project 03 :: research

I have looked at several different maps, forums, and other online resources to gather information about the trails in Des Moines – specifically the "Downtown Des Moines Trail Loops."

This collection of trails includes Kruidenier Trail (Gray's Lake), Meredith Trail, MLK Trail, and Principal Riverwalk.

Some other maps I found:

I also downloaded the Iowa by Trail app created by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Shift Interactive and got some good ideas in how users are used to viewing and interacting with information like the kind I am dealing with. I took note of the placement, size, and organization of the various icons & information.

Google Maps has also been an extremely valuable resource to have an birds-eye view of where each of the paths connect and what parking lots and other attractions are located along each path.