A Guide to Accessible Map Design for Trails and Public Places
Updated: Oct 15
Accessible maps help more people understand a place and make informed decisions about visiting it. At Green Goat Maps, accessibility informs the selection of visitor information, typography, symbols, layout, and delivery format. A visually attractive map must also communicate clearly at the size and in the conditions in which people use it.
Start with the visitor’s decisions
Help visitors locate trailheads, understand trail difficulty and surface conditions, find parking and facilities, and recognize important restrictions. Describe verified accessibility features clearly. Do not imply that every trail is accessible merely because the map is readable.
Typography and visual hierarchy
Choose legible typefaces, provide adequate spacing, and establish a clear hierarchy between destinations, trail names, distances, and supporting information. Test labels at their actual print size and expected viewing distance. Kiosk and pocket-map typography require different treatments.
Color and symbols
Use contrast and combine color with line patterns, symbols, or text labels so color alone does not communicate difficulty, access, or closures. Check the design for common forms of color vision deficiency. Reduce unnecessary background detail where it competes with essential visitor information.
Our design reference
The downloadable guide brings together our research on maps, kiosks, and interpretive panels, including guidance drawn from National Park Service resources. It is a design reference, not a certification that an individual product or installation meets every accessibility requirement. Site-specific dimensions and standards should be checked for each project.
View or download the Accessible Design Style Guide (PDF)
Digital maps need functional accessibility
Readable colors and labels are only part of digital accessibility. Web maps also need keyboard-operable controls, visible focus, meaningful control labels, screen-reader access to essential trail information, accessible error and status messages, and a usable mobile layout. Provide structured trail and route information alongside the visual map so essential information and tasks do not depend only on visual interpretation.
For public-sector digital work, we use WCAG 2.1 Level AA as a baseline and confirm the agency’s applicable requirements. Testing combines automated checks with manual keyboard, screen-reader, contrast, zoom, and mobile testing. Automated results alone do not establish conformance.
Review at the point of use
Review kiosk proofs at their intended size, pocket maps at their folded and unfolded sizes, and digital products on phones and with assistive technology. Document findings, fix barriers, and repeat the checks after substantive revisions.
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