This Privacy Policy describes how ParkTrailsGuide.com (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares information when you visit our website. Please read this policy carefully. By using ParkTrailsGuide.com, you agree to the practices described below.
1. Who We Are
ParkTrailsGuide.com is a travel and outdoor content website focused on helping visitors plan trips to America’s national parks. Our website is operated by Rubie Rose, the founder and primary content creator. We are headquartered and operated online.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, you can reach us at the contact information provided at the end of this page.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
Information You Provide Directly
- Contact form submissions: When you use our contact form, we collect your name and email address so we can respond to your message.
- Newsletter sign-ups: If you subscribe to our email newsletter, we collect your name and email address to send you park guides, travel tips, and updates.
- Comments: If you leave a comment on our articles, we collect your name, email address, and any information included in your comment.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit ParkTrailsGuide.com, certain information is automatically collected by our website and third-party services we use, including:
- Your IP address and general geographic location (country/city level)
- The type of browser and device you are using
- The pages you visit on our site and how long you spend on each page
- The website that referred you to us (if any)
- Date and time of your visit
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To respond to your questions and messages submitted via our contact form
- To send you our email newsletter if you have opted in (you can unsubscribe at any time)
- To understand how visitors use our website so we can improve our content and user experience
- To display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
- To comply with legal obligations
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
ParkTrailsGuide.com uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your experience and to enable certain features. Cookies are used for:
- Essential functionality: Cookies required for the website to work properly (e.g., remembering your preferences)
- Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand visitor behavior on our site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect data such as pages visited, time on site, and traffic source. This data is aggregated and anonymous.
- Advertising: We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google uses cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to our website or other websites. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google’s Ads Settings.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.
5. Google AdSense and Advertising
ParkTrailsGuide.com participates in the Google AdSense program to display advertisements. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site based on your visits to our website and other sites on the internet.
Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by:
- Visiting Google’s Ads Settings
- Visiting aboutads.info
- Using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, visit: How Google uses data from sites that use Google services.
6. Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to collect and analyze information about how visitors use ParkTrailsGuide.com. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit our site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to visiting our site. We use this information to improve our website content and user experience.
Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit our site, not your name or other identifying information. We do not combine the information collected through Google Analytics with personally identifiable information.
Google’s privacy policy is available at: https://policies.google.com/privacy
7. Affiliate Links and Third-Party Links
ParkTrailsGuide.com may contain affiliate links to third-party products and services, such as gear recommendations, hotel booking platforms, and travel services. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
We only recommend products and services we believe are genuinely helpful to our readers. All affiliate relationships are disclosed in accordance with FTC guidelines.
Our website may also link to external websites for your convenience. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.
8. Email Newsletter
If you choose to subscribe to our email newsletter, we will use your email address to send you park guides, seasonal travel tips, and occasional updates about new content on ParkTrailsGuide.com.
- You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email we send.
- We do not share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.
- Your email data is stored securely with our email service provider.
9. Children’s Privacy
ParkTrailsGuide.com is a general-audience website and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us using the information at the end of this policy.
10. Data Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include secure hosting, HTTPS encryption on all pages of our website, and limiting access to personal data to only those who need it to operate our website.
However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
11. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:
- Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information about you.
- Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Opt-out of marketing: You can unsubscribe from our email newsletter at any time.
- Cookie preferences: You can control cookies through your browser settings.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.
12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a resident of California, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). You have the right to:
- Know what personal information we collect about you and how it is used
- Request deletion of your personal information
- Opt out of the sale of your personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
- Not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights
To submit a California privacy rights request, please contact us at the email address below.
13. GDPR – Rights for EEA and UK Visitors
If you are visiting ParkTrailsGuide.com from the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR, including the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, and object to the processing of your personal data.
Our lawful basis for processing personal data is legitimate interest (for analytics and improving the website) and consent (for email newsletter subscriptions and advertising cookies).
To exercise your GDPR rights or for any data protection inquiries, please contact us at the email address provided below.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of ParkTrailsGuide.com after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
ParkTrailsGuide.com
Operated by: Rubie Rose
Website: www.parktrailsguide.com
Contact Page: parktrailsguide.com/contact
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.