Designing for the Ranch Experience
When I set out to design Trail Trotter, my goal was to translate the charm and ease of Red Buffalo Ranch into a mobile experience. The ranch is a welcoming place in person, but its booking process is handled primarily through calls and emails, which feel clunky in a world where most of us expect to book things with a few taps. I wanted to create something approachable and helpful, whether someone was planning their very first trail ride or organizing a special event, such as a proposal.
I envisioned a mobile app that would guide users through booking rides, modifying reservations, and browsing upcoming events with ease and clarity. Everything needed to feel clear, warm, and magical, like the ranch itself.
From Sketches to Screens
I began this process with low-fidelity sketches, drawn on my reMarkable tablet, to quickly map the user flows. At this point, I wasn’t thinking about visual polish, and I was focused on structure: what the user should see first, how they move through each task, and the most straightforward path to success. Once those ideas felt solid, I brought the wireframes into Balsamiq to add more hierarchy and shape. These early steps helped me organize the core screens and gain a better understanding of how users might navigate through the app.
The next significant leap occurred when I created a medium-fidelity, clickable prototype using Figma. This was the point where the app started to feel real. I created interactive flows that let users book rides, manage reservations, and submit special event requests. With tappable elements and simulated confirmations, testers can experience what it would be like to use Trail Trotter in real-time.
Testing with Real Users
Usability testing was a critical part of the process. I tested the prototype with Cynthia, a retired first-time app user, and Olivia, a tech-savvy teenager at the ranch. Their feedback was detailed and incredibly useful. Cynthia found the app welcoming and easy to use, though she recommended more guidance for first-time riders. Olivia appreciated the layout but felt that some sections, especially the event booking section, needed more explicit language.
Based on their feedback, I made several key updates: I renamed the “Events” section to “Special Occasions” to help distinguish between public ranch events and private bookings. I also reorganized the homepage tiles so that the most common actions (like booking and checking reservations) are front and center. Both users emphasized the importance of flexibility, so I included options for Venmo payments, better support for editing existing bookings, and added touches like post-booking reminders about gear, weather, and ranch policies.
What the Prototype Covers
The medium-fidelity prototype walks users through three main tasks. The first is booking a trail ride. Users can choose a time, enter rider details, and confirm their reservation, even as guests. The second task is managing a reservation, where users can retrieve and adjust an upcoming booking. The third is exploring ranch events, which allows users to view upcoming events, register to attend, and add them to their calendar so they don’t forget about them.
Each flow is designed with real user needs in mind. I focused on keeping the experience smooth and low-pressure, with no sign-up walls, no confusing labels, and just a clear path from start to finish. I wanted users to feel empowered and confident every step of the way, whether they were first-timers like Cynthia or returning riders like Olivia.
Lessons Along the Way
This project taught me a lot about designing for people, not just screens. I tend to obsess over details, so starting with imperfect sketches was a fundamental mindset shift. But I learned good UX isn’t about perfection but clarity, intention, and iteration. Testing early and often helped me make smarter decisions, and building in Figma let me quickly adapt as feedback rolled in.
One word that came up repeatedly in our testing sessions was clarity. And honestly, that’s the word I carried with me through every design decision. From labels and layouts to confirmation messages and button placement, I asked, “Will this make sense to someone who’s never used the app before?”
Wrapping It Up
Creating Trail Trotter has been one of the most rewarding design experiences I’ve had so far. It pushed me to think critically, solve real problems, and stay flexible despite tight deadlines. More importantly, it reminded me that design isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about making things work for real people, in real moments.
If you’re curious to see the app in action, I’ve created a walkthrough video of the core user flows. You can also explore the medium-fidelity prototype directly in Figma to gain a deeper understanding of how the app works. Finally, review the interactive prototype report to see the entire process, from ideation to prototyping.
Thanks for following along. If you ever want to ride through Evansburg State Park, Trail Trotter will hopefully be of assistance.