If you are a dedicated hiker or have just been thinking about getting outdoors with a hike or mountain bike ride, the best and safest way to do it is with a reliable hiking app. Not only can they offer suggestions with nearby trails, but they can also help with essential information such as how and where to get on the trail, the length of the hike and its level of difficulty, and what to expect along the way.
The following 3 are among the best hiking apps you will find.
AllTrails
No doubt this app is the most popular on the list with 200,000+ detailed trail maps. The app allows users to quickly find the best hike, bike ride, or trail run by length, rating, and difficulty level. It also features a filter that can locate dog or kid-friendly trails and finds trails with the best views. Explore national parks or discover new running maps, as well as biking and hiking trails in your area. Turn your phone into a GPS tracker and follow your trail so you don’t get lost while simultaneously recording your pace, distance, elevation, and speed. It also allows the user to share their adventures with family and friends.
Visit the AllTrails website HERE. The app is free but the pro version comes at a cost of $29.99 (US) per year. The app is available for Apple and Android.
Gaia GPS
Plan trips and stay safer in the woods, with Gaia GPS. This app covers a wide range of outdoor adventures including backpacking, camping, hunting, offroading, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. It also comes complete with weather forecasts and helps the user to locate nearby campsites when hiking in national and state parks and forests.
The free version is great for day hikers and allows the user to record the trek using cell service. However, if you plan on doing more than just a short hike, you might want to consider upgrading for an annual fee of $20 (US) that will allow you to download maps and track location even without cell service. Upgrade further to the premium version of Gaia for $39.99 (US) annually and you can customize your maps with access to the entire National Geographic. map the Gaia GPS app. With this app, you can map out your next adventure no matter what outdoor activity you have planned. Complete with the upcoming weather forecast, it will help you discover new trails near your location and even locate nearby campsites in national and state forests and parks.
Visit the Gaia website HERE. The app is available for Apple and Android.
National Park Service
Simply called National Park Service and available on Apple and Android devices, this app encompasses 423 NPS units and includes such information as accommodations and reservations, accessibility, audio tours, maps, hiking suggestions, and much more. News alerts and updated information are continuously uploaded to help users stay current.
The app is free to download, includes a customizable homepage, and allows users the unique feature of sending virtual postcards. It also contains information and how and where to collect national park passport stamps.
Visit the NPS website HERE