags | Full Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official Signed Route |  |
route=foot
|
name=*name:en=*
|
route=foot
name=เส้นทางเดินธรรมชาติ name:en=Nature Trail informal=no operator:wikidata=Q5260416 operator=Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation |
Public Trails
Public trails in farmlands and forests are commonly used by locals on foot to gather forest products and by motorcyclists to access farms and settlements. These trails generally don't have access restrictions, and vehicles, including motorcycles, are typically allowed. However, some trails may be maintained by farmers or villagers, and outside visitors may not be welcomed. In such cases, it's best to avoid mapping these trails and instead focus on the surrounding paths that provide public access to the forests.
Ways
| Description | Sample Image | Minimal Tags | Additional Tags | Full Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generic trail |  |
highway=path
|
surface=*sac_scale=*
|
highway=path
surface=ground width=1 sac_scale=strolling |