diff --git a/TODO.adoc b/TODO.adoc
index 5824c1d..61e6ae1 100644
--- a/TODO.adoc
+++ b/TODO.adoc
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ independence from connectivity.
 ** [x] Edit/delete individual notes from their popup (logged-in only) — targets a feature by a client-generated `properties.id` (`GpxStore#update_feature`/`#delete_feature`), not array position
 ** [x] Measure's vertices are draggable (mousedown + move, `event.preventDefault()` to stop the map's own drag-pan) and deletable (click to select — shown in yellow — then Delete/Backspace)
 ** [x] Fixed: a note saved before `properties.id` existed (the earliest test notes) had no Edit/Delete-able target — the popup no longer offers them without an id, and `rake gpx:backfill_note_ids` assigns one to any pre-existing Note feature missing it
+** [x] Title + body split (name in the black header, body in a separate field) with light self-authored markdown (`**bold**`, `*italic*`, auto-linked URLs) in the body — a *new*, separate `formatNoteBody` (not `formatDescription`, which stays plain/untrusted-safe for uploaded GPX/park4night content per docs/nps-resources.adoc's earlier markdown-rendering call)
 ** [x] Gated behind login: NotesControl isn't added to the map at all when logged out, Measure's "Save as note" button is hidden (Measure itself stays usable either way)
 ** [ ] The Unigrid Matrix category filter only re-slices the *points* source (`_applyCategoryFilter`) — toggling the "Note" category off hides point notes but not polygon/line ones sharing that category
 * [ ] Offline satellite tile caching (e.g. ESRI) for a selected route area — key for judging surface quality and obstacles when wild camping
diff --git a/public/css/style.css b/public/css/style.css
index 0f385bd..f5a4154 100644
--- a/public/css/style.css
+++ b/public/css/style.css
@@ -869,7 +869,8 @@ html, body {
   display: none;
 }
 
-.notes-panel__text {
+.notes-panel__title,
+.notes-panel__body {
   width: 100%;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   font: inherit;
@@ -877,6 +878,13 @@ html, body {
   padding: 4px 6px;
   border: 1px solid #ddd;
   border-radius: 4px;
+}
+
+.notes-panel__title {
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.notes-panel__body {
   resize: vertical;
 }
 
@@ -1053,7 +1061,8 @@ html, body {
   color: #fff;
 }
 
-.gpx-popup__edit-text {
+.gpx-popup__edit-title,
+.gpx-popup__edit-body {
   width: 100%;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   font: inherit;
@@ -1061,6 +1070,14 @@ html, body {
   padding: 4px 6px;
   border: 1px solid #ddd;
   border-radius: 4px;
+  margin-bottom: 6px;
+}
+
+.gpx-popup__edit-title {
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.gpx-popup__edit-body {
   resize: vertical;
 }
 
diff --git a/public/js/gpx.js b/public/js/gpx.js
index 2b19e8d..9c288b1 100644
--- a/public/js/gpx.js
+++ b/public/js/gpx.js
@@ -742,23 +742,29 @@ export class GpxPanelControl {
       const content = popup.getElement().querySelector(".maplibregl-popup-content");
       content.innerHTML = `
         <div class="gpx-popup__edit-form">
-          <textarea class="gpx-popup__edit-text" rows="2">${escapeHtml(feature.properties.name || "")}</textarea>
+          <input type="text" class="gpx-popup__edit-title" value="${escapeHtml(feature.properties.name || "")}">
+          <textarea class="gpx-popup__edit-body" rows="3" placeholder="Details (optional) — **bold**, *italic*, links">${escapeHtml(feature.properties.description || "")}</textarea>
           <div class="gpx-popup__edit-actions">
             <button type="button" class="gpx-popup__edit-save">Save</button>
             <button type="button" class="gpx-popup__edit-cancel">Cancel</button>
           </div>
         </div>
       `;
-      const textarea = content.querySelector(".gpx-popup__edit-text");
-      textarea.focus();
+      const titleInput = content.querySelector(".gpx-popup__edit-title");
+      const bodyInput = content.querySelector(".gpx-popup__edit-body");
+      titleInput.focus();
       content.querySelector(".gpx-popup__edit-cancel").addEventListener("click", () => {
         content.innerHTML = popupHtml(feature.properties, { editable: true });
         this._wireNoteActions(popup, path, feature);
       });
       content.querySelector(".gpx-popup__edit-save").addEventListener("click", async () => {
-        const text = textarea.value.trim();
-        if (!text) return;
-        const updated = { ...feature, properties: { ...feature.properties, name: text } };
+        const title = titleInput.value.trim();
+        if (!title) return;
+        const details = bodyInput.value.trim();
+        const properties = { ...feature.properties, name: title };
+        if (details) properties.description = details;
+        else delete properties.description;
+        const updated = { ...feature, properties };
         try {
           const body = new URLSearchParams({ path, id, feature: JSON.stringify(updated) });
           const response = await fetch("/api/gpx/notes", { method: "PUT", body });
@@ -1085,7 +1091,13 @@ function popupHtml({ name, description, time, category, photos, icon }, { editab
   }
   if (category) parts.push(`<p class="gpx-popup__category">${escapeHtml(category)}</p>`);
   if (photos?.length > 0) parts.push(formatPhotos(photos));
-  if (description) parts.push(formatDescription(description));
+  // A Note's description is self-authored by the (logged-in) viewer, not
+  // uploaded/untrusted like every other description here — formatDescription
+  // is deliberately left alone for that untrusted case (see
+  // docs/nps-resources.adoc's note on why markdown rendering wasn't adopted
+  // for it); formatNoteBody is the separate, narrower path that's actually
+  // safe to add light markdown to.
+  if (description) parts.push(category === "Note" ? formatNoteBody(description) : formatDescription(description));
   if (time) {
     const parsed = new Date(time);
     if (!Number.isNaN(parsed.getTime())) {
@@ -1233,3 +1245,17 @@ function urlToLink(url) {
   const href = escapeHtml(core);
   return `<a href="${href}" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">${href}</a>${escapeHtml(trailing)}`;
 }
+
+// A Note's body only — never an uploaded file's description (see the
+// comment where this is called). linkify() runs first and does its own
+// escaping, so what it returns is already safe HTML; **bold**/*italic* are
+// then matched against that (already-escaped) text and wrapped in real
+// tags — order matters: running it before linkify would have that same
+// escaping re-encode the tags this just added.
+function formatNoteBody(text) {
+  let html = linkify(text)
+    .replace(/\*\*(.+?)\*\*/g, "<strong>$1</strong>")
+    .replace(/\*(.+?)\*/g, "<em>$1</em>")
+    .replace(/\n/g, "<br>");
+  return `<p class="gpx-popup__description">${html}</p>`;
+}
diff --git a/public/js/notes.js b/public/js/notes.js
index 93eb141..a4ddc1a 100644
--- a/public/js/notes.js
+++ b/public/js/notes.js
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ export class NoteSaveForm {
     this._el.className = "notes-panel__form";
     this._el.hidden = true;
     this._el.innerHTML = `
-      <textarea class="notes-panel__text" rows="2" placeholder="Note…"></textarea>
+      <input type="text" class="notes-panel__title" placeholder="Title">
+      <textarea class="notes-panel__body" rows="3" placeholder="Details (optional) — **bold**, *italic*, links"></textarea>
       <select class="notes-panel__target"></select>
       <input type="text" class="notes-panel__new-name" placeholder="Layer name" hidden>
       <div class="notes-panel__actions">
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ export class NoteSaveForm {
     `;
     container.appendChild(this._el);
 
-    this._text = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__text");
+    this._title = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__title");
+    this._body = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__body");
     this._target = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__target");
     this._newName = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__new-name");
     this._saveButton = this._el.querySelector(".notes-panel__save");
@@ -58,8 +60,9 @@ export class NoteSaveForm {
   async open(geometry) {
     this._geometry = geometry;
     this._el.hidden = false;
-    this._text.value = "";
-    this._text.focus();
+    this._title.value = "";
+    this._body.value = "";
+    this._title.focus();
     await this._populateTargets();
   }
 
@@ -90,8 +93,9 @@ export class NoteSaveForm {
   }
 
   async _save() {
-    const text = this._text.value.trim();
-    if (!text || !this._geometry) return;
+    const title = this._title.value.trim();
+    const details = this._body.value.trim();
+    if (!title || !this._geometry) return;
 
     const isNewLayer = this._target.value === NEW_LAYER_VALUE;
     const name = isNewLayer ? this._newName.value.trim() : "";
@@ -102,17 +106,23 @@ export class NoteSaveForm {
 
     const feature = {
       type: "Feature",
-      properties: { id: generateNoteId(), name: text, category: "Note", time: new Date().toISOString() },
+      properties: {
+        id: generateNoteId(),
+        name: title,
+        category: "Note",
+        time: new Date().toISOString(),
+        ...(details ? { description: details } : {}),
+      },
       geometry: this._geometry,
     };
 
-    const body = new URLSearchParams({ feature: JSON.stringify(feature) });
-    if (isNewLayer) body.set("name", name);
-    else body.set("path", this._target.value);
+    const requestBody = new URLSearchParams({ feature: JSON.stringify(feature) });
+    if (isNewLayer) requestBody.set("name", name);
+    else requestBody.set("path", this._target.value);
 
     this._saveButton.disabled = true;
     try {
-      const response = await fetch("/api/gpx/notes", { method: "POST", body });
+      const response = await fetch("/api/gpx/notes", { method: "POST", body: requestBody });
       if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`save failed: ${response.status}`);
       notifyGpxStoreChanged();
       this.close();