Set up your safety network

Add your emergency contacts

Go to Dashboard → Settings (⚙) → Emergency → Contacts.

Add the email addresses of the people who should be notified if you go overdue. These are typically family members, a close friend, or a trip coordinator — people who know your planned route and can coordinate a response.

Recommendations:

• Add at least two contacts in case one email bounces or is missed
• Tell your contacts in advance that they may receive an alert from alerts@trailkeep.com — ask them to add it to their contacts now so it doesn't land in spam
• Include a phone number for each contact under Emergency → Personal so rescuers have an additional way to reach them

Add your personal emergency information

Go to Dashboard → Settings → Emergency → Personal.

Fill in the details that emergency contacts and rescuers may need: blood type, medical conditions, medications, next of kin, and any other information relevant for SAR.

This data is visible on your shared trip page when the trip is in an overdue/SOS state — it is private otherwise.

Create your trip and set the dates

Return-by monitoring requires a trip end date. If no end date is set, no return-by alert can fire.

Create your trip under Plan → Trip (click Add), and set:

• A start date — the day you leave the trailhead
• An end date — the day you plan to return

Be realistic with the end date. An alert fires when the return moment passes and the trip has not been marked complete — if you set the end date too early, your contacts will receive a false alarm.

Configure the Check-in Timer (optional)

Open the Check-in Timer popover on the Start tab (timer icon on the idle or active card) and choose your check-in window.

Set the check-in window — how many hours between check-ins before an alert fires. The default is 36 hours. Recommended values:

What "check-in" means: tapping Check in now on the Start tab resets the Check-in Timer once Trailkeep confirms on the server. The window runs from confirmation time — not midnight. If you check in on Day 1 at 7 PM, the 24-hour window runs until 7 PM the following day. Offline shows Not confirmed yet until sync.

The Check-in Timer only runs after you tap Go on the Start tab. It does not run during planning. Return-by monitoring is always armed when the trip is active and an end date is set, whether or not the Check-in Timer is enabled.

Download or print your Safety QR

Open Account settings → Emergency tab → QR — your Safety QR is displayed there.

The Safety QR is a permanent code linked to your account — it always reflects your current trip status. You only need one, but you can share it multiple ways:

• Print the A5 card — the print format includes the QR, the URL, the Trailkeep logo, and a short explanation of how to use it. Leave a printed copy with your emergency contacts before you leave.
• Save to your phone — screenshot the QR and save it as a lock screen widget or in your photos.
• Share the link — the URL under the QR can be bookmarked or sent by text. Anyone with the link can see your trip status.

Start your trip

When you are ready to depart, open the Start tab and tap Go (quick start or planned trip).

For a planned trip, set or update start and end dates on the Start tab (planned-trip calendar) or in Trip Planner, then select the trip and tap Go. If departure is still in the future, the button stays disabled until that day.

This starts the trip, arms return-by monitoring, activates the shared trip link, and starts the Check-in Timer if you enabled it. An end date must be set before you can start.

Check in each day on trail

At the end of each day, open the Start tab and tap Check in now when you have signal. This:

• Marks the day as done once Trailkeep confirms
• Resets the Check-in Timer countdown (when enabled and confirmed)
• Automatically captures your current GPS location if signal is available

GPS capture happens automatically when you check in — no extra tap needed. If GPS is unavailable but you have data, the day still completes and the Check-in Timer resets once Trailkeep confirms on the server.

Finish the trip when you return

When you are safely back, tap Finish trip on the Start tab. This:

• Marks the trip as completed
• Stops return-by monitoring, the Check-in Timer, and all other alerts
• Removes Trail Companions from the notification list (their emails are deleted)
• Updates the shared trip page to show "completed" status

Do this as soon as you are back — your emergency contacts will see the status update immediately on the shared page.