What Trail maps are you using?

If map availability, and ease of finding the right map, were better in the Avenza map store, I’d use it even more than I do. But even using keywords and locations and other filters, it’s a challenge, at least for me. And I won’t even ask why most USGS maps and Nat Forest MVUM’s are free, but other Nat Forest maps are not. Also, I have another vehicle with CarPlay and Avenza doesn’t support CarPlay.

All that said I’m a huge fan of maps.me. The app is free, adequate UI, the maps are free, and it works without cell signal if you remember to download your region in advance. There’s no satellite view so the map data is a reasonable size so I just keep the maps on my phone; I’ve used it in Baja and even in Ecuador navigating on trails and in buses. And it works with CarPlay. Those apps on my phone (no dedicated GPS) plus a paper map works for me. I carry a compass but haven’t used it for years.

 

Maps Me is the preferred app of the disaster response community for general mapping. It frequently shows trails and footpaths that aren’t on Google. The graphics are basic but it has contours and shading though which if you know how to read a map is enough.

I always use a paper map in conjunction with e maps/gps but I’m also so old school I carry my Silva ranger (in mils)

Favourite map atm despite being 1:33300 instead of 1:50000

 

Yes, paper maps are a must. there may be a day that GPS stops working!!!

 

I just spent three days agonizing over whether to spend my Christmas money on a GPS watch or save it for truck parts. I tried to rationalize that if my phone dies I might need the back up nav capability but then I realised I already have that, in the form of an actual compass I keep in my backpack. I need to start carrying paper maps though too, no good knowing what direction you're pointing if you don't know where you're at

 

You don't even need to be an expert at map reading/orienteering, for paper maps to be useful. 90% of orienteering is is finding yourself on the map.

Even if you have GPS working, it's good to pull out the paper map and confirm where you are from time to time, like at major trail intersections, or when you reach a peak or something. All you need to do is match the lat/lon from the GPS with the map coordinates. Easy peasy.

I like paper maps simply because you can show all (or at least most) of the planned route at once. No scrolling needed.

It really helps when you're in a group and are describing the panned route or whatever.

 

Except when the map is a book and the route is on 3 different pages!!!

 

That's a very good point - it's way too easy to zoom in on a digital map until you can convince yourself that what you are seeing on the screen matches what you are seeing on the ground. Much better if you can find a landmark on the map without having to zoom and/or scroll.

 

Lol, "only 90's kids will get this"

 

At least it's easy to flip pages.

I hate it when your route is on the edge of a map, and crosses back and forth. Takes you 10 minutes to unfold, flip, and refold the map.

Try doing that when you're flying a plane, lol.

 

Exactly! I was going to mention that also....

Unfortunately you need a file cabinet to keep all the maps we need!

 

I have a MICH trail map (book) and it's the worst!

 

I have one of those just for maps. It's not huge, but it holds a fair number of maps. Luckily my wife likes collecting maps, too, so she doesn't look at me weird when I order a bunch of maps for places I've never been.

Don't forget about guide book maps, too. So there's the electronic maps, paper fold-y maps, and the maps in the pages of guide books. Then, if you're like me, you sometimes take pictures of the guide book pages with the written directions of trails, just in case I loose the GPS, the maps, AND the guide book.

Never been lost, though...

 

Maybe 65.4% There’s a lot of plotting and distance estimation too.

Physical maps should be with you whenever you go into the backcountry for all the reasons stated above. Even if it’s a basic hike on a trail it’s a good idea to at least print a 8x11 at home or work (Handy tip: rename the file to ‘report #12’ or something before sending it to your work printer )

The USFS has a ton of scaled maps in PDF as free downloads. Most are in 1:33,300 - sigh - and the quality is great.

Whether home made or store bought, a maps’ best friend is a ziplock bag.

Not everyone, in fact most everyone, will never learn proper orienteering and that’s cool. Most will never learn to use flint and steel either. I like how making both navigation and fire are part science and part art.

While orienteering is a lot about finding yourself on a map, in the true backcountry, sans a magical device to give you coordinates at the touch of a button you’d need to be able to calculate and set declination, read terrain, identify features, shoot a bearing and plot a back bearing to know your location with any accuracy.

If you happen to count 100 block steps in your mind that’s just gravy

 

That's what I mean, once you know where you are on a map (using all those techniques), traveling is the easy part.

I'm a fan of the USGS maps, but I'm biased, lol. I work for them.

 

NO! I'm not like that at all! LOL! Before my cell phone, once i've been somewhere I will usually remember (forever) on how to get there and get around, but now (dang it!) I rely to much on my phone to get me there and I won't see key points on the trip to help me remember the route.

 

I've been doing physical therapy for a pretty badly broken wrist I suffered a couple months ago, and I STILL have to use my phone to remind me which exit to take.

I'm 41, this doesn't bode well for my 60's...

 

(Old fart) i'm only 15yrs older haha!

 

x2. Jealous of your resource. Wanna share your user name and login?

 

We aren't trying to call in airstrikes Ranger Bob, just drive over shit in our trucks.

 

I have a lot more words about Avenza than the above, but you only begin to touch the edge of the iceberg with Avenza's monopoly of providing a horrible experience to the public to access federal data.

TrailsOffroad only has content where they have created it. They don't have basemaps with topo or other useful context on their site. You can download some of the GPX data without a paid account. Like so many other resources, it only has some content. There is no one place for all data.

Maps.me was sold to a Korean payments company and an updated was published on 12/20/2020. DO NOT UPGRADE if you really want that functionality, because they have now stripped it down to be pretty much the same as Google Maps with showing ads for businesses.

That's not cool enough / they don't know how to read a paper map.