the hiking website

Branding and web design

Role in project solo designer

The Hiking Website is a one-stop-shop for hikes, gear, and inspiration. With a unique search bar feature, the site allows travelers to search a destination, and get hike profiles and trip itineraries for their next big adventure. I started working with the site in the early stages, and was the main designer for all logo, social media, and web design initiatives.

purpose

The Hiking Website is on a mission to get you outside. With pro-athletes taking on trails, endless piles of gear to choose from, and summits that are seemingly higher than anyone’s feet can take them, it can be intimidating to enter the world of hiking and adventure travel. To cater to these people, the site is focused on having an approachable vibe, yet the information can be used by beginner and experienced hikers alike.

concept

I started with a color palette of muted tones that I pulled from photographs of hiking trails in Utah and Colorado. Since so many outdoor companies use green in their branding, I tried to stay away from these hues in my primary palette as to help the brand stand out from the crowd. I then moved onto the logo: I paired a bold sans serif with a playful script in order to keep the branding fun and relatable. Together with the muted palette, I feel as though this strikes the happy balance between approachable and trustworthy to both beginner and experienced travelers.

Once the logo was in place, I moved onto overall branding and web design. I chose to contrast white space with bright and powerful hiking photographs, as to give the most attention to the hikes themselves. I was able to utilize my own photography for many of these assets. I chose sans serif fonts that leant themselves to an “outdoorsy”, yet playful feel throughout the site.

Additional elements such as topographic maps and witty copywriting are used throughout additional branding elements on social media and in future merchandise.