Adding Locations To The Database
Please read these guidelines before adding any locations to the database!
In the past, adding locations to Hill Country Explorer and its sister sites was a manual process that required the system administrator to insert records into the
database. While it kept the database somewhat "clean", it also meant that a lot of sites that might have been of interest to users either got added after a long
delay or maybe didn't get added at all.
It's now possible for users to add locations and share them with other users. All new submitted locations will be marked for review by
an administrator on Hill Country Explorer. Until locations are approved they will not show up on maps or in search results. In an effort to keep the database "clean"
duplicates will be routinely removed or merged with other locations as needed. To help limit the number of corrections that need to be made please review the following guidelines
when submitting locations:
General Guidelines
- Please search the database or browse the database via map to see whether or not the location
already exists. Realize that the website that you are logged into may not cover the area or activity type that you are trying to add.
- Locations should be publically accessible or at least visible from a public location. Any location that requires or encourages tresspassing will be removed.
Hiking Trails
- Hiking trail locations are based on "trails" and not "hikes". The Appalachian Trail can consist of a large number of hikes that cover portions of its length. We aim to
keep the list focused on the trails themselves where possible. Hikes are represented by individual log entries that members make as they walk on a portion of a given trail.
- Typically, we want each named trail represented by a separate location in the database. There are some exceptions however. When a park or natural area has a maze of
interconnected trails amassed into a jumble providing a single name of the park or natural area might make more sense. We'll play this one by ear and iron out any
confusion in the guidelines as questions arise.
- Trail length should consist of the length of the trail itself and not the distance required to do an out and back to complete a single hike.
Historic Sites
- An historic site location should have a visible marker or remnant so that a visitor has a reasonable chance of knowing that they have actually arrived at the
described location.
- Historic sites should not be added for markers that do not specify a specific place in history. For example, some historic markers describe a general area, activity
or people. While interesting, this is not an historic site and so should not be entered into the database.
- Cemeteries are often historic, but they should be entered into the database as cemetery location types.
Questions And Answers
Q: I added a location, but I can't see it on the map. What gives?
A: All new locations are marked for approval by a system administrator. Until then, they will not show up in search results or on maps. This is done to ensure that spam
posts or duplicates are pruned from the database before people start trying to log them. Eventually we may relax the rules to allow for more immediate, automatic additions for
users who have built up a level of trust with the system.
Add A Location