Unlock all the maps, offline navigation, and premium features when you download the Gaia GPS app.
At Gaia GPS, our mission is to provide the best mapping tools for outdoor adventurers. To achieve this, we continuously evaluate and improve the map layers available in the app. As part of this effort, we will be deprecating the Esri World Imagery layer on March 4, 2025, to prioritize better, more up-to-date satellite imagery for all users.
Why is Esri World Imagery Being Removed?
While Esri World Imagery has been available in Gaia GPS for years, usage of this layer has remained low compared to other satellite options. Additionally, Esri has significantly increased their licensing costs, making the map layer an unsustainable option for us to continue offering. Rather than passing these costs onto our users, we are redirecting this budget toward securing best-in-class satellite imagery that provides better coverage, higher resolution, and more frequent updates for adventurers around the globe.
What’s Next for Satellite Imagery in Gaia GPS?
We know that high-quality satellite imagery is essential for trip planning, route finding, and backcountry navigation. We are currently in the discovery phase, evaluating multiple providers to ensure we deliver the best satellite imagery available.
Our focus is on improvements that could bring:
- More Frequent Updates – Ensuring you have the latest imagery when planning your next adventure.
- Higher Resolution Data – Offering clearer and more detailed views of the terrain.
- Better Global Coverage – Expanding high-quality imagery to more regions worldwide.
How Will This Change Affect Users?
Starting on March 4, 2025, the Esri World Imagery layer will no longer be available in Gaia GPS. However, our other satellite layers remain available, including:
- Satellite (Mapbox) – An alternative for high resolution aerial imagery. In many areas, Mapbox’s satellite imagery is on par with, or higher resolution, than the Esri layer.
- Satellite with Labels – A versatile satellite imagery layer; providing roads, trails and POI’s labeled over Mapbox satellite imagery.
- Satellite Topo – Another option, also based on Mapbox imagery, with labels for roads, trails, and POIs in addition to contour lines.
- FreshSat – Recent – A great way to see very recent satellite imagery for any location; provides lower resolution than other satellite providers but is updated more frequently.
- FreshSat – Cloud Free – Similar to FreshSat Recent but will prioritize visibility over recency.
If you’ve relied on Esri World Imagery in the past, we recommend exploring these existing satellite layers. We’ll keep the community updated as we finalize our plans for enhanced satellite imagery in Gaia GPS.
We are Committed to the Best Outdoor Mapping Experience
Removing a map layer is not a decision we take lightly, but this change allows us to invest in better mapping resources for the entire Gaia GPS community. Our team is committed to providing the best possible outdoor mapping experience, and we appreciate your support as we make these improvements.
Thank you for being a part of the Gaia GPS adventure. If you have any questions or feedback, we’d love to hear from you!
Discover the backcountry with confidence using the Gaia GPS mobile app, the ultimate navigation tool for overlanders, hikers, backcountry explorers, campers, and skiers. Whether planning a multi-day backpacking trip, finding dispersed campsites, or navigating off-road trails and snowy terrain, Gaia GPS gives you access to the most trusted offline topo maps, weather overlays, and route planning tools.
If you’re viewing this page from a desktop, scan the QR code below with your mobile device. You’ll be instantly directed to the right app store to download Gaia GPS for iOS or Android.
Millions of outdoor adventurers rely on Gaia GPS for:
- Offline maps for hiking, camping, and backcountry skiing
- Detailed trail data for overlanding and off-grid travel
- Navigation tools built for thru-hikes and alpine touring
Get Gaia GPS on your phone and turn your next adventure into a well-planned expedition.
At Gaia GPS, our priority is to provide reliable mapping tools that empower you to explore the backcountry safely, whether you’re hiking, overlanding, camping, or engaging in any adventure off the grid. That’s why we’re writing to let you know about a recent change to the Esri World Imagery layer and share some great alternatives for those who use this layer offline.
What’s changed?
Recently, Esri, the provider of the World Imagery layer, has made a significant policy change regarding the use of offline map tiles. They now require all apps to automatically delete downloaded map tiles after just 3 days of being stored on a device. While this policy may work for apps in urban or connected environments, it presents serious challenges for backcountry explorers like you, who can have limited or nonexistent access to data or cell service for extended periods.
What are we doing about it?
The reality is that Gaia GPS users often rely on maps stored offline for much longer than 3 days. We believe that staying safe outdoors shouldn’t depend on when or where you can access the internet. We recognize that World Imagery is one of our best satellite sources, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ve made the difficult decision to disable the option to download Esri World Imagery maps for offline use in Gaia GPS.
This change ensures that you won’t be left without critical map data when you need it most. However, Esri World Imagery will still be available for online use in the app and on the website. You can view and plan routes with this rich satellite imagery when connected to the internet, but the download limit for offline use will now be set to 0 tiles.
What are your options?
We understand that the Esri World Imagery layer has been an important resource for many of you. While we’re unable to offer it for offline use, Gaia GPS offers a wide range of alternative satellite imagery and topographic map layers that you can continue to download for offline use on your adventures. Another option to consider is Mapbox Satellite which is an excellent satellite imagery layer that can be used both online and offline.
We encourage you to explore this option and download the maps you need well in advance of your next adventure to ensure uninterrupted access in the backcountry.
What happens to my saved ESRI World Imagery maps?
Q: Are they deleted from my phone?
A: No. We are only removing the ability to download new Esri World Imagery Tiles. Your existing downloads won’t be affected.
When is this happening?
Q: How long do I have to redownload my maps using a different source if I want to?
A: The ability to download Esri offline map tiles will be disabled on January 1, 2025.
Moving Forward Together
We understand that changes like this can be frustrating, but rest assured, our commitment to supporting your outdoor journeys remains stronger than ever. We will continue to improve Gaia GPS and offer the tools you need to safely and confidently explore off the beaten path.
Thank you for your understanding and for being part of the Gaia GPS community. If you have any questions or need assistance finding the right map layers for your trips, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team.
Stay safe, and happy adventuring!
The Gaia GPS Team
The pandemic roared on in 2021 but that didn’t stop the Gaia GPS community from exploring outside. Collectively, you all recorded more tracks and climbed more vertical than ever before. And it showed as the number of you navigating with Gaia GPS maps soared through the roof in 2021.
Whether climbing Colorado’s lofty 14ers or day hiking on your neighborhood trails, your drive to get outside inspired the Gaia GPS team to create nifty new maps and innovative features this year. From our brand new Gaia Winter map to offline snap-to-trail route planning, we hope our newest updates have made your adventuring a little bit easier and a whole lot safer.
Read on to learn more about Gaia GPS’s development highlights from 2021.
Navigate in Winter Mode with the Brand New Gaia Winter Map
This year, our in-house cartographers designed this frosty new base map specifically for your favorite winter activities. Ride the lifts, tour the backcountry, and explore nordic, fat bike, and snowshoe trails with confidence thanks to the all-new Gaia Winter topographic map.
The new Gaia Winter map is designed with a stronger emphasis on terrain, tree cover, and contours, making it easier than ever to navigate in an endless world of white. It’s special “winter” color palette pairs perfectly with other commonly used winter maps, such as the Avalanche Forecast and Slope Angle maps. Plus, see every run at the ski resort, along with nordic, snowshoe, fat bike, and uphill trails.
Just like our flagship Gaia Topo map, our new Gaia Winter map comes with industry-leading download efficiency. A tiny file size and lightning-quick download speeds let you save your entire state so you can always have a map on hand, even when you lose cell service. Whether you’re riding the lifts, sliding into the side country, or touring untouched terrain, bring Gaia Winter along with you so that you can always find your location in the thickest of tree glades and whiteout conditions. Available with a Gaia GPS Premium or Outside+ Membership.
Introducing Gaia GPS + Android Auto
Our users wanted Android Auto, and we heard you loud and clear! Gaia GPS now connects with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, bringing all of your favorite trail maps directly to your vehicle’s navigation screen. Now you can pull up 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.
CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are available for free to anyone using the Gaia GPS app. However you will need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or Outside+ Membership to access the entire map catalog and to download maps for offline navigation.
Visualize the Landscape with 3D Maps on the Web
Scope out new terrain, plan perfect routes, or dream the day away discovering the world’s natural wonders in 3D mode on Gaia GPS. Every map in Gaia GPS can now be viewed in 3D mode on the web. Just click the 3D button on the bottom right side of the map screen, and watch the canyons plunge and the mountains pop into three dimensions that beg you to explore. Whether you’re backpacking, overlanding, or backcountry skiing, 3D maps will revolutionize the way you research and plan your next adventure.
Everyone can view a limited number of maps in 3D mode on the Gaia GPS website. However if you want to view our entire map catalog in 3D mode, you’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or Outside+ Membership. Premium Members and Outside+ Members have access to hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps, high resolution satellite imagery, USGS quadrangle maps, worldwide topo maps, and more — all of which can be viewed in 3D mode on the web.
Discover Millions of New Routes with the New Public Tracks Overlay
Public tracks have long been visible on the Gaia GPS website. But this year, we added public tracks to the app, making it easier than ever to see if a route goes. The Public Tracks overlay shows the two million public tracks Gaia GPS users have recorded all over the world. Click on any green public track to see exactly where others have gone before you. Turn on this layer to discover new hiking routes, connect 4×4 roads, and plan backcountry trips with on-the-ground information.
Public Tracks also show you details of the trips recorded in this overlay. Discover who recorded the track, when they recorded it whether they were hiking, skiing, or driving in an offroad vehicle if they selected the activity type when they recorded the track. You can save any public track to your account and follow it on your own adventure.
Anyone can access public tracks in the app and on the web. But you’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership to download them for use in areas without cell service. Want to contribute to the database of public tracks? You can choose to make your tracks public and make them available for others to access, too.
Send Thousands of Trails Offroad Routes to Gaia GPS
Thanks to a brand new partnership with Trails Offroad you can now send thousands of detailed offroad trail guides directly to your Gaia GPS account. This integration brought to you in February of 2021 lets you reap all the benefits of Trails Offroad’s hand curated trail guides on Gaia GPS. On the Trails Offroad site, get difficulty ratings for each trail, campsite locations, and waypoints for those must-see viewpoints and attractions along the way. When you’ve found the perfect route, simply press a button to deliver the route in a neat little folder to your Gaia GPS account.
All you need to make this happen is a $25 Trails Offroad Membership plus a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or Outside+ Membership. Join both platforms today and get the best trail guides for your car camping adventures in 2022.
Plan Routes on the Fly with New Offline Snap-to-Trail Trip Planning Tool
Straight-line route creation is so 2020. Jump into 2021 with our brand new offline snap-to-trail route planning tool. This means you can now create accurate routes on the fly, modify your plans from the road, and see the exact distance to the end of the trip while on the trail — even when you don’t have cell service.
The gold standard for route planning, snap-to-trail mapping does all the heavy lifting for you. Choose your activity type and let our intelligent planning tool build the route in a matter of seconds. If you want to build a snap-to-trail route without cell service, just make sure you’ve downloaded the map and the offline routing data ahead of time. To access offline snap-to-trail planning and other offline navigation tools and maps, you’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership.
Avoid Wildfire Smoke with these New Smoke Forecast Maps
Nothing ruins an awesome weekend adventure like smoky, gray skies. Now you can steer clear of wildfire smoke with our new Smoke Forecast maps. Smoke Forecast (today), Smoke Forecast (24h), and Smoke Forecast (48h) give you a sense of smoke levels all over the continental US for today, tomorrow, and an entire weekend.
Whether you’re backpacking near a wildfire-ravaged area or overlanding thousands of miles away, get a quick and accurate sense of how much smoke blows over so you can circumvent the bad air and enjoy clear views. Access the Smoke Forecast maps with a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership.
Navigate Trails with Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch
Record a track, drop waypoints, and get turn-by-turn directions using Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch. In 2021, we totally redesigned the Gaia GPS Apple Watch app. Now you can turn your watch into a convenient backcountry navigation tool that works offline and independently of your phone. Use your Apple Watch to experience Gaia GPS’s signature navigation features even when you’re off the grid and far beyond the reach of cell service.
With Gaia GPS on your Apple Watch you can also collect trip details and health stats without having to interact with your phone. The watch will record your moving speed, elevation gain, distance travelled, and more when you use Gaia GPS to record your track. Gaia GPS also integrates with Apple Health to keep tabs on your heart rate, steps, and how many calories you burned on your latest adventure.
Whether heading out on a long trek or squeezing in an afternoon trail run, use your Apple Watch to navigate and record your adventure with Gaia GPS conveniently on your wrist. You’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership to navigate routes offline.
Gaia Topo: The World’s Best Adventure Map Got Even Better
Our cartographers rolled out a whole new version of our flagship map Gaia Topo, chock-full of ground-breaking updates. Gaia Topo now includes more than 150,000 miles of additional National Forest 4×4 roads and trails, brand new worldwide tree cover and relief shading, and point-to-point mileage markers that show distances between trail segments. Dovetailed with a complete overhaul to the map’s style and design, these improvements make Gaia Topo the best map for planning and navigating on your next backcountry adventure.
Best of all, these updates won’t compromise Gaia Topo’s bedrock feature — downloading efficiency. You can expect the same industry-leading download speeds and tiny sizes that you’re used to seeing from Gaia Topo’s revolutionary design. Whether you’re overlanding across multiple states, sightseeing in a vast national park, or backpacking across hundreds of miles of wilderness, you can still download one huge section of the Gaia Topo map to cover your entire journey.
Everyone can access Gaia Topo on the web and in the app. But you’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership to download Gaia Topo for offline navigation in areas without cell service.
Discover Old Homesteads and Ghost Towns with our New Historical Topo Maps
Unlock the mystery of the past with our suite of historical topo maps in Gaia GPS. In 2021, we added the official USGS topographic maps from 1895 through 1990 so you can scout for old homesteads and find little known ghost towns by studying these old , historic maps. You’ll need a Gaia GPS Premium Membership or an Outside+ Membership to access our entire collection of historic topo maps.
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.
Gaia GPS Joined Forces with Outside in 2021
Perhaps the biggest news of the year is that Gaia GPS joined the Outside family in February 2021! This match made in heaven combines Gaia GPS’s best backcountry navigation features with leading outdoor journalism from our award-winning titles like Outside magazine, BACKPACKER, Trail Runner, SKI, Climbing, and more. Plus, our Outside+ membership get you unlimited access to adventure films from Outside TV and the complete Warren Miller collection.
What does this mean as a Gaia GPS user? You can continue to use Gaia GPS just as you are now. Or you can access all the benefits of Gaia GPS Premium and Outside+ in one membership. Compare membership plans to decide which one works best for you.
You can now modify your plans on the road, create new routes from your tent late at night, and see the exact distance to the summit while on the trail. Snap-to-trail route planning is available without cell service!
The gold standard for route planning, snap-to-trail mapping does all the heavy lifting for you. Choose your activity type and let our intelligent planning tool build the route in a matter of seconds. Just make sure you’ve downloaded the map and the offline routing data ahead of time. Here’s how.
Create Snap-to-Trail Routes on the Fly
Gaia GPS users know and love our quick and easy snap-to-trail route planning function. 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. You can now enjoy this seamless route planning tool with your Android and iOS devices, from anywhere at any time. No wifi or cell service needed.
Our intelligent route planning tool connects the dots on the map to create the best route for you. If you’re on a hike and wondering how far you have to go to reach the summit, just drop a line from your position to your destination. Snap-to-trail will create a precise route, complete with all the stats you want like how far you still have to go, and how much more you have to climb.
How to Access Offline Snap-to-Trail Routing
Creating snap-to-trail routes offline requires that you download the map and its offline route data. Here’s how to do so in both iOS and Android.
When you download a new map, the route data will automatically also be downloaded as the default setting. If you don’t want to download this additional data, untoggle “Include data to create and navigate routes offline.”
Once you’ve downloaded route data for an area, you can create snap-to-trail routes offline with any map source in your library. Make and modify routes regardless of whether you have cell signal.
To access offline snap-to-trail routing over areas for which you’ve already downloaded the map, you will need to delete those downloads. Make sure your Gaia GPS app is up to date. Then you so you can download the maps plus the offline route data.
Get Offline Routing with a Premium Membership
Offline snap-to-trail routing is available with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. Premium also lets you download maps for offline use so you can always find your way in the field. Going Premium comes with the ability to layer maps on top of each other, so you can look at incoming weather over your route, view today’s air quality, or look at public and private land boundaries to ensure you’re not trespassing. You also get Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog. Download hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated, high-resolution satellite maps, weather overlays, and government-issued topo maps like USFS topo, all the USGS quad maps, and MVUMs.
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.
Find hidden game reserves, connect the dots on your big hiking loop, and camp in solitude using the Public Land (US) and Private Land (US) maps. This duo can be used in tandem to quickly and easily decipher public and private land right in Gaia GPS.
Always know where you can and can’t go with this toolkit in your pocket. Avoid trespassing, or see landownership if you want to ask for permission to pass through. Find those peaceful, obscure camp spots so you can beat the crowds. View who manages public land areas so you can find more info about camping regulations, vehicle accessibility, and hunting laws. Plus, the Public Land map just got even better. We’ve added 1.5 million acres to this map to give you an even more comprehensive look at federally-managed land across the US.
Whether you’re route planning on your desktop at home or navigating offline in the field, the Public and Private Land maps can assist on any adventure. Each map provides coverage across the entire US. Read on to learn how to use the Public and Private Lands maps on your next trip.
Public Land (US) Map
Discover state forests to explore in your backyard, or BLM land for camping during your next road trip. America’s public lands provide some of the best resources for hiking, offroading, bikepacking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing — you name it. The Public Land (US) map gives you the most current and comprehensive data of these government-managed areas.
Hikers, hunters, overlanders, and anyone exploring areas of mixed land ownership may want to consider using this layer, which emphasizes:
- National and state forests
- Parks and monuments
- Wildlife refuges
- Conservation lands and game preserves
- Bureau of Land Management areas
Color-coded federal lands let you easily identify which government agency manages an area. Plus, this map just got even better. We’ve added 1.5 million acres of public land to the map to ensure you get the most accurate and comprehensive coverage available. This expanded coverage encompasses everything from nearly 327,904 more acres of land managed by the National Parks Service (an area the size of Grand Teton National Park) to 106,447 more acres of Forest Service land (the size of Antigua and Barbuda combined).
The updated layer draws on the most exhaustive and precise datasets available so you can find secret caches of public land you may never find otherwise. It displays the privately-held inholdings in federal and state parks that may not appear elsewhere, as well as smaller public lands missing from many popular maps. Bear in mind that not all of the areas in the layer will be open to the public, and watch for any restricted zones within otherwise accessible lands.
Private Lands (US) Map
Use the Public Land (US) layer in conjunction with its complement, the Private Land (US) map, to get access to land ownership data for every single state across the US. Various outdoor enthusiasts and professionals ranging from hunters to conservation officers and first responders can easily access critical information using the Private Land map. If you’re planning a hunt in a new zone, use the Private Land map to quickly scout the area and surrounding property lines. Bird hunters pursuing everything from pheasants in South Dakota to mallards on the US flyways also enjoy the quick access to land ownership data.
The Private Land map lets users easily view land ownership information and parcel sizes. Just tap on a land parcel to get more ownership information, including the address if publicly available. Property lines are marked by bright yellow boundaries that you can’t miss.
Downloading offline maps with the US Private Land overlay will benefit game wardens working with land owners in remote areas. Search and rescue personnel can use Gaia GPS as a single source for coordinating search efforts in areas with multiple land owners. Using both the Private Land map and the area feature, firefighters can use Gaia GPS to complete wildfire incident reports.
How to use the Public and Private Land Maps
Pair the Public and Private Land maps on top of your favorite base map, such as Gaia Topo or the Satellite Imagery layer, to get a quick and clear sense of land designation. Layering the Public and Private Lands overlays on top of the Satellite Imagery map proves especially useful for hunters who want a crisp areal view with property lines. Combining the Private Land and Public Land maps along with state-specific game management unit overlays will let you focus on the hunt and not worrying about where the big bull or buck you are stalking goes.
While you can see public land information right in Gaia Topo, area shading in the Public Land map gives you an even clearer picture. Add the Private Lands map to make sure you avoid trespassing, or so you can get permission to pass through a landowner’s property. Get detailed directions for layering maps together here.
Get the Public and Private Land Maps
Public Land (US) and Private Land (US) maps are available with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. Premium comes with the ability to layer maps on top of each other so you can see public and private land markers as well as topographic detail, landmarks and waypoints, and satellite imagery.
Going Premium also lets you download maps for offline use so you can always find your way and see whose land you’re on while in the field. A Premium Membership gives you access to Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog. Download hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated, high-resolution satellite maps, weather overlays, and government-issued topo maps like USFS topo, all the USGS quad maps, and MVUMs.
Nothing says summer like eating s’mores in the woods and sleeping under the stars. With 10 million new campers in the US last year, the catch is finding where to go. Newly updated Gaia Topo now includes all BLM land — where you can find places to camp for free and without a reservation.
If you don’t mind foregoing amenities, BLM and other public land provide a trove of private and peaceful campsites for you to enjoy. Our flagship map now clearly shows all 248 million acres of BLM-managed public land, as well as expanded state public lands. Highlighting these public lands in the map that you know and love means you can navigate the forest roads, avoid trespassing, and find the best dispersed camping all in one map.
Read on to learn how to spot BLM and state-owned lands in Gaia Topo. You’ll also master how to use the map to find the best free campsites.
Camp for Free and Without a Reservation on Dispersed Sites
Dispersed camping simply means camping outside of a designated campground. This includes everything from pulling your car up to a fire pit on the side of a forest service road, to cowboy camping next to the trail during your backpacking trip. Dispersed campsites don’t include the typical amenities of a campground, such as running water, bathrooms, and a camp host. But they do generally afford more privacy and seclusion. Plus, you can find a dispersed campsite at the last minute, and it won’t cost you a penny.
Once you’re prepared from safety and comfort perspectives, dispersed camping can provide a peaceful getaway for even the biggest procrastinator. The catch is that you can’t just camp anywhere you wish. Much of BLM land around the country allows for dispersed camping, as does National Forest Land. You can find these areas using the freshly updated Gaia Topo.
Full BLM Land Coverage Now in Gaia Topo
You can now easily see BLM, state, and locally-managed land right in Gaia Topo. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land accounts for 248 million acres of public land. That’s over 10% of American soil. State and local entities own an additional 199 million acres, accounting for another 8.7% of the US. We’ve expanded both BLM and state land coverage, as well as made these areas easier to spot in the map.
Recognize BLM land by its yellow shading in Gaia Topo. Be on the lookout for BLM land especially when you’re traveling out west, where most BLM land is located. National Forest Land, Wilderness Areas, and other locally managed lands are now shaded in hues of green. Check out the Gaia Topo Legend for a full list of color-coded public lands in the map.
Zoom in on BLM land to see the field office that manages that parcel of land. When you zoom into state and locally managed land, you’ll see if it’s state trust land, state forest, or another publicly accessible state-managed land area.
Find Dispersed Camping on Public Land
Use Gaia Topo to find dispersed camping on BLM, National Forest, and other public lands. Dispersed campsites tend to be in undeveloped areas, yet right along county and forest service roads. These sites are usually quite accessible for car camping yet feel remote.
To find dispersed campsites, look for BLM and National Forest Land with access roads in less developed areas. Chances are you will find a place to camp. Dispersed campsites are usually marked by a fire ring. Check the BLM website, call the field office, or inquire at the ranger’s station to make sure dispersed camping is allowed in the area.
Choose a pre-existing campsite if possible, and camp at least 200 feet away from water sources. Of course, leave no trace rules apply to dispersed camping. Make sure you practice the seven LNT principles. And only build a fire if permitted in the area during that time. Check the local county or state website to see if a fire ban is in place.
To ensure you can navigate and find a campsite even if you drive out of cell service, download your map for offline use. Gaia Topo’s tiny file size makes this easy to do without taking up too much storage space on your phone. In fact, you can download the map for the entire state just to be safe.
Gaia Topo is Available to Everyone
Access Gaia Topo on the web at www.gaiagps.com/map/ and in the Gaia GPS app on both Android and iOS. With Gaia Topo you can search for hikes in your area, record tracks in the field, and create a custom route on the map for free. Create a free account to save your routes and tracks so you can revisit them later.
Get a premium membership to download Gaia Topo and take the map offline with you in areas without cell service. A Premium Membership also gives you access to Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog. Download hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated, high-resolution satellite maps, weather overlays, and government issued topo maps like USFS topo, all the USGS quad maps, and MVUMs.
Spice up your Gaia GPS app icon with 14 new stylish icon options available in iOS. Select an app icon to match the season, reflect your mood, or show your community pride. With a tap on the screen, switch out the classic Gaia GPS icon and bring a little extra personality to your favorite backcountry navigation app.
Change Your Gaia GPS Icon to Match the Seasons, Celebrate Community, or Reflect Your Mood
You can update your app icon to mirror the change of the seasons. Choose the classic, evergreen-inspired icon for the blossoming spring months. Change to a fiery red icon for the heat of the summer. When fall colors arrive, switch to the orange and yellow icon to complement the changing leaves. Select the icy blue-toned icon for the depths of winter. The camouflaged-colored icon is a perfect addition for hunting season.
Show your LGBTQ Pride with the rainbow-enhanced LGBTQ Pride Flag icon. Select the Pan-African Flag icon with a red, black, and green motif to celebrate the Black community.
Choose a purple color-scheme for a groovy VaporWave style or make the classic Gaia GPS icon pop with a new 3D design. Tone the style down with grayscale options in the granite-colored icon or choose a “blackout” backdrop for a metallic look on top of jet black styling.
Get the Original, Start-Up Gaia GPS App Icons
Get the original, colorful Gaia GPS icon designs from 2009, 2012, and 2014. These artful, original designs harken back to the early days when Gaia GPS was just getting started.
Stick with the Classic Gaia GPS Icon
Of course, you can never go wrong by sticking with the classic Gaia GPS icon. Designed in 2016 by our creative director Nick Botner, the classic Gaia GPS icon mimics the shapes and hues of nature. Botner crafted the classic Gaia GPS icon in the shape of a towering mountain peak, backdropped behind layers of maps. He then painted the avatar in the deep, rich green palette of a mountain pine forest and brushed in bright green accents of freshly budding evergreen needles.
From hiking a quiet trail in your neighborhood to exploring overland routes deep off the grid, the classic Gaia GPS design logo symbolizes and inspires backcountry adventures of every kind.
How to Change Your Gaia GPS App Icon
Changing your Gaia GPS icon in the iOS app is simple. Open up the Gaia GPS in the iOS app. Tap the Settings icon in the lower, right side of the main screen. Select “Appearance” and “App Icon” to get to the list of icon styles. Tap any of the 14 icon designs to customize your Gaia GPS app icon.
Get started with Gaia GPS at gaiagps.com and download the app for free on iOS and Android. Get a Premium Membership to access the entire Gaia GPS map catalog and download maps to navigate offline.