Data Sources
Last updated: July 14, 2026.
This page explains where the data in Outsync comes from, how it's verified, and what's coming.
We believe in being honest about what we know and what we don't. Trail information can affect your safety. You should always verify critical details (trail conditions, closures, permits, access rules) against authoritative sources before heading out.
What's Available Today
Calendar Integration
Source: Google Calendar API.
What it provides: Optional two-way sync of your scheduled hikes with your Google Calendar, and read access to your calendar events for the day you're scheduling, so you can plan around existing commitments.
Status: Live since v.1.2.0.
Note: Access is limited to calendar events only, and you can disconnect at any time.
Location Search and Mapping
Source: Mapbox.
What it provides: City and location search, geographic coordinates, region matching for nearby trail recommendations.
Verification status: Mapbox provides production-quality geocoding data sourced from OpenStreetMap, Microsoft, and other contributors. Place data is generally reliable for cities and incorporated areas.
License acknowledgment: Mapbox data includes contributions from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed under the Open Database License).
Status: Live since v.1.0.0
Sunrise and Sunset Times
Source: Calculated on-device using the SunCalc library (open source) from the trail's coordinates and date. Timezone resolved locally via tz-lookup.
What it provides: Daylight window information for trail locations, used to support hike timing decisions.
Status: Live since v.1.1.0.
Trail Data
Source: Outsync's beta trail dataset.
How it was built: The beta dataset was assembled using AI-assisted research drawing on public information about hiking trails across the United States. Approximately 2,000 trails are included, covering all 50 states with focused coverage in regions where our beta testers live.
Verification status: Trails in the beta dataset are flagged as unverified (data_verified: false). This means the trail information has not yet been confirmed against authoritative trail data sources. Details like distance, elevation, route variants, hazards, and accessibility windows are approximations based on publicly available information.
What this means for you: Outsync is useful as a planning starting point. Before you hike, verify critical details (trail status, conditions, access rules, parking) using authoritative sources: the land manager's website (National Park Service, US Forest Service, state parks), AllTrails or other established trail platforms, and local trail organizations.
Improving verification is one of our highest priorities. See "What's Coming" below for our planned trail data pipeline.
Status: Live since v.1.0.0
Your Location
Source: Your device's location services (optional), or a city you enter manually.
What it provides: Proximity ranking for Search, Recommendations, and Nearby trails.
Status: Live since v.1.0.0.
Note: Location is optional. If you'd rather not enable device location, you can type a city instead and get the same proximity features.
What's Coming
We are actively expanding Outsync's data sources. The following are planned for future releases. We will update this page when each source goes live.
Verified Trail Data Pipeline
Sources we are planning to integrate:
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OpenStreetMap (OSM) via Overpass API. A community-maintained, openly licensed geographic database. OSM has extensive trail data for many regions, contributed by hikers, mapping volunteers, and land management agencies.
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National Park Service APIs. Official trail data for trails within US national parks, including trail conditions, closures, and accessibility information.
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US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management data. Trail and recreation data for federal lands beyond national parks.
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State park and state agency GIS data. State-managed trail systems often publish GIS datasets through their websites or APIs.
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Other authoritative trail data partnerships where appropriate.
Our goal: As Outsync's trail data pipeline matures, the unverified beta dataset will be replaced or supplemented with data from authoritative sources. Trails will be marked verified when their details have been confirmed against trusted source data.
Timeline: This work is ongoing and will roll out in stages. We will update this page as data sources go live.
Weather Data
Planned source: A weather API (provider to be confirmed).
What it will provide: Current conditions and forecasts for trail locations, used to support hike planning and to warn users about weather changes before or during a scheduled hike.
Status: Not yet live in Outsync.
How We Handle Your Data
User data (your account, preferences, location, favorites, saved trails, schedules, completions, and ratings) is stored in Firebase, our backend infrastructure.
If you connect Google Calendar, your scheduled hikes are sent to your Google Calendar, and we read your calendar events for that day to show scheduling conflicts.
We store the access credentials needed to keep that connection working. These are held securely on our servers, never on your device, and are limited to calendar events only. We cannot access anything else in your Google account. You can disconnect at any time, which revokes and deletes those credentials.
See our Privacy Policy for details on how we handle personal information.
Reporting Data Issues
Found a trail with incorrect information? A missing trail you'd like added? A trail that should be verified?
Please email us at support@outsync.io with the trail name, location, and the issue. User reports are one of the most valuable inputs to our data verification work.
License Acknowledgments
OpenStreetMap: Place and geographic data accessed through Mapbox includes contributions from OpenStreetMap. © OpenStreetMap contributors. Available under the Open Database License.
Mapbox: Geocoding and place data provided by Mapbox, used under their commercial terms.
Additional license acknowledgments will be added as new data sources go live.