Gaia GPS: Mobile Trail Maps

I am an avid outdoorsman, private pilot, recreational fisherman, big game hunter, etc. and I have used a hundred different GPS/mapping/geolocation/topographic maps over the years. Gaia is by far the best all-in-one map app I’ve ever used BY FAR. Used free version for a while and decided to upgrade to paid version and it is money well spent. This app has literally hundreds of overlays from cell service coverage to 24 hour weather forecasts to private landowner information to USGS topo maps to VFR aeronautical maps. I couldn’t recommend this app more highly to anyone who spends any amount of time in the mountains, or boating, or hiking, camping, cycling, kayaking or big game hunting. In my humble opinion this app is indispensable for outdoor enthusiasts of any kind. Probably my favorite feature is the map overlays — you start with a solid base map like Satellite imagery or OpenStreetMaps and from there you can start stacking other maps on top of it with varying transparency. I also like the trip recording feature, which you can trigger from your Apple Watch and it will record distance traveled, elevation changes, average traveling speed, and even show you a cross section of the ascent/descent changes made on your trip. I honestly can’t say enough great things about this app…you’ll just have to download it and see for yourself.

I’ve used Gaia for several years. In the wilderness it’s great since you can download maps for offline navigation & use low power mode- no cell signal, Bluetooth or wireless eating up power. Really full-featured. Maps available are extensive including NOAA marine charts for sea kayak navigation. Everything works perfectly as you’d expect. Maps are up-to-date and detailed. Very easy to use. I like the routes feature a lot where the app follows the footpath as you plot your course. I have stumbled over a couple of problems. Twice the app has unexpectedly quit on me deleting my track up to that point - a simple app restart fixed the problem but lost my tracking data up to that moment. And yesterday hiking in Europe in the Bavarian Alps up Sonnenkopf I found a misplaced footpath which led me into an unnecessary bushwhack but first time this has happened to me. This second error is certainly a map source and curation issue. I don’t know if and how Gaia curate their OpenStreet maps but there is clearly improvement that would be helpful. Otherwise, this is a terrific tool generally much better than Google maps and other alternatives for trails, footpaths, marine. Less cluttered with ability to easily switch from map to map with overlays, satellite, contours, units change, best local hikes etc. The four concurrent overlays permitted is usually adequate though I’ve found myself wishing I had another one. Browser features are good too. Worth the money for premium.

While taking a new way from Colorado to Utah I went through a dead zone where my navigating app dropped completely with no signal to accurately follow my pre planned route so I resorted to my compass and map and proceeded to follow what it looked to be the appropriate way on the map and have in mind all of these while a Thunderstorm is raging in the background. So after my soon to discover erroneous choice and 27+ miles later of Offroad muddy rainy and lighting strikes all around… I must admit even so I love off-roading being alone in a remote area under these conditions was a bit intimidating. Well short story this route came to a holt because of a lock gate. Realizing my mistake I turned around and had no choice but to drive back through the storm I was hoping to out run so needless to say the area was beautiful but the storm was making it a bit harder to appreciate at the moment. After what it seemed a while of negotiating wet obstacles under lighting and Phone Alerts to seek Higher ground I made it back to the main road this time deciding to make a quick right and seek shelter while I figure out my next move. I drove maybe a couple hundred yards and I remember I had previously downloaded this region map on GAIA so I loaded it and YEAH ! here where the answers I needed, clear marked mapped routes and completely offline. So here it is Gaia thanks for saving the Day !!