As much as we would all like to separate ourselves from mobile devices during a peaceful jaunt through the trails, it is becoming more a reality to rely on outdoor apps to guide us on new and exciting adventures. This applies to trail runners and hikers looking to map our their next spot or hikers plotting waypoints for a multi-day hike.
We’ve broken out 3 useful outdoor adventure apps that should be on your Apple or Android device.
Gaia GPS
Apple & Android
Free ($19.99 Pro)
A favorite of runners and mountain guides alike, Gaia GPS is an impressive mapping app that allows you to switch between satellite view, USGS topo maps, on and off road cycling maps, and even National Park visitor maps. The offline mode is very handy for when you are disappearing off the grid. It’s free up front but the up-front cost is high. Considering what you are getting verse most other apps, its a bargain.
Viewranger Skyline
Apple & Android
Free
We all knew augmented reality would eventually find its way into outdoor navigation. Viewranger Skyline makes navigation as easy as possible by using your phone’s camera to display waypoints, peaks, and labels overlayed on the picture. The only catch is you have to download the overlay.
AllTrails
Apple & Android
Free (w/ Option to Purchase)
Wherever you might be, you can use AllTrails quickly find the perfect hike, bike ride, or trail run by length, rating, and difficulty level. We love this app because you can search something like 50,000 trails by dog-friendly trails or kid-friendly trails. You can locate trails based on the views, too.
