GPS, Video and Information Help Guide Walking Enthusiasts, Exercisers and Visitors To and Through County Parks, Trails, Town Loops and Facilities
WESTOVER, MD – April 13, 2018 – Temperatures are rising, flowers are in bloom and the weather is perfect for walking Somerset County’s miles and miles of trails, town loops and parks. With the new Somerset Trail Mix App (available on Apple and Android platforms), Clint Sterling, Director of Somerset County Recreation & Parks, advises that all the information walkers need will now be in the palms of their hands.
“The Somerset Trail Mix App offers casual walkers and serious exercisers tools for finding paths, trails and street courses throughout the county,” said Sterling. “Our goal is to get people walking for both their health and the enjoyment of county owned resources.”
The app will launch at Somerset County Field Day to be held at the county’s Centralized Facility in Westover on Saturday, April 21. Representatives will be on hand to teach participants how to download and use the app.
“There’s some wonderful, accessible technology built into this app,” said Sterling. “We took top-quality drone footage and panorama photos of each location, so you can see where you are going before you go there to get a sense of a place. And, as you are walking, you can use a GPS locator to be sure you are headed where you want to go and track your efforts through a pedometer.”
In addition, “how-to” videos in the app offer guidance on everything from determining the correct target heart rate to selecting the right shoes to staying hydrated. Each is hosted by a subject matter expert from the community.
The app provides guidance for 10 walking areas across the county. Accompanying information includes each location’s address, hours of accessibility, length of its course, parking, restrooms, amenities and historical background where appropriate.
Walks include:
- Somerset County Centralized Facility, Westover
- Crisfield High School Track
- Crisfield Town Loop
- Garland Hayward Youth Center, Princess Anne
- Great Hope Golf Course, Westover
- Janes Island, Hopewell
- Mt. Vernon Loop in Mt. Vernon
- Old Washington College Indoor Gym, Princess Anne
- Princess Anne Town Loop
- Washington High School Track, Princess Anne
The app aligns with the Trail Mix website (www.SomersetTrailMix.com) launched last year. For those who prefer a larger screen, access to the drone videos, panorama photos and “how-to” videos will be available on the website as well. It also features information about bicycling routes and kayak and canoeing access.
“It’s our hope that in the coming months we will add both bike routes and water access to the app so that everything is available in both locations,” said Sterling. “By putting everything in both the app and on the website, we will be better able to educate and support our residents and attract visitors who are seeking unique day and weekend trips.”
The development of the app was underwritten by Somerset County Health Department using funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maryland Department of Health and Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control.
The app was designed in partnership with a.s.a.p.r. integrated marketing headquartered in Salisbury, Md., The NGAGE Company based in West Chester, Pa. and Data Deploy located in Wilmington, De.
To learn more about Somerset Trail Mix and the app, visit www.somersettrailmix.com, follow on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SomersetTrailMix) and/or call 410/651-4980.
# # #