Last updated: May 13, 2026
Moxie Trail is an independent travel publication. The articles you read on this Site are written by a five-person editorial team. This page documents how we work, what we will and will not publish, and how we hold ourselves accountable. If you ever feel an article does not match what we describe here, email [email protected] with the article URL and we will look at it within 2 business days.
Editorial independence
Editorial decisions on Moxie Trail sit with our contributors, not with advertisers or the parent company. We do not run sponsored content inside editorial articles. We do not accept payment, comped trips, or gifts in exchange for coverage or favorable reviews. Affiliate links and display ads exist on the Site and are disclosed clearly, but they do not shape what we cover or how we cover it. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.
Who writes for us
Every article on Moxie Trail is written by a named human contributor on our staff. We do not publish anonymous articles. We do not buy generic content from content mills. We do not use generative AI to write articles for us. AI tools may be used to check grammar, format references, or generate first-draft outlines, but every word that appears under a contributor’s byline has been written or rewritten by that contributor and reviewed by a second member of the team before it shipped.
Sourcing and reporting
Travel writing on this Site is built primarily on the personal experience of our contributors. When we make a factual claim about visa policy, transport schedule, price, or safety, we either witnessed it on the trip in question or sourced it from official government or operator publications. We do not cite Reddit, ChatGPT, or other AI assistants as sources. If we quote another publication, we link directly to it.
For specifics like visa fees, vaccination requirements, or embassy procedures, we link to the originating authority (foreign ministry, embassy, CDC equivalent, etc.) so that you can verify the current state before you travel.
Review and editing process
Every draft goes through three steps before publication:
- Self-edit. The contributor revises their draft against a checklist: factual claims sourced, prices and dates verified, quotes accurate, attribution complete.
- Peer review. A second contributor reads the piece end to end, flags weak claims and structural issues, and signs off in writing before the post goes live.
- Final pass. The contributor incorporates feedback, runs a final spell and link check, and publishes.
Corrections and updates
When we get something wrong, we fix it. The corrected article will include a note at the bottom describing what was changed and when. We do not silently rewrite published articles. Our full correction process is in the Fact-Checking Policy.
Where information has gone out of date but is not incorrect (for example, a price that has since changed), we update the figure and note the article’s most recent revision date.
What we will not publish
- Guest posts in exchange for backlinks. We do not run them.
- AI-generated articles or AI-translated articles passed off as original work.
- Content sponsored by tourism boards or travel brands inside editorial pieces.
- Anything that violates copyright, harasses a private individual, or promotes illegal activity.
- Articles about destinations none of our team has visited or has direct expert sourcing for.
Sensitive topics
When we write about safety, women travelers, LGBTQ+ travelers, religious sensitivities, or politically unstable regions, we either have first-hand experience or we quote contributors and named sources who do. We do not generalize from one trip to a whole country or community. Where laws and norms vary inside a destination, we say so.
Imagery and credits
Photographs on Moxie Trail come from our contributors, from licensed stock libraries (primarily Unsplash and Pexels under their respective licenses), or from authorized press kits. Every image carries a caption with photographer attribution where the license requires it.
Reader feedback
If something in an article is wrong, unclear, or missing context, email [email protected] with the article URL and what you think we should change. We read every message and respond to corrections within 1 business day.