How to Use ChatGPT to Find Hidden Hiking Trails

The magical months of summer are here. Long days, balmy nights and day trips are upon us. Living in the New York area, it's important for me to have a list of nature experiences for when the city gets stinky. When August hits, all I want to do is be by a body of water like a beach or lake.

It's around this time of year that many of us in New York plan our summer escapes. Given we live just outside of Manhattan, we have easier access to some of the best city breaks mother nature has to offer.

Instead of just searching social media and getting FOMO, do some deeper research on hiking trails and nature experiences nearby with the help of artificial intelligence. It can be a handy tool for travel to find cheaper flights, brainstorm where to go, plan a trip or save for a vacation. 

I found it difficult to figure out how to access Extensions to activate Google Maps in Gemini, and while there are specific AI tools like HiiKER, I'm not about to pay $6.49 per month just to use it.

So, over to ChatGPT it is. 

How to find secret summer hikes using AI 

I logged into ChatGPT so that it could pull from what it already knows about me from our previous conversations. It knows I live just outside NYC, what my health goals are and what kind of experiences I like. 

For example, leaning into spiritual practices is a goal of mine this year, so if it can find hiking trails close to attractions like the famous Hindu temple in New Jersey, that would be epic. 

To prep your prompt, give ChatGPT some context -- things like your location, fitness level, how far you're willing to travel and what you'd like to do before or after the hike. 

Tell ChatGPT that you're looking for trails that aren't filled with tourists or influencers. For example, you could ask something like: "What are some secret or lesser-known hiking trails in New Jersey or New York that are good day trip destinations? I'd like to hike for an hour, ideally near a body of water or a cute town." 

Off the bat, it's given a few good options for less popular trails across both New York and New Jersey.  

I replied to ChatGPT asking which is the most beautiful or underrated trail, and it gave me its thoughts on why they were beautiful, like Constitution Marsh, or underrated, like the Apshawa Preserve.

I forgot to tell ChatGPT that I'll be visiting in the summertime and asked if these are still good spots. I also asked if there's a trail near a lake instead, because we want to swim. These were two of the suggestions:

I then asked ChatGPT to provide a photo of each hike and lake on the list, and it did. Always be sure to cross-check information from the chatbot, because AI is prone to hallucinate answers. 

It only showed me the swimming spots, though. I had to ask it to show the respective hiking trails, too.

It generated pictures of the areas in the fall. Honestly, you'd be better off just Google searching, Google Maps satellite searching or crowd-sourcing images of the hiking trails you're interested in.

ChatGPT is good for initial ideas, but always back it up with your own research. For example, my wife grew up near Greenwood Lake, which is a huge lake spanning across NJ and NY, but ChatGPT didn't suggest it. 

I asked why. It didn't give me a great reason, but agreed it's not to be missed.

I copied one of the hiking trails it suggested and this was it. Now we're talking (and walking). 

You could take it one step further and ask ChatGPT for hiking advice for that specific region. Like how to protect yourself from ticks, poison ivy, mosquitoes, heat and humidity. It'll give you recommendations on what kind of clothes and insect repellent to wear.

If you're looking for an overnight adventure, you could even ask for advice to turn a day trip into a weekend camping trip. See where your search takes you this summer. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)