Privacy Policy

Effective October 28, 2026

This policy explains what information the Otter Creek Trails iPhone app (the "app") and ottercreektrails.com collect, how it is used, and the choices you have. Otter Creek Trails is operated by Tyler Flynn in Lewis County, New York ("we", "us"). Questions: support@ottercreektrails.com.

The short version: we collect only what the app needs to work. Your GPS location is used on your phone. We don't show ads, we don't sell your information, and we don't use third-party advertising or analytics trackers.

Information we collect

Account information

If you create an account, we store your email address, your password (stored securely by our database provider; we never see it), and your account role (rider or admin). You can also choose to add a display name and profile photo in Account settings; both are optional.

Your horses

If you add horses in the app, their profiles and care logs (name, breed, color, birth year, notes, and care dates such as farrier, vaccines, deworming and Coggins) are backed up to your account so they're there if you change phones. Only you can see them. Horse photos stay on your phone and are not uploaded. Horse names are never included when you share a ride.

Your location

• The app uses your phone's GPS to show your position on the map. This happens on your phone; we do not track your location on our servers.
• When you record a ride, the app uses location in the background so recording continues while your phone is locked. Recording stops when you end the ride.
• Recorded rides and GPX files you import from other apps are saved on your phone. If you're signed in, they're also backed up to your account (see "Ride backup" below), unless you turn backup off in the Rides tab. Otherwise, rides leave your phone only if you choose to share a ride, export a GPX file, send a ride to help improve the trail map, or submit a GPX file for trail review (see below).
• Your location is sent to us only as part of something you choose to submit, such as the location of a hazard report.

Content you choose to submit

• Hazard and maintenance reports: the location, description, notes, any photos you add, status changes (such as "reported fixed"), and the time and account that made each one.
• Ride backup: so you don't lose your rides if you replace or lose your phone, each ride you record or import is backed up to your account: its GPS track (positions, times and speeds) and its details (name, date, distance, time, gaits and the horse you picked). It's on by default; turn it off anytime with "Back up my rides to my account" in the Rides tab, and choose whether to delete what's already backed up. Only you can see your backed-up rides; they aren't shown to other riders or used to improve the trail map. Deleting a ride in the app deletes its backup.
• Shared rides: when you tap "Share with a friend", we store the ride's name, stats and track (positions, times and speeds) so your friend can open it with the link or code. You can choose to hide the start and end of the route (about the first and last 1/8 mile) so friends can't see where you live or park. Your name, email and horse information are not included.
• Rides you send to help improve the trail map: when you tap "Help improve the trail map" on a ride, or turn on "Share all my rides to improve the map" in Rides (then each of your rides at Otter Creek, already on your phone or recorded or imported later, is sent automatically until you turn it off), we store that ride's GPS positions and the date of the ride, with about the first and last 1/8 mile removed so your home or trailer spot isn't included. We do not store the ride's name, times, speeds, gaits or horse. We combine these tracks with other riders' to correct where trail lines are drawn and to spot trail reroutes. Only our Admins can see contributed tracks, and they are shown without who sent them. You can withdraw a ride, or all of them, at any time in the app.
• GPX trail submissions: when you submit a GPX file for trail review, we store the parts of the track that are not already on the map (the possible new trail sections), the file name and the number of points, linked to your account. Only Admins can see submissions.
• Destination and camp requests, trail details and app change requests: what you type (for example a business name, address or description) and any photos you attach.
• Photos: the app only accesses photos you pick from your library to attach to a request or destination.

Purchases

When paid subscriptions become available, purchases are handled by Apple. We receive your subscription status (for example, active or expired) so the app can unlock Premium features. We never receive your card or payment details.

Information stored only on your phone

Recorded rides, favorites, rides shared with you, horse photos, and cached map data are stored on your device. Deleting the app deletes this information from the phone; rides that were backed up to your account can be restored when you sign in again.

What we don't collect

We don't collect your contacts, we don't track you across other apps or websites, and the app contains no advertising or third-party analytics SDKs. The website doesn't use tracking cookies.

How we use information

• To run the app: sign-in, sharing hazard reports and rides, and reviewing requests.
• To keep the trail map and destination information accurate.
• To send account emails, such as setting up or resetting your password.
• To respond when you contact us, and to protect the app and its users from misuse.

Who can see your information

• Other riders who are signed in can see hazard reports and notes. If you set a display name or profile photo, it's shown with your hazard reports, notes, fix reports and rides you share; if you don't, you show as "A rider". Other riders never see your email.
• Admins (the app's operators) can see the email address of the account that created a report, note or request, so they can moderate content and follow up. Admins can remove a display name or photo that's offensive or impersonates someone. You can report one to support@ottercreektrails.com.
• Shared rides can be opened by anyone who has the link or code and a signed-in account. You can stop sharing at any time, which removes the ride from our servers. Friends who already opened it keep their copy on their phone.
• Friends of Otter Creek Horse Trails, the volunteer group that maintains the trails, gets an email for each new hazard or maintenance report so it can be fixed: the type, location, description, any photos you add, when it was reported, and your display name if you've set one (otherwise "A rider"). The email never includes your email address.
• Photos attached to requests stay private to you and admins unless an admin approves them for a public destination listing.

We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers.

Service providers

We use a small number of providers to run the service. They process data only on our behalf:

• Supabase — database, sign-in, account emails and photo storage.
• Apple — app distribution (App Store and TestFlight) and, in the future, payments.
• Cloudflare — hosting for this website and email forwarding.

We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the safety of riders or the public.

Keeping and deleting your information

• You can delete your own rides, hazard reports and requests in the app, stop sharing a ride, and withdraw a ride you sent to help improve the map, at any time.
• You can delete your account in the app (More → Account → Account settings → Delete account). This also deletes your horse profiles and care logs, display name and photo, your ride backups, and any rides you sent to help improve the map from our servers. You can also email support@ottercreektrails.com from the address on your account, and we will delete your account and the personal information tied to it within 30 days. Hazard reports you made may stay visible to other riders for safety, without anything that identifies you.
• We keep account information while your account is active, and remove it after deletion except where the law requires us to keep it.

Security

Data is sent over encrypted connections, and database access is limited by account permissions. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.

Children

The app is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we make important changes, we'll update the date above and let users know in the app or by email.

Contact

Otter Creek Trails · Lewis County, New York
support@ottercreektrails.com