Author

Mary Cochenour

Mary Cochenour worked on the marketing team at Gaia GPS from 2020 to 2022. She enjoys backpacking, skiing, and mountain biking in the mountains near her home in Montana.

How to Build Your Dream Overlanding Vehicle with Mountain State Overland

by Mary Cochenour September 2, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Building out your dream overlanding vehicle can be an overwhelming task, leaving you in a state of “analysis by paralysis.” Self-proclaimed “professional car camper” and offroad guide Jason Specht is here to help. Jason is one of the founders of Mountain State Overland, a popular YouTube channel and overlanding guide service dedicated to responsible offroad recreation. Jason joins us on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast this week to walk us through the upgrades you need instead of wasting money on the upgrades you want.

In this casual and informative chat sponsored by Trails Offroad, Jason teams up with podcast host Wade May to dish out the best tips for modifying your vehicle with utility and purpose in mind. Jason asks you to be honest with how you intend to use your rig, and start building from that vantage point. From rooftop tents to camp cookware, Jason points out the gear worth the investment and the gear that’s not. Do you really need those giant tires and a light bar, or are these additions actually detrimental to your overall adventure goals?

“I don’t want to turn people away from the passion to buy stuff, because we do live in a consumer-driven economy. but you know, really think about what you need before you do it,” Jason says on the podcast.

Jason’s sound advice includes fun tidbits on his favorite driving music, the cheapest and tastiest camp dinner, and the sketchiest route he pulled a trailer over. Learn more about Jason and Mountain State Overland on Instagram, YouTube, and on the web.

Last Episode: Get a Complete Trip Report on the Classic Rimrocker Trail from Trails Offroad

A view of a gravel road on the Rimrocker Trail in Colorado and Utah with blue sky and mountains in the background.

If you want to see high desert mesas, alpine forests, and Moab’s copper-colored canyons all in the span of a single weekend, put the Rimrocker Trail on the top of your to-do list. This patchwork of 4×4 roads weaves across 160 miles of diverse terrain, offering five-star campsites, forever views, and a route that almost any 4WD vehicle can travel — no special equipment or modifications necessary.

If this sounds like medicine for your soul, then go back to Episode 3 and get the complete trip report from John Lumia, co-owner of Trails Offroad. John recently mapped this southwestern classic and he spills all the trail’s secrets. Learn about the best time to go, trail ratings, and things to see along the way. You’ll get all the details you need to make a successful run on the Rimrocker — even if it’s your first time overlanding.

You can get John’s complete Rimrocker Trail Report on Trails Offroad. Click the button below to snag a discount on a Trails Offroad membership. Once you have a membership, you’ll be able to send all your Trails Offroad routes to your Gaia GPS account with a single click of a button.

Meet the Host of the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast: Wade May

After a 43-year career of flying Air Force fighter jets and commercial airline jets, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures in his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

September 2, 2021

A screenshot of the Gaia GPS topo map showing the west Coast of the US has the region of Washington state highlighted.

Gaia GPS How-To New Features

How to Download an Entire State Map with Gaia Topo

by Mary Cochenour August 19, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Have you ever grabbed your backpack and rushed out the door only to find out at the trailhead that you forgot to download your digital maps to your phone? When this unfortunate event happens, digital maps in the app appear fuzzy and out-of-focus as soon as you leave cell service. We have a solution for you: Gaia Topo.

Recently redesigned, Gaia Topo lets you download huge swaths of land in a matter of minutes and without hogging up your phone’s precious storage space. Download an enormous wilderness area, a sprawling national park, or even your entire state — yes, the whole state — and never be caught without a downloaded topographic map again. Here’s how.

How to Download Gaia Topo for Offline Use

Downloading maps to your phone in Gaia GPS is easy and intuitive. Follow these steps to download your entire state, a park, or a wilderness area with Gaia Topo.

Membership. Make sure you have a Premium Membership to Gaia GPS to download maps. Gaia Topo is free to use. However, downloading maps for offline use requires a Premium Membership.
Select Gaia Topo as your map source. Open the Gaia GPS app. While viewing the map in the iOS or Android Gaia GPS app, click the Layers button at the upper right. Make sure to select Gaia Topo. Deselect all other maps sources for optimum download speed and size.
Navigate to the area you want to download. You can simply pan the map by swiping or you can search points of interest or trails using the magnifying glass search icon. Simply type in a point of interest in the area you want to download, such as a peak, a lake, or a city, and select one of the suggested locations to direct the map to the area.
Tap the “+” button. Tap the “+” button at the top of the screen and select “Download Maps”.
Select the area to download. After selecting “Download Maps,” you will be directed to the map, where you will see a red rectangle with blue dots at the corners. The area shaded by the red rectangle signifies what will be downloaded. Drag the blue dots at the corners of the red rectangle to make the area larger or smaller.
Download a state, national park, or wilderness area. You can create one large box that covers the entire state or piece together multiple downloads to be more precise if the area you are downloading is not a perfect rectangle. The latter approach helps keep file sizes smaller and download times quicker, but it does mean you’ll have to repeat steps 2 through 6 until you’ve downloaded the entire area to your satisfaction. Don’t worry about overlapping the red rectangles—Gaia GPS will not download both areas after you’ve already downloaded one.
Adjust the Max Zoom slide bar. To adjust the detail level for the map download. The higher the zoom (1:12,000), the more detail the map will have but also the larger the file will be. If you’re running out of room on your phone, reduce the zoom (1:1536000) to make a smaller file size. Learn more about zoom levels here.
Tap Save. Tap “Save” at the lower right side of your screen. A screen will pop up giving you the option to name your map and save it in a particular folder. Press “Save” again, this time in the upper righthand corner of the screen. The download begins, at which point the app goes back to the main map. To watch the progress of your download, tap on the Download Status spinning wheel icon towards the upper left of the main map in the iOS app. In the Android app, tap the Saved icon, then select Downloads from the menu.

Gaia Topo: Quick and Tiny to Download

Downloading maps is crucial to your adventure game because it lets you view maps and navigate in areas without cell service. Traditionally, downloading large areas of the map soaked up a lot of time and phone storage. But the completely retooled Gaia Topo takes the sting out of this process.

Hand curated and optimized for efficient downloads, Gaia Topo delivers minuscule download times and file sizes all while improving its style and detail. The chart below gives examples of download times and file sizes for large areas of the map. Of course, downloads speeds may vary depending on the size of the area downloaded, the zoom level selected, and internet speed.

A screenshot shoes download size and speeds for various states.

Create Snap-to-Trail Routes from Anywhere

An added bonus of downloading the map for your entire state: you can now create snap-to-trail routes in areas without cell service. When you create a route in the field, snap-to-trail automatically follows the contours of the trail for you. This gives you the most accurate distance and elevation metrics available and builds your route quickly and precisely. Enjoy this seamless route planning tool with your Android and iOS devices, from anywhere at any time. No wifi or cell service needed.

If you’ve already downloaded the map for your entire state but would like to access snap-to-trail route planning offline, you will need to redownload the map. Here’s how to do so:

Delete the map from your Gaia GPS account.
Select the area you would like to download.
Make sure “Include data to create and navigate routes offline” is toggled ON.
Download your map, and you are good to go!

Ready for an Adventure Offline

Once Gaia Topo is downloaded, you will able to access the map even when your phone is completely offline and in airplane mode so you can locate yourself on the map, create routes, create and edit waypoints to mark important spots like campsites and water sources, and record tracks and follow them back.

Gaia Topo is free to use on gaiagps.com and on your mobile device through the Gaia GPS app. The free version allows you to view the map, plan a route, and search for trails all while connected to the internet. However, you will need a Gaia GPS membership to be able to download maps for offline use.

Try a Gaia GPS Premium Membership to tap into a limited number of maps within the Gaia GPS catalog. The Premium Membership unlocks the entire Gaia GPS map catalog, allowing you to layer and download multiple maps sources at one time. View the maps together to get a complete picture of the terrain you will encounter on your next adventure.

August 19, 2021

Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Offroading

Get the Complete Rimrocker Trail Report from John Lumia of Trails Offroad

by Mary Cochenour August 18, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

If this sounds like medicine for your soul, then don’t miss episode 3 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast for a complete trail report from John Lumia, co-owner of Trails Offroad. John recently mapped this southwestern classic and he spills all the trail’s secrets. Learn about the best time to go, trail ratings, and things to see along the way. You’ll get all the details you need to make a successful run on the Rimrocker — even if it’s your first time overlanding.

“It has really some of the best scenery that the southwestern Colorado high desert has to offer,” John says on the podcast. “If you’re trying to get into overlanding, which I classify as basically multi-day car camping, this one is a really good option for that.”

In addition to all the trail information, John explains how he became co-owner of Trails Offroad — a friendly vehicle-based, adventure travel website that offers written trail guides, GPX tracks, and ratings on more than 2,600 offroad routes in North America. Also, if you love arguing over Toyota versus Jeep, or rather, Jeep versus Toyota, tune in to hear why John owns both a Tacoma and a Wrangler while his fiancee remains a die-hard 4Runner fan.

Next Episode: Mountain State Overland

Jason Specht’s built-out Toyota Tacoma was totaled in a rear-ender on the freeway. He replaced it with a stock Tacoma straight off the sales lot and outfitted the truck just the way he wanted it. Tune in next time for a deep dive on how Jason of Mountain State Overland built a rig specifically for his needs. Learn how to decide what upgrades you should choose, where to spend your money, and where to hold back. Warning: Jason asks you to have an honest talk with yourself about what kind of trails you run. Do you really need that snorkel?

Catch up with Jason’s outfit Mountain State Overland on Instagram, YouTube, and on the web. And subscribe to the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast wherever you listen so you never have to worry about missing the next episode.

Last Episode: Pan American Highway with Dirt Sunrise

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs a few years ago and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel on a full-time basis. Their first major adventure took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After two years plus on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Go back and catch Episode 2 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about gaining the confidence to explore across borders. Learn what’s in their vehicle recovery kit and what methods they rely on to keep people on track when you have too many cooks in the kitchen on a rescue mission. Plus, you’ll get the inside scoop on their dream vehicle that they are building now.

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise at their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

August 18, 2021

Tim and Kelsey Huber stand in front of their Toyota 4Runner near a blue alpine lake.

Adventures Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Offroading

Overlanding the Pan-American Trail with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

by Mary Cochenour August 5, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel. Their first major adventure took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After two years plus on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Tune in to Episode 2 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast sponsored by Trails Offroad for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about driving across borders and vehicle-based travel. The Hubers divulge their secrets on how to confidently explore unfamiliar and remote terrain in foreign countries. Learn what’s in their vehicle recovery kit and what methods they rely on to keep people on track when you have too many cooks in the kitchen on a rescue mission. Plus, these offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their trusty rig “Goose” and the dream vehicle that they are building and traveling in now.

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise on their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Last Episode: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

If you missed it, you’ll want to go back and listen to our debut episode with Casey Kaiser of Coyote works. Casey recounts the terrifying night when all of the sudden his Jeep Wrangler burned to the ground.

“I just noticed out of the corner of my eye. It looked like a little steam coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey’s quick thinking and rational behavior helped him survive this disaster. Casey also reveals the lessons he learned from the catastrophe, including the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Find out how Casey was able to use Gaia GPS to safely get him home that night and what prompted him to turn right around and buy — you guessed it — another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram. And don’t forget to pick up your sweet discount on a Trails Offroad membership and then pair that with this amazing offer for a discounted Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

Next Episode: Rimrocker Trail with John Lumia from Trails Offroad

Screen Shot 2021-08-05 at 8.10.36 AM.png

Don’t miss our next episode with John Lumia of Trails Offroad. John recently mapped the classic Rimrocker Trail — a 160-mile patchwork of 4×4 roads that connects Montrose, Colorado and Moab, Utah. John explains why this trail is an overlander’s dream.

“It has really some of the best scenery that the southwestern Colorado high desert has to offer,” John says on the podcast. “And it’s also pretty accessible. I think we rated it a three, which means any stock vehicle with a transfer case can complete the entirety of this trip. So if you’re trying to get into overlanding, which I classify as basically multi-day car camping, this one is a really good option for that.”

Tune in next time to hear John describe this five-star route, including the best time of the year to visit and what kind of flora and fauna you might see along the way. John also explains how he got his fiancee — a loyal Toyota 4Runner owner — to drive his Jeep Wrangler on the Rimrocker trail. And find out his favorite place to stop and eat in Moab.

Download the gps track and trail report for the Rimrocker trail at Trails Offroad. Trails Offroad is a friendly vehicle-based, adventure travel community. The website offers trail reports and ratings on more than 2,600 offroad trails, which are easily synched to your Gaia GPS account with a press of a button. Right now, Gaia GPS

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

August 5, 2021

Android Gaia GPS New Features Offroading

Gaia GPS on Android Auto: Put the Best Backcountry Maps on Your Dashboard

by Mary Cochenour July 28, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Android Auto is here! Gaia GPS now connects with Android Auto, bringing all of your favorite trail maps directly to your vehicle’s navigation screen. Pull up the MVUMs, satellite imagery, National Geographic Trails Illustrated, and more, all
on the dash. View waypoints and follow turn-by-turn directions with any saved route on backcountry dirt roads and front-country pavement — worldwide. No cell service needed.

Whether you are overlanding across an entire state or navigating to a remote trailhead to escape the crowds, Gaia GPS delivers seamless, hands-free navigation on unmarked dirt roads, scenic byways, and unmaintained trails. Access hundreds of specialized maps in Gaia GPS’s map catalog and find hidden routes in places where other in-car navigation maps, like Apple or Google, are blank. And with a Premium Membership, you can download your maps so you can pull them up anywhere you go on Android Auto.

With connectivity to both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Gaia GPS is the only backcountry navigation app in the world that lets you navigate with hundreds of outdoor adventure maps on the dash. Tuck your phone away in your center console, pull up your maps in Android Auto, and navigate dirt roads and 4WD trails without distraction.

Display Your Favorite Gaia GPS Map in Android Auto

There’s a map for every activity in Gaia GPS and now you can display them all on your auto’s dashboard touchscreen with Android Auto. Get access to our entire map catalog with a Premium Membership and choose from hundreds of map sources to navigate backcountry offroad routes.

When in a National Forest, try out the USFS 2016 map. Bring up National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps for sightseeing trips in America’s National Parks. Catch a bird’s-eye view of the terrain ahead with high-resolution satellite imagery. Customize your base maps with weather overlays like our precipitation, wildfire, and smoke maps to get detailed information about the places you plan to visit.

Switching map sources on the fly is a snap. Android Auto mirrors the map source on your’s phone’s screen. Any map source you select from your phone will appear on your vehicle’s dashboard navigation screen.

Once you start driving, Gaia GPS’s location arrow will follow your progress. Whether on unmaintained forest roads or cruising along a scenic highway, you’ll always be able to see your exact location on the map. Find land features, trailheads, campsite, restrooms, and places you’ve marked with waypoints conveniently from the dashboard screen in your car.

Navigate with Turn-by-Turn Directions on Dirt Roads

Get turn-by-turn directions on all your saved routes. Android Auto will access all your saved drivable routes in the area, no matter how far off the grid you plan to go. Select any route and get notifications for upcoming trail junctions and turns in the road. See your speed, distance and time traveled as you move across the map. Notifications will also let you know any time you’ve veered off the planned route

Turn-by-turn navigation on saved routes works even when you’re out of range of cell service. Never get lost on a maze of unmarked, unmaintained backroads again.

Zoom, Navigate, and Record Your Tracks From the Dash

From the touch screen controls in your vehicle, you can zoom in and out on the map, preview and select saved routes in the area around you, and change your navigation mode between “north up” and “course up” on the map. Use the settings button to choose to view or hide routes, tracks, or waypoints on the map and switch the map in dark mode for navigating at night.

Press the +/- buttons to choose from three different zoom levels on the map. Zoom in to to see the finer details of the terrain around you and back out on the map to get a bigger picture of how you fit in the landscape.

Select between two navigation modes: “course up” or “north up.” “Course up” mode keeps the location arrow static and pointed to the top of the screen while the map rotates and moves underneath the location arrow as you drive across the landscape. “North up” mode keeps the map steady on the screen while the location arrow rotates to reflect your change in direction.

Android Auto Limitations

Navigation apps are limited to a set of development guidelines provided by Google due to the danger of distracted driving. In line with Google’s rules for third-party app integration, you will not be able to create routes or switch map sources on your vehicle touchscreen.

You can still get to all of Gaia GPS’s comprehensive backcountry navigation features while connected to Android Auto. Simply use your phone to change map layers and create and save routes while you are in the field. Android Auto will display any map source, drivable routes, and waypoints that you have saved on your phone.

How to Get Android Auto

Getting your Gaia GPS account connected to Android Auto is easy. First, make sure you download or have the most up-to-date version of Gaia GPS for Android by visiting the Google Play Store. Plug in your Android device to an Android Auto compatible vehicle and the Gaia GPS app will appear as an option on your dashboard navigation screen when you turn the car on. Select the app and start driving. Note that if you have Android 9 or below, you must get the Android Auto app on your phone. Android Auto is built into Android 10 and later. For more information on setting up Android Auto on your device or vehicle visit android.com/auto.

Everyone can connect Gaia GPS to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay with the free version of Gaia GPS. The free version of the app allows you to navigate with a limited amount of maps in areas with cell service. Unlock the entire Gaia GPS map catalog and be able to download maps for offline use with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

July 28, 2021

A Yellow Jeep is Engulfed in Flames in Oregon's Desert

Adventures Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Offroading

Gaia GPS Launches New Offroad Podcast with Tale of a Burning Jeep

by Mary Cochenour July 22, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast kicks off today, bringing you conversations with experienced offroaders and overlanders from around the world. Listen in as host, fighter jet pilot, and experienced overlander Wade May dives deep under the hood with experts in the field. International travelers and backyard explorers alike transport you to their most harrowing encounters, biggest lessons, and most epic adventures on the trail.

The debut episode launches with a story from Casey Kaiser, an experienced overlander with a penchant for finding abandoned homesteads in the desert. Casey takes us on a complete misadventure. Thirty miles off the grid, Casey’s fully upgraded Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JKU suddenly caught fire. The flames quickly engulfed Casey’s entire Jeep, leaving him stranded in the middle of the night in Oregon’s high desert. Casey made it home safely to tell us what he learned from this unforeseen catastrophe.

Following Casey’s story, we’ve got an impressive lineup of guests on deck. Up next, international overlanders Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise reveal their go-to recovery kit. Get a complete trails report of Moab’s Rimrocker route from John Lumia of Trails Offroad. The folks at Mountain State Overland walk us through how to upgrade your rig with purpose. Plus, get an inside look at the Bad Ass Ladies Overland, a crew of women who banded together to find friendship and face challenges on the trail.

The Gaia GPS Offroad podcast, sponsored by Trails Offroad, drops every other week. Catch it in between episodes of Gaia GPS’s wildly successful Out and Back podcast, which features stories and interviews from all kinds of adventures around the world, including ultralight backpacking experts, thru-hikers, backcountry skiers, ultrarunners, and rock climbers. Subscribe to Gaia GPS’s Out and Back podcast and Gaia GPS Offroad podcast wherever you listen, so you don’t miss a beat. Give us a follow on our offroad and overland Instagram channel @gaiagpsoffroad.

Episode 1: Jeep on Fire with Casey Kaiser of Coyote Works

On a long weekend in 2018, Casey Kaiser set off to explore new territory in Eastern Oregon’s sagebrush desert. Guided with a plan to visit an old homestead site, Casey rambled some six hours off-pavement into the buttes and canyons outside his hometown of Prineville, Oregon. The trip was off to a perfect start — a challenging trail, bluebird skies, and his yellow JKU Jeep Wrangler eating up anything the road threw his way. But then, with a flip of a switch, everything suddenly went wrong.

“I noticed out of the corner of my eye, it looked like a little steam was coming out from underneath my hood,” Casey said on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. “As soon as I lifted the hood, flames erupted.”

Casey knew he had a serious problem. He was alone, 30 miles off-pavement, and his rig was literally going up in flames. Tune in to Episode 1 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear firsthand how Casey narrowly escaped disaster in the high desert that night. Casey reveals the number one lesson he learned from losing his rig — the expensive reality of auto insurance coverage. Plus, Casey explains how he used Gaia GPS to safely get home before sunrise the next day and why he couldn’t wait to buy another fully upgraded JKU Jeep Wrangler as his next dream rig.

Connect with Casey on his Coyote Works YouTube channel. Follow his mostly solo overland adventures on Instagram.

Next Episode: Ride Along with Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise

Tim and Kelsey Huber of Dirt Sunrise Adventures quit their jobs a few years ago and sold almost everything they own to pursue overland travel on a full-time basis. Their first trip took them to South America on the Pan-American Trail. After more than two years on the road, Dirt Sunrise is back in the states and ready to talk about their adventures abroad.

Come back and join us on Episode 2 for a fun chat with Tim and Kelsey about international overland travel and their dreams for the next big trip overseas. The possibilities seem endless. These offroad driving and recovery instructors share the story of their rig “Goose” that carried them through their journey in South America. The Hubers also talk about their new-to-them dream vehicle and enlighten us about their top picks for recovery methods and gear. Hint: it does not always include a winch!

Learn more about Dirt Sunrise at their website, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to the Dirt Sunrise Youtube channel to virtually join them on all their offroad adventures.

Meet the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Host: Wade May

July 22, 2021

Gaia GPS New Maps

Explore the Past with Two New Historical Maps in Gaia GPS

by Mary Cochenour July 15, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Unlock the mystery of the past with two new historical topo maps in Gaia GPS. We’ve added the official USGS topographic maps from 1960 and 1980 to round out our collection of historical maps. These maps can help you discover little-known ghost towns and visit deserted homesteads.

Whether you’re curious about the history of development in your neighborhood or wonder where miners had prospects, these maps can help you see what the land looked like in years past. Use these maps to plan your next adventure to historically rich and significant places both in town and out in the backcountry.

USGS Historical Topo 1960 and 1980

iMac displaying Gaia GPS map of Salt Lake City, USGS Historic Topo 1960 — *Salt Lake City, Historic Topo 1960*

The new Historic Topo 1960 map includes USGS topo quadrangle maps published and updated between the 1950s and 1970s. The Historic Topo 1980 map was published and updated between 1970 and 1990. Coupled with Gaia GPS’s Historic 1900 and 1930 topo maps, these maps document historical features as they changed over the last century, from 1895 to 1990.

You can also go deeper into the history of an area by viewing the Native Lands map. Available for free in the Gaia GPS app and web map, the Native Lands map marks traditional Indigenous territories across the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and, increasingly, worldwide. Learn more about the past, present, and future of Indigenous territories while planning a trip to a new area or adventuring near your backyard.

How to Use Historical Topo Maps to Find Abandoned Mines, Homesteads, and Ghost Towns

Historical maps in Gaia GPS make it easy to scout out new adventures to ghost towns, abandoned mines, and lonely homesteads. Here’s how:

First, select a destination you would like to explore and examine it on a current up-to-date base map, like our flagship map Gaia Topo. Find a geographical region of historical interest.
Add the Historical Topo map from any era: 1900, 1930, 1960, or 1980.
Turn up the opacity on the historical maps, and turn down the opacity of Gaia Topo, so that you see the information in the hisstorical maps is prominently displayed.
Browse the historical maps in that area, looking for interesting manmade structures and features that you didn’t see on the current basemap, such as fences, tunnels, mines, and ranches.
Drop a waypoint on the map to mark the location of interest.
Next, switch map sources to high-resolution satellite imagery to get a bird’s eye view of the area.
Zoom in on the area around your waypoint. Closely examine the landscape to see if you can spot remaining structures or crumbled foundations at the abandoned site.
Pull up a modern map, like Gaia Topo or USGS Topo , and create a route on existing roads and trails to the waypoint you’ve saved on the map.

How to Access Historical Maps

iMac screen displaying 1960 historic topo map

Access the 1900, 1930, 1960, 1980 historical USGS topo maps with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership. To add the historical map layers to your active maps in the iOS or Android app or on the web, simply select the map layers button, tap “Add map layers” and select “United States.” Choose from Historic Topo 1900, Historic Topo 1930, Historic Topo 1960, and Historic Topo 1980. View the maps in succession to see how historical features in a particular region have changed over time.

July 15, 2021

Gaia GPS

New and Updated National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps in Gaia GPS

by Mary Cochenour June 3, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Dig deeper into the map than ever before thanks to new and updated National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps in Gaia GPS. We’ve added the Sawtooth and Sun Valley National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps to the hundreds of NatGeo map titles available in the Gaia GPS catalog. Plus, get the latest updates on 16 Nat Geo maps in some of the most popular recreational areas across the US.

New Sawtooth and Sun Valley National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps

Sun Valley Nat Geo Illustrated Map desktop screenshot.

Gaia GPS now has two new National Geographic maps for Idaho’s year-round playgrounds: the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Sun Valley, Ketchum. If you’re headed to the world-renowned ski area of Sun Valley and its adjacent town of Ketchum, you’ll want to check these maps for the best recreational opportunities in every season. Get a Gaia GPS Premium Membership to download the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps and take them with you offline, even in areas far away from cell service.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area is home to three Wilderness Areas in central Idaho: the Sawtooth Wilderness, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, and Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness. With over 300 high-alpine lakes and 40 peaks towering over 10,000 feet in elevation, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area offers outdoor opportunities no matter what time of year you plan to visit. Hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, backpackers, skiers, and snowmobilers will find hundreds of miles of trails to enjoy in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Trails Illustrated map. Plus, get detailed info about campgrounds, trailheads, whitewater access points, interpretive trails, boat launches, nordic ski areas, and other points of interest in the area.

The Sun Valley, Ketchum area bumps up against the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, extending recreational opportunities all around the town of Ketchum, Idaho. This Nat Geo map shows the towns of Sun Valley and Ketchum and the surrounding Pioneer, Smoky, Solider, and Boulder mountain ranges. Find miles and miles of trails that are suitable for every activity, including hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and OHV.

Newly Updated National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps in Gaia GPS

Screenshot of the Wonderland Trail Nat Geo Trails Illustrated map on a laptop.

Sixteen National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps have recently been updated in Gaia GPS to show new trails, additional visitor amenities, distances between trail segments, and more. From Colorado to California, Washington to Wisconsin, check out these updated National Geographic maps in Gaia GPS:

Mount Rainier National Park: This map gives you all the information for a successful trip to Washington’s Mount Rainer National Park. Get the most up-to-date information on the park’s key destinations including Paradise, Longmire, White River, Mowich Lake, Ohanapecosh, Chinook Scenic Byway, Crystal Mountain, and Glacier View Wilderness.

Goat Rocks & Norse Peak Wilderness Area, Gifford-Pinchot & Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests: Get updated details on this portion of the central Washington Cascade region. Outdoor enthusiasts of every stripe will appreciate the details of this updated map, including Rimrock and Bumping Lakes; Crystal Mountain Ski Area; Bumping and American Rivers; Tatoosh Wilderness Area; and Chinook and White Pass Scenic Byways.
The Wonderland Trail: Washington’s premiere trail, the Wonderland Trail circumnavigates Mount Rainer. Get the latest information in this guide about the Wonderland Trail, including wilderness regulations and other important facts and tips to help you navigate this spectacular trail.
Joshua Tree National Park: Located in California’s dry and windswept desert landscape, this Nat Geo map delivers up-to-date details to help you explore this fascinating landscape of rock formations and unique flora.

Bandelier National Monument: Get the latest details on this New Mexico recreational area, including information about archeological, geological, and historical sites. The map covers the entire national monument, plus Bandelier and Dome Wilderness areas, White Rock Canyon, and parts of Santa Fe National Forest and Jemez Mountain Trail Byway.
Leadville, Fairplay: This updated map shows miles of trails around the Leadville, Colorado area, including portions of the Colorado and Continental Divide Trails. View clearly marked mountain biking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, and off-roading trails with this classic National Geographic map.
Hahns Peak, Steamboat Lake: Use this map to explore the Routt National Forest in the northern regions of Colorado. This map includes trails and amenities details for Hahns Peak Lake; Steamboat Lake and Pearl Lake State Parks, Bear Creek Lakes, and Mount Zirkel Wilderness.
Clark, Buffalo Pass: This map covers a portion of the Continental Divide through Routt National Forest and surrounding areas in the northern region of Colorado. Get updated trail information for Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area, Christina, Odd Fellows and Irvine State Wildlife Areas, Spring Creek Mountain Park, and Summit Lake.
Steamboat Springs, Rabbit Ears Pass: Get summer and winter recreational information in this up-to-date map for the Steamboat Springs, Colorado area. Find clearly marked trails and other points of interest around the Stagecoach and Fish Creek Reservoirs; Steamboat Ski Area; Yampa River; Sarvis Creek Wilderness; the towns of Steamboat Springs and Oak Creek; Muddy Pass; and a portion of the Continental Divide Trail.
Cloud Peak Wilderness: View this updated map to explore nearly 200,000 acres in the Cloud Peak Wilderness in north-central Wyoming. The map covers the entire wilderness area and includes key areas of interest, such as Highland and Coffeen Parks, Meadowlark Lake, Upper and Low Paint Rock Lakes, Kearny Lake Reservoir, and Cloud Peak Skyway.
North Fork: Glacier National Park: Anyone visiting Glacier National Park will want to consult this updated National Geographic map that includes key areas of interest such as Bowman Lake, Lake McDonald Valley, Goat Haunt and Avalanche Creek. The map includes sections of the Pacific Northwest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail as well as recommended biking trails in this northern region of Montana.
Many Glacier: Glacier National Park: This up-to-date map details hundreds of miles of trails in the national park and includes recreation amenities, including campgrounds, mountain bike trails, waterfalls, picnic areas, and horse rental locations in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park in Montana.
Two Medicine: Glacier National Park: This map covers the heart of the Glacier National Park in Montana, including John Stevens Canyon, St. Mary’s Lake, Lake McDonald, and the historic Going-to-the-Sun road. The newly updated map shows clearly marked trails, bridges and shuttle stops for public transportation within the park.
Glacier, Waterton Lakes National Parks: This map covers a large area of northern Montana in and around Glacier National Park. Get detailed topographic information for key areas including Many Glacier, Great Bear Wilderness, Flathead National Forest, Hungry Horse Reservoir, Lake McDonald, Flathead River, St. Mary Lake, Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, and the Waterton Lakes. This map features more than 800 miles of trail in the parks and surrounding areas.
Voyageurs National Park: Explore interconnected waterways along the border of Minnesota and Canada with the National Geographic Voyageurs National Park map. Travel by kayak, canoe, houseboat, or motorboat in the summer Use snowmobiles, snowshoes, and skis to explore in winter. This National Geographic Trails Illustrated map is updated and ready to help you find your way through this unique wilderness.
Apostle Isles National Lakeshore: Find boat and kayak launch areas and marinas in the northern territories of Wisconsin. This newly updated map covers the 21 islands and 12 miles of Lake Superior shoreline that comprise the national lakeshore with unparalleled detail. Also covered by the map are Red Cliffs Indian Reservation, Madeline Island, the northeastern corner of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and the Bayfield Peninsula.

About National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps

You can access hundreds of National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership. Trusted and popular maps for America’s favorite outdoor destinations, Nat Geo’s Trails Illustrated maps are continually updated for accuracy. Each map is crafted with input from local land managers and subjected to a rigorous review and enhancement process. Look for Nat Geo’s signature features and details, including clearly marked trails, recreational points of interest, and navigational aids to help you find your way in the backcountry.

How to Access National Geographic Maps In Gaia GPS

With a Premium Membership, you can access all the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps in Gaia GPS. Simply tap the layer button, and select United States topographic maps. Scroll down to add the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps. Tap the “Add Maps” button to add it to your active map layers. Downloads maps to view and navigate with them in areas without cell service.

June 3, 2021

Gaia GPS

Customize Your Maps with New Emoji Waypoints

by Mary Cochenour June 3, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

New emoji waypoints are here! Now you can mark your favorite spots on the map with a ❤️, flag that campsite where you saw a 🐻, and add a💧 at every crucial water source along your route. Customize your waypoints in Gaia GPS using the hundreds of emoji symbols available on your phone, tablet, or computer.

It’s always been possible to customize the name and symbols of your waypoints in Gaia GPS. Now the new emoji waypoints give you almost endless possibilities to mark important places on the map. Whether you’re backpacking across the 🏜, hunting 🦌 on public land, camping 🏕 near a river, or skiing ⛷ and biking 🚲 through the mountains, emoji waypoints give you more options to add custom information to your maps.

Use Emoji Symbols to Add Custom Waypoints

Have you ever worked hard to get up to the top of a ridge and have been overcome by the view? Add a 😃 waypoint to the map to remember the joy you felt when you reached the summit. Use the 📷 emoji icon for waypoints in places with great views or to remember where you snapped photos on a trip. Flag weather conditions on the map to document which days you experienced ☔️ or ☀️ on your trip. Use emoji waypoints to mark hazards such as lightning, wind storms, and mountain snow.

How to Get Emoji Waypoints

Emoji waypoints are available to everyone on iOS, Android, and the web at www.gaiagps.com. Use emojis to customize waypoints on any map in Gaia GPS. Learn more about adding waypoints to the map in this step-by-step article from the Gaia GPS help center.

Customizing a waypoint with an emoji icon is easy. After adding a waypoint to the map, you can customize its appearance by selecting “Choose icon.” Tap the smiley face emoji in the icon menu to access your device’s emoji library. Search for and tap on the perfect emoji to customize the waypoint. Press “Save” after you’ve added the emoji icon.

You’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership to download your custom waypoints and take them with you offline in places without cell service.

June 3, 2021

Alan Adams bikes across a singletrack trail through a field of wildflowers.

Gaia GPS Out and Back Podcast

How a Milestone Birthday Led Alan Adams to Break a World Record

by Mary Cochenour June 3, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

In 2013, a life threatening crash in a cycling race set Alan Adams into a spiral of bad decisions. He quit bike racing, and faded into the worst shape of his life. After seven years, Alan finally felt stable in his relationship and job as a Patagonia sales rep. He was ready to reclaim his fitness and ambition by taking on an audacious goal. So for his new years resolution in 2020, the year he would turn 40, Alan aimed to climb two million vertical feet under his own power.

Alan not only met his goal, he smashed it. The Bozeman, Montana, resident climbed over 2.5 million feet of vert by ski touring and cycling — breaking the record for the most human-powered vert climbed in a single year.

Alan climbed an average of 7,000 feet on his skis and bike — every day for an entire year. There was no media fanfare, no Instagram hashtags, and no corporate sponsorships. The challenge was purely a way for Alan to reconnect with the natural world around him and to rediscover his inner strength.

In this episode of the Out and Back podcast, Alan tells the story of what led to this ambitious goal. Tune in to hear how this vertical challenge brought Alan’s life back into focus. The routine of being outside every day taught him to appreciate time and accept a simpler way of life.

Next Episode: Thru Hiker Emily Ford Takes on Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail in Winter

Selfie of Emily and her husky Diggins while hiking a snowy trail.

Tune in to the next episode of Out and Back to hear how thru hiker Emily Ford tackled Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail in the dead of winter. Armed with a ton of clothes and a husky, Emily became the first woman (and second person ever) to complete a winter thru-hike of the 1,000 mile trail.

“One dude did it before me, Mike Summers. And it kind of should have been like a red flag to be like, are you sure you want to do this? I didn’t care. In my mind, this dude did it, so he already broke the ice. I guess I could probably do it too.”

In this episode, Emily tells us all the details of her sub-zero, snowy trip across Wisconsin. She explains how the journey convinced her of the inherent goodness in people. She wound up borrowing a lead mushing dog, Diggins, to keep her company on the trail. And she shares how Diggins ended up becoming a permanent member of her family.

You won’t want to miss this episode of Out and Back to get Emily’s surprising motivation for taking on a winter thru-hike in the midwest. In the meantime, you can follow her on Instagram for updates on her adventures outside and her career as a professional gardener.

Last Episode: How a Tragedy Turned Luc Mehl into a Packrafting Expert

Adventurer Luc Mehl has spent decades exploring Alaska in the most creative ways. He’s skied from Haines to Juneau; ice-skated a 100+ mile route on frozen lakes and seashores above the Arctic Circle; and bikepacked portions of the Iditarod Trail. In 2006, he discovered a much more efficient way to cover miles in the mountains: packrafting. He’s taken floating down alaskan rivers to a new level ever since.

But when a friend tragically died in a packrafting accident in 2014, Luc reexamined his own skills on the river and realized he was boating on water that was way over his head. It was a tough pill to swallow, but he dialed back and started learning the sport all over again. The result is Luc’s new book, “The Packraft Handbook.”

If you missed it, go back to episode 31 of the Out and Back podcast to hear Luc’s incredible Alaskan journey. His story starts with growing up in a tiny, landlocked village deep in Alaska’s interior. He shares how he found joy in playing outside in Alaska’s great expanses, and opens up about how the loss of his friend inspired him to become an expert in packrafting safety.

Learn more about Luc and his Alaskan adventures on his website. Follow him on Instagram. And pick up a copy of “The Packraft Handbook” to get the best tips for staying safe on moving water.

June 3, 2021

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