Looking for a peaceful (and free) escape this holiday weekend? Find free camping in national forests using Gaia GPS.
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Quickly Find Campgrounds and Trails with the USFS Recreation Sites Map
by Corey Buhayby Corey BuhayPlan trips faster than ever with the USFS Recreation Sites map in Gaia GPS. This map clearly marks U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, trailheads, visitor centers, and other points of interest at high zoom levels, letting you view your options across an entire national forest.
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Gaia GPS has the perfect map for every adventure. Whether you’re day hiking to a waterfall, backpacking off trail, or overlanding across multiple states, we’ve got you covered. To help you figure out which map is best for you, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most popular maps. Learn why these maps are so beloved, and how you can use them on your next outing.
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Find out where you can send texts, make calls or access the internet along any route or trail. The new Cell Phone Coverage maps define where major cell phone carriers reach across the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Whether you’re headed to the national parks, planning a thru-hike, or going into the backcountry for a few nights, use these maps to find out if you’ll have cell service anywhere you plan to go in the US.
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We’re excited to announce a partnership with Trails Offroad, bringing thousands of off-road routes directly to your Gaia GPS account. A premier source for overlanding routes in the U.S., Trails Offroad compiles detailed reports from hundreds of experienced off-road experts and outdoor lovers who have navigated each route. Search Trails Offroad’s database of over 2,400 trails to find your next adventure and take it with you offline in the Gaia GPS App.
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Quickly upload tracks, routes, waypoints, and areas with one click on gaiagps.com/map. Now when you find a route or file from another website or source, you can import them directly to your Gaia GPS account. Expand your adventures by importing obscure off-road routes, new hikes, or recommended adventures.
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Episode two of the Out and Back podcast drops today featuring thru-hiking legend the The Real Hiking Viking. In this episode, meet free-spirited and fun-focused Thomas Gathman, who picked up the Viking trail name due to his Norse-like beard and his warrior status as a former Marine Scout Sniper. Viking served two combat tours in Iraq before coming home, selling all his possessions in 2013, and hiking more than 20,000 miles on America’s longest trails. Tune in to hear Viking’s story about how he turned from sniper to pro hiker and never looked back.
If you’ve ever wondered why your pack felt so heavy, it might be time to re-examine what you’ve stuffed in it. In this deep dive, our in-house expert walks you through how to plan your multi-day backpacking trip from scratch. Review how to choose a location, understand the history of your destination, plan your route, manage hazards, and find resources for planning food and gear. Plus, get a detailed three-season gear list to help you pack.
Take your adventure planning to the next level by learning to create routes like the pros. Join our Gaia GPS expert as he shows you step by step how to build a multi-day hiking route, save your plan, and share it with a friend for offline use.
As a kid, elite mountain climber Conrad Anker was diagnosed with ADHD. Rather than turn to pills, his parents sent him outside. Over time, fresh air and the great outdoors became Anker’s salve and sanctuary, and his path to becoming one of the best alpinists in the world. While the pandemic has limited Anker and the greater outdoor community’s access to the backcountry, experts say we don’t need to climb tall mountains to reap the benefits of nature.
In this article, psychology experts, professors, and world-class athletes weigh in on why going outside even for 10 minutes a day can boost mental health. Read more about how athletes like Conrad Anker and ultra runner Scott Jurek are making the most of the outdoors simply by stepping outside their own front doors and exploring their neighborhoods.