Gaia GPS

Get 48-Hour Precipitation Forecasts on Any Map in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton September 25, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Prepare for the unexpected with the new 48-hour weather forecast overlay.

Combine this new map overlay with your favorite base map to see rainfall predictions for your next weekend adventure.

Built on Official NOAA Data

The 48-hour precip overlay taps directly into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasting data. The NOAA Weather Prediction Center (WPC) researches and releases short-term forecasts twice daily, based on predictive models and satellite imagery. Their reports can forecast heavy rain, snow, and flash flooding up to seven days in advance.

We’ve limited the forecasting for this map to 48 hours in order to give you the most accurate prediction for weekend trips. The overlay refreshes with new information every 12 hours and currently includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

How To Read the Forecast

Known as a Quantitative Precipitation Forecast, the weather overlay shades areas of the map to help you visualize the amount of rainfall during a specified amount of time (48 hours, in this case).

The chart below shows the different shades available depending on the forecast, ranging from 0 to 20 inches of rainfall. Green and blue shades represent light showers, while darker areas of red or purple indicate larger accumulations.

Using the 48 Hour Precip Forecast Overlay

Available for iOS users with a Premium Membership, the 48-hour Precip Forecast map can be viewed while connected to the internet.

From the Map Sources menu, navigate to the Feature/Weather Overlays category.

Add the 48-hour Precip Forecast overlay atop any of your favorite base maps and set the transparency from 25 to 30 percent for the best visibility. Learn how to add map sources for iOS below:

A Note on Safety

You can use the weather overlay as a planning tool to help you pack, plan your route, and be prepared for the weather ahead. Know the terrain and alternate routes ahead of time, and plan for inclement weather, even if none appears in the forecast. Gaia GPS provides map layers to help plan and prepare but the ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ decision remains with you.

September 25, 2018

Gaia GPS Hunting New Maps

Stay Prepared during Wildfire Season with New Current Wildfires Overlay

by Robyn Martin September 4, 2018

written by Robyn Martin

With the new ‘US Wildfire – Current’ overlay, Premium Members can view current fire conditions before heading out on the trail. In addition, use the existing ‘US Wildfire – Historic’ overlay to view areas that were previously affected by wildfires.

Already have Premium? Follow these steps to add new maps, like the US Wildfire Overlays.

Disclaimer: The US Wildfire – Current’ overlay is updated daily as new data is made available by the USGS, but many fire boundaries will be out of date or incorrect, and recent fires may not have been added yet. Use of this map layer for any purpose is at your own risk, and Trailbehind Inc (maker of Gaia GPS) is not responsible for any actions you take based on the information contained in any map.

Use the “US Wildfire – Current” Overlay to Stay Informed

You’ll find the “US Wildfires – Current” overlay in the Feature/Weather Overlays category of the map manger. It can be used whenever you have an internet connection and gets updated daily by the USGS. Reference the map before leaving home to check for actively burning wildfires.

Layer the ‘US Wildfire – Current’ overlay atop any of your favorite map sources, like Gaia Topo, USGS Topo, or USFS 2016. You can use this information to follow up with the local rangers station for closures and trail conditions in the area.

Layer the US Wildfire-Current overlay with USFS 2016 to view active wildfire for an area.

US Wildfire-Current over USFS 2016

Shaded red displays current burn areas. Tap the area and click the Info icon to view more details about the fires size, name, and Inciweb id which you can use to look up more information about the burn.

Use Gaia GPS to Check for Historical Wildfires

In addition to the current Wildfires map, you can also find historical wildfire information with the ‘US Wildfires – Historical’ overlay. This map layer updates bi-annually and shows you a record of past wildfires, the year they burned, and acreage of the fire. Overlaying this data with map sources like Gaia Topo will queue you to important trail conditions you may need to prepare for.

Even after fires blow through an area, land managers can keep trails closed for weeks or even years. Much of the Columbia River Gorge area in Mount Hood National Forest remains closed in the aftermath of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire due to fallen trees and other hazards. Cleared areas may still have widow makers (dangle branches) or dead trees with rotted roots along a trail which are especially dangerous in high winds.

Contact the ranger district for the area you are exploring for up-to-date conditions for the area.

Layer the US Wildfire -Historic overlay with Gaia Topo to view past fires in an area.

US Wildfire – Historic over Gaia Topo

Third Party Resources

Use the following resources to get more information about current wildfires:

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) provides detailed information on its USFS Public Fire Information page with specific wildfire data and additional web resources to stay aware.
InciWeb shows incident information from multiple management agencies. Use the InciWeb ID listed in the fire details page to find details on fires near you.
Research the air quality before heading outside will make the hike more enjoyable, your lungs will thank you. Wind can carry smoke across states causing haze. Firesmoke.ca provides a 51-hour forecast of North America’s conditions.
Check the local news source in the area you are headed for regional-specific closures and updates.

Feature photo by: Brian Miracle

September 4, 2018

Gaia GPS New Maps

NatGeo Colorado Trail Maps Now Available in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton August 2, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

The new NatGeo Colorado Trail map adds to Gaia GPS long distance topographic map collection.

What is The Colorado Trail?

The Colorado Trail traverses 486 miles through six national forests, six wilderness areas, and eight mountain ranges from Denver to Durango. The trail dips as low as 5,500 feet outside of Denver until reaching its highest elevation of 13,271 feet in the San Juan Mountains. A hiker traveling the entire length of the trail will gain (and lose) roughly 89,000 vertical feet.

Hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders can all enjoy access to the trail – though some areas are off-limits to bikes and stock animals. The breathtaking mountain views throughout the trail are endless since hikers stay above the tree line. The trail passes through historic mining towns and sections of ancient Indian trails. Resupply stops include decent sized grocery stores and resupply areas along the way.

The Colorado Trail was completed in 1987 by the stewardship work of the Colorado Trail Foundation and the U.S. National Forest Service. Both organizations continue to maintain the trail today.

National Geographic Colorado Trail map details

The map provides details about water sources, campsites, trailheads, and where mountain bikes are permitted on the trail. The map annotations will make the time on the trail more enjoyable.

The Colorado Trail coverage includes: National Geographic Map 1201 :: Colorado Trail South, Durango to Monarch and Map 1202 :: Colorado Trail North, Monarch to Denver. Both maps copyrighted in 2017.

How to add the Colorado Trail map

Add the Colorado Trail maps in Gaia GPS to use them on your smartphone anywhere you go. Supplement the map with your own tracks and waypoints to create a truly customized and detailed view.

To get started:

Step 1: Open the Layers menu (iOS/Android/GaiaGPS.com) and navigate to the “Premium Base Maps” section. Turn on the “NatGeo Colorado Trail” map.

Step 2: From the Map Sources menu, select the “NatGeo Colorado Trail” map source.

If you use an Android device, click here to watch an Android specific tutorial.

National Geographic long distance trail maps

Last year, we introduced National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps as a separate map in Gaia GPS.

We continue to add more NatGeo map coverage, including separate long distance trails like the Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail, and Appalachian Trail.

A Premium Membership with Gaia GPS includes the option to layer map sources and access to all of the premium map sources.

Featured photo by Josh Kuper.

August 2, 2018

Android App Updates Gaia GPS iOS

Plan Your Next Adventure with Enhanced Search Results

by Lucas Wojciechowski July 25, 2018

written by Lucas Wojciechowski

Gaia GPS search helps you find parks, forests, trails, cities, and more.

As a new software engineer on the Gaia GPS team, my first big project was to revamp the search experience. I’m excited to share some of the improvements we’ve made that you can use today on the web, iOS, and Android.

Tactical Search Results

Find what you’re looking for quickly, whether it’s down the street or across the continent.

Search results are now sorted by how “notable” each place is. Gaia GPS determines notability using data such as:

whether the place has a wikipedia page or website
what type of place it is (national parks are more notable than regional parks)
the population cities
the height of mountains

When I search for Yosemite from my home town, I now see “Yosemite National Park” rather than “Yosemite Marsh.”

Select the Optimal Search Result

Each result now displays the name of the park, forest, or wilderness area it is within. When I search for “waterfall,” I have a better sense of where each one is and what else is nearby.

Tap on a result to be taken to the location on the map with additional information like ‘Popular Hikes’ and options to ‘Send to app’ or ‘Download’.

Additional Search Improvements

You will no longer see duplicate search results for parks with multiple administrative zones.
Navigate search results using the keyboard. Type your query, press the down key to select a place, then press the enter key to learn more about the result.
Paste coordinates into the search field to jump to a specific spot on the map. Gaia GPS currently supports decimal latitude longitude, DMS latitude longitude, and UTM.

Gaia GPS welcomes feedback. Please contact support@gaiagps.com if you have ideas on how we can further improve search or other features.

July 25, 2018

female hiker using Gaia GPS on Android phone to navigate the trail.

Android App Updates Gaia GPS

Advanced Trail and Park Search in Gaia GPS Android Update v7.0.8

by Robyn Martin July 6, 2018

written by Robyn Martin

Hat tip this week to Andy Crampton, who joined Gaia GPS just a few weeks ago, and has already shipped a splendid Android update.

The new version (7.0.8) brings Gaia Search to Android, vastly improving search, and bringing Android in alignment with gaiagps.com and the iOS app. Andy also nailed a couple of the top bugs we’ve seen in logs and reports, so this release should be a big boon to almost everyone.

We’re expecting an accelerated ongoing Android development schedule now!

Search with Ease

Gaia GPS for Android now suggests locations as you search and marks results with descriptive icons for trails, peaks, forests, and more. Searches show a vastly improved list of possible points of interest, meticulously filtered to give more accurate suggestions. Fine-tune your selection with subtitles for each result denoting specific locale – designed to help when there are multiple results with the same name.

You may have already seen this new search capability in action on gaiagps.com or in Gaia GPS on iOS. Now that all three platforms are aligned expect to see continuous improvements to the search results you receive.

Tap a search suggestion to be taken there on the map. The app will automatically mark a temporary pin at the location.

Behind the Scenes

Among various usability improvements, this update relieves a sometimes slow or unresponsive ‘Saved’ menu — one of the most-common in-app freezes experienced by users. Now open saved tracks, waypoints, and routes without hesitation.

Also notable – GPX file imports are now more reliable, and we fixed an issue where the password reset button wouldn’t work.

Disable Analytics

We respect user privacy and now include an option to disable analytics. Shared analytics, diagnostics, and usage information allow us to make informed decisions about how to improve the app. You can opt-out of this setting in the app under Settings > Other.

Support and Feedback

Anyone can download or update to the latest version of Gaia GPS for free.If you like the update, spread the word by leaving a review.

Want to give more in-depth feedback? Send a note to support@gaiagps.com.

July 6, 2018

Gaia GPS

The 9 Most Popular Hiking Maps in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton June 22, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Start navigating trails near you this summer with the 9 most popular hiking maps in Gaia GPS.

Every map contains unique characteristics that offer different tools for navigation. Some show distance grids or points of interest, while others heavily focus on features like land shading, topographic information, and elevation. The maps you choose can play different roles in hike planning and preparation.

For a refresher course on reading a map, check out How to Read a Topo Map.

Add and View New Map Sources

First, watch below for a quick review on how to find and add more map sources in Gaia GPS for iOS. If you use an Android device, click here to watch an Android specific tutorial.

The Most Popular Hiking Maps

Gaia GPS offers over 250 maps in total. The below hiking-specific maps get added more often than any other hiking sources.

Gaia Topo

Available for free to all users, Gaia Topo provides a worldwide topographic map based on OpenStreetMap, styled like USGS topographic maps. Gaia Topo offers a functional and beautiful worldwide map with extraordinary detail at all scales and comes optimized for display on mobile devices.

Available in both feet and meters, the map also prominently depicts peak elevations, points of interest, parks, campgrounds and more.

USGS Topo

USGS Topo illustrate classic topographic maps for the U.S., from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS prints wider index contour lines for easy visibility, and typically measures maps in feet. Contour intervals vary by map, depending on the area’s relief.

Often referred to as quadrangle maps, the most used USGS topographic maps have a scale of 1:24,000 and cover 7.5 minutes of longitude by 7.5 minutes of latitude. The quads get scanned into digital files and seamed together into one continuous quilt, making them potentially less crisp and clear than modern topographic maps based on OpenStreetMap (OSM).

Learn how to read a USGS Topo map.

NatGeo Trails Illustrated

One of the most trusted and popular recreation maps available for the United State’s favorite outdoor destinations. The National Geographic Trail Illustrated maps include detailed topographic information, clearly marked trails, recreational points of interest, and navigational aids.

The Gaia GPS team has worked hard at adding more National Geographic maps to the catalog since the first release. New long-distance trail maps like the Appalachian Trail and John Muir Trail gives thru-hikers access to maps on their smartphone. Available with Premium Membership.

World Imagery

Created by ESRI, the World Imagery base map provides satellite and aerial views of the world. Most people who use maps to navigate understand the importance of using satellite imagery to get an understanding of what the terrain looks like. Satellite maps make exploring a little simpler than using a contour map alone. Make sure to research when the satellite images were last updated. Available with Premium Membership.

US Shaded Relief

The World Shaded Relief overlay from ESRI provides worldwide coverage and when combined with Gaia GPS base maps, produces a topographical map with 3-dimensional (3D) styling. Pair US Shaded Relief overlay to your favorite topographic map and adjust the transparency for map details. Available with Premium Membership.

NeoTreks Land Use

The layer shows high-detail ownership boundaries for federal, state, local, and municipal lands, as well as private inholdings. NeoTreks Land Use display topographic maps for the U.S. with land cover detail and hillshading. The map marks more than 250,000 trails. Available with Premium Membership.

Canada’s Backroad Mapbooks

Backroad Mapbooks’ award-winning map source provides a dynamic scale topographic base map for all areas of Canada. The map includes road networks for all major highways and freeways, arterial, collector and residential roads. It also includes industry and resource backroads and winter access.

In addition to roads, the maps include elevation contours with hillshading, land and water features, and other land uses such as parks, conservation and wilderness areas, recreation areas, Crown Land and Public Land Use Zones, First Nations Reserves, Department of National Defense Lands and more. Available with Premium Membership.

SwissTopo

SwissTopo details beautiful handmade cartography. SwissTopo features elevation shading and contour lines, and emphasizes peak and range names. These maps of Switzerland are perfect for hiking, skiing, and planning trips in the Alps. Available with Premium Membership.

France IGN Topo

Similar to USGS topos, France IGN Topo maps provide beautiful, accurate, hand-drawn maps. Maps include points of interest, landmarks, contours, roads, and huts (or rifugio). The contour details allow outdoor enthusiasts to explore the various mountain ranges within France, along with navigating city sights and roads. Available with Premium Membership.

Check out a complete list of Gaia GPS maps and overlays here.

Before You Go Hiking

After testing all the maps, don’t forget to create a route to follow, download the map offline, or print a paper copy before you start your hike.

June 22, 2018

Company News Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS Welcomes 5 New Team Members

by Staff Reports June 8, 2018

written by Staff Reports

We’re delighted to announce a big expansion in the Gaia GPS team.

Five new people joined over the course of this spring, including two software engineers, two user support reps, and a marketing writer.

Navigate to the company page to read their bios and learn more.

Andy Crampton
Android Dev

Angela Crampton
Marketing

Chris Hill
Support

Robyn Martin
Support

Lucas Wojciechowski
Website Dev

Who We Hire

Across all positions, a core requirement for working on Gaia GPS is a person who would use Gaia GPS. The person doesn’t only hike but spends a lot of time in the sort of outdoor situations that needs a map.

This hiring round was no exception to the rule. Three of the five new hires came from within the Gaia GPS community itself. And, notably, Gaia GPS completed its triple crown with this hiring round, now employing people who have thru-hiked each of the major national trails—Appalachian Trail, Pacific Coast Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail.

Beyond outdoor cred, we look for great talent in writing, programming, and design, and these days, Gaia GPS gets some darn good applicants (as you can see above!).

Upcoming Hiring

We’re taking a breath right now and learning how to work as a 10-person team, but we plan to hire more people towards the end of 2018 and into 2019. Beyond the full-time hires, some people have also started doing some contract cartography, video, and writing work for Gaia GPS.

Feel free to send your resume to jobs@gaiagps.com if you want to be considered for future engineering, marketing, design, support, and other positions. And check here for current and future openings.

Still Bootstrapped

Gaia GPS continues to grow organically, 100% driven by the Gaia GPS community.

We’ve never felt like we had enough people to do everything we want to do, from burnishing the app, to improving the website, to making videos for the help manuals. And we probably still don’t have enough to do everything we want and the community wants, but we’re much closer!

June 8, 2018

Gaia GPS New Maps

NatGeo Appalachian Trail (AT) Maps Now Available in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton May 4, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Get National Geographic Maps on your phone with a Premium subscription.

Whether you’re a thru-hiker or day hiker, use the National Geographic Appalachian Trail (AT) map to help plan your AT adventure with Gaia GPS. This premium base map includes detailed topographic information, clearly marked trails, recreational points of interest, and navigational aids.

Gaia GPS NatGeo Appalachian Trail map preview

What is the Appalachian Trail?

The Appalachian Trail spans the eastern United States’ Appalachian mountain range from Georgia’s Springer Mountain to Maine’s Mount Katahdin. The trail system navigates an estimated 2,200 miles through 14 states and is managed by the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, along with local trail clubs and partnerships.

NatGeo Appalachian Trail map now available on Gaia GPS

Hikers do not need permits for the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (AT), although, it passes through several national and state parks, including Smoky Mountains National Park, Baxter State Park, and White Mountain National Forest—so some entrance fees, permits, or reservations may be required.

NatGeo Appalachian Trail map Gaia GPS layer of Mount Katahdin

The Appalachian Trail map by National Geographic provides helpful nuggets of information on camping and campfire restrictions, shelter locations, trail tips and conditions, and highway intersections.

How to add the Appalachian Trail map

If you use an Android device, click here to watch an Android specific tutorial.

Step 1: To check out the new map, open the Layers menu (iOS/Android/gaiagps.com) and navigate to the “Premium Base Maps” section and turn on the “NatGeo Appalachian Trail” map.

iPhone NatGeo Appalachian Trail base map on Gaia GPS

Step 2: From the map layers menu, set the “NatGeo Appalachian Trail” map source to visible.

Step 3: Search “Appalachian Trail” or drag the map to view areas along the trail

iPad NatGeo Appalachia Trail map sources on Gaia GPS

National Geographic long distance trail maps

Last year, we added National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps as a separate map in Gaia GPS.

Beginning with the addition of the John Muir Trail and Appalachian Trail maps, we plan to continue updating and adding National Geographic maps.

A Premium Membership with Gaia GPS includes the option to layer map sources and access to all of the premium maps.

Featured image by Ashli Baldwin.

May 4, 2018

camp set up on the JMT photo by Miguel Vieira

Gaia GPS New Maps

NatGeo John Muir Trail (JMT) Maps Now Available in Gaia GPS

by Angela Crampton April 20, 2018

written by Angela Crampton

Whether you’re a thru-hiker or section hiker, use the National Geographic John Muir Trail map to help plan your JMT adventure with Gaia GPS. The Premium base map includes detailed topographic information, clearly marked trails, recreational points of interest, and navigational aids.

Gaia GPS NatGeo John Muir Trail map preview GIF

What is the John Muir Trail?

Have you wanted to thru-hike but haven’t had months to hit the trail? The John Muir Trail (JMT) provides an alternative that averages 15 days to hike a total of 210.4 miles.

Located in California and named after outdoor explorer and wilderness advocate, John Muir, the JMT passes through the Sierra Nevada mountains and various wilderness areas, like Ansel Adams Wilderness.

gaia gps john muir trail map preview on ipad

Wilderness permits are required for the trail through the national park service. If you aren’t able to obtain a permit, consider section hiking portions of the trail instead.

The John Muir Trail map by National Geographic provides helpful nuggets of information on where to camp, water resources, and campfire restrictions.

How to add the John Muir Trail map

If you use an Android device, click here to watch an Android specific tutorial.

Step 1: To check out the new map, open the Layers menu (iOS/Android/GaiaGPS.com) and navigate to the “Premium Base Maps” section and turn on the “NatGeo John Muir Trail” map.

gaia gps natgeo john muir trail base map

Step 2: Search “John Muir Trail,” go directly John Muir Trail page, or drag map onto screen to view the yellow highlighted trail.

Step 3: From the Map Sources menu, select the “NatGeo John Muir Trail” map source.

Step 4: Download the map for offline use.

National Geographic long distance trail maps

Last year, we added National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps as a separate map in Gaia GPS.

Beginning with the addition of the John Muir Trail map, we plan to continue introducing more National Geographic long distance trail maps over the course of this year.

A Premium membership with Gaia GPS includes the option to layer map sources and access to all of the premium maps.

Featured image by Miguel Vieira.

April 20, 2018

Gaia GPS Hunting New Maps

Add World Shaded Relief to Your Maps

by Nathan Copeland March 30, 2018

written by Nathan Copeland

Whether you travel internationally or hike in your local forest, use the latest shading relief overlay in Gaia GPS to bring your maps to life.

What is shaded relief?

The new World Shaded Relief overlay from ESRI provides worldwide coverage and when combined with Gaia GPS base maps, produces a topographical map with 3-dimensional (3D) styling.

Shaded relief shows a visual of terrain elevation (similar to contour lines) based on the sun’s angle. [1] The 3D shading appears on terrain as if the sun was setting on the western horizon, where west-facing slopes shades are lighter than east-facing slopes. Surface features like mountains, ridgelines, canyons, and valleys will have variable shading. If an area is flat in elevation, the map will not show any shading.

How to add the World Shaded Relief overlay

Step 1: To check out the new overlay, open the Layers menu (iOS/Android) and navigate to the “Premium Overlay” section and turn on the World Shaded Relief overlay.

Step 2: Get the most out of the World Shaded Relief overlay by setting it as the top layer with 50% – 60% transparency.

GAIA GPS US shaded relief overlay transparency

Preview World Shaded Relief map overlay

Check out this before and after example for adding the World Shaded Relief overlay to the Canada Topo West base map.

A Premium Membership with Gaia GPS includes the option to layer map sources and access to all of the premium overlays.

[1] “ESRI GIS Dictionary“. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
Featured image by Angela Crampton.

March 30, 2018

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