In 2019, Andre Trummer went on a cycling vacation in Sweden. Trailforks was his guide, leading him to trails that suited his taste. “Back in Switzerland, I realized: The map is blank—not because there are no trails, but because no one had mapped them digitally.” Based in the Basel region, he began mapping singletrack trails in northwestern Switzerland. The effect was immediate and dramatic: “Suddenly, mountain bikers from Germany and France started showing up in forests that had previously been known only to locals. In certain places, this led to noticeably more traffic—even causing parking shortages.”

What Andre—whose real name is Andreas and therefore has no accent on the “e”—painfully learned back then is now the foundation of his volunteer work as Country Manager for Trailforks Switzerland: Digital data has a massive leverage effect on actual traffic on the trails. Today, he acts as an interface between the global platform, local trail organizations, and authorities. His goal: Trailforks should not be perceived as part of the problem, but as part of the solution for legal and sustainable trail use.

His professional expertise helps him in this: He is a traffic planner and specialist in traffic management systems. Since 2024, he has also been a board member of IMBA Switzerland.

Local organizations as partners and users of Trailforks

For the average user, Trailforks is simply an app for finding new trails. But according to Andre, what appears on the smartphone is only the visible surface. “Behind the Map is a professional backend that can do far more than just display lines: a powerful tool for trail associations, clubs, and local organizations. That’s where areas are defined, trails are classified, conditions are documented, and decisions are made that determine what the public actually gets to see.”

“We want to bring the trail associations on board,” he explains. Instead of every small club having to develop its own web tool for its maps or information boards, Trailforks provides the infrastructure. In return, the platform gets what it needs most: local interpretive authority. A trail association can represent its area on the map in a way that is supported by the local community and the authorities.

In addition, trail management organizations can use Trailforks to document the condition of and work on their trails, analyze user traffic, announce closures—in short: manage their trails. “The goal is to place responsibility where the knowledge lies—with the local community.”

On Trailforks, “illegal” or “undesirable” means “hidden”

A recent article in Ride noted that training apps and trail platforms contribute to secret or illegal trails are promoted. According to Andre Trummer, this does not happen on Trailforks, or only in a gray area. Organizations can use anonymized heatmaps to see if riders in their region are riding trails they shouldn’t—unless they already know that anyway.

The Country Manager doesn’t like the term “illegal.” And not because it restricts riders’ freedom, but because it can put Trailforks in a dangerous position. Andre explains: “Trailforks does not judge the legality of a trail. The platform maps what local organizations classify as official or unofficial—and what they wish to conceal for safety or protection reasons.” In other words: Even though Trailforks strives not to display illegal trails, not everything that appears on the Map is harmless. “We are not lawyers and avoid the word ‘illegal.’ We refer to them as wild or unsanctioned trails.”

On Trailforks, club representatives with the appropriate permissions can mark trails as “unsanctioned” (unofficial). This is, so to speak, the soft approach: Mountain bikers see in the app that they are riding on an unofficial trail. Andre adds: “With the ‘unsanctioned’ label, we place the responsibility on the rider. In the app, these trails are marked in German: ‘Not an official trail, use at your own risk!’” A filter allows users to hide “unsanctioned trails,” which is “useful for those who only want to ride official trails.”

An even stronger measure is the “hidden trail” label. In this case, the trail isn’t shown on the Map. Additionally, records from riders who have ridden a hidden trail aren’t included in either the public heatmap or individual route suggestions. “If we don’t do this, things will escalate in certain areas,” Andre notes. Only in her private log can a rider record rides on hidden trails, but she receives a note that the tour includes a “sensitive trail.” The Country Manager points out once again that “hidden” is not synonymous with “illegal,” and that what is openly displayed is not necessarily legal beyond a doubt.

“This trail is hidden from the public; you have special permissions to view hidden trails in this region. Please keep this trail info private!"

Message to Trailforks admins regarding unofficial trails

"This trail is hidden from the public, 
You have special permissions to view hidden trails in this region.&
Please keep this trail info to yourself!»

The Trailforks administration is structured hierarchically, explains Andre: «In addition to Country Management, there are cantonal, regional, and local admins. Around 50 people constantly review what the Swiss community contributes and approve or reject its publication. “The hierarchy isn’t about control, but about quality assurance: the closer an admin is to the area, the better they know the local situation,” explains Andre. Who has the final say depends on the knowledge and experience of the individual; not every local admin knows the applicable laws in detail, which is why higher-ups sometimes step in. “So far, we’ve always been able to reach an agreement.”

On other platforms, illegal segments can be deleted, but they often reappear shortly afterward because someone has re-uploaded them. That doesn’t happen on Trailforks. Trails marked as “hidden” cannot be republished. “Submissions that correspond to a hidden trail are rejected,” Andre explains. Only in her private log can a rider record rides on hidden trails, but she receives a notification that the tour includes a “sensitive trail.”

Attractive Trails Instead of Bans

“Trailforks’ approach is: guidance through information, rather than bans,” explains Andre Trummer. The map primarily displays legal and, where possible, attractive trails. Only if no local admin responds are unauthorized trails displayed. “Unfortunately, there are still areas that are inadequately managed,” he admits. So unwanted or illegal trails only disappear from the map once someone takes care of them. 

Trailforks also refuses to mark wildlife quiet zones on its maps, but ensures that no trails are displayed that lie within wildlife quiet zones where trail use is not permitted. “We don’t want to play police, but we prevent the spread via the digital route.” 

Andre explains why wildlife protection zones still appear as large pink areas on Trailforks in certain places: “If, despite all measures, activity in a protected area continues to increase, we mark these sensitive zones as an exception. This decision is made solely by the local admins on site.” This happens primarily in areas where there are too few legal trails or where the needs of cyclists are not sufficiently met. 

“Trail matches a hidden trail, it will most likely be rejected!!”

Message to users attempting to record an illegal trail.

“Trail matches a hidden trail, it will most likely be deleted!!”

Power and responsibility of the Country Manager

In his position, Country Manager Andre has a certain degree of control over which trails are displayed and which are not. He spends one to two hours a week approving new segments, always in consultation with local representatives. He also contributes to the platform’s further development.

Occasionally, tourism organizations reach out, often because they want a specific route listed on Trailforks—which he declines if it isn’t a singletrack. “The bike path along the Rhine doesn’t belong on Trailforks.” A representative from a destination or municipality has even requested that a trail be listed with a higher difficulty level to deter inexperienced riders. “They demanded that a trail be listed as black when it’s actually more like blue. We won’t go along with that either, because it’s about the credibility of the information on Trailforks.”

At the same time, he is open to collaborating with destinations and authorities, provided it doesn’t conflict with local cycling interests. Trummer provides services to tourism or administrative organizations through a sole proprietorship. This allows him to separate his commitment to Trailforks from consulting work for commercial or government entities.

Difficulty ratings are another topic that repeatedly sparks debate. Andre is also involved in this area. When someone makes a statement—for example, by marking a trail on a Map and assigning it a difficulty rating—they leave themselves open to criticism. The Country Manager handles this situation well. “There are certainly comments on black expert trails like: ‘NOT RIDABLE!’ It takes tact to make such users understand that their riding technique isn’t the be-all and end-all.” Trummer, however, uses such objections as an opportunity to question the classification and sometimes even change a red trail to a black one.

As the country manager, Trummer has the final say on how trails are displayed on Trailforks. However, he does not see himself as the arbiter of trail truth in Switzerland. “Trailforks is the Wikipedia of singletrack trails. The platform thrives on the fact that many people contribute—and that contributions are moderated responsibly. That’s what makes it so valuable.”