Designing an Application for Glacier National Park's Backcountry Hiking Community
Teran AT, Springer PF, Poisson DD, Staples MC. 2020. Designing an Application for Glacier National Park's Backcountry Hiking Community. E-project-101620-190826. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Planning a backcountry hiking trip in Glacier National Park requires extensive research and information from numerous sources, which can be challenging for many visitors. Our team worked with members of the Glacier National Park staff to develop a web application to assist hikers with the backpacking planning process. We analyzed interviews, online surveys, and existing hiking apps to determine design and features. The resulting web application contains a step-by-step planning guide with permitting and safety information, as well as an interactive map with trail specifics including trail elevation profiles and important campground information. We recommend that the Glacier staff continue the development of this application into a mobile platform and improves the current trail reporting system on their website.