New Maps

Take a Trip to Baja California with Nat Geo Trails Illustrated

by Julien Friedland September 13, 2022

written by Julien Friedland

Whether you’re looking for a rugged mountain adventure or a relaxing beach escape, Baja California has it all. The earth’s second-longest peninsula offers 745 mystical and majestic miles to explore. Take your trip to the next level with the National Geographic Baja California Maps on Gaia GPS, which provide coverage of the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. Find the best spots for surfing and sightseeing along the coast, or reach remote peaks by following remote backroads. Plan your trip now and travel later.

The Baja California Peninsula

An adventure paradise, the Baja California Peninsula stretches 760 miles south of California. Iconic beaches dot the coastline while peaks reaching over 10,000 feet run through the interior. The intricate network of paved, dirt, and gravel roads draws off-roaders and bikepackers from around the world to the bustling towns, quaint villages, and remote deserts.

No trip to Baja would be complete without a visit to one of the many pristine beaches. Surfers have long sought out the year-round swells of Baja beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Additionally, the Gulf of California to the east offers calmer waters for kayaking, fishing, and snorkeling.

About the Maps

The National Geographic Baja California maps cover each region in detail, from border towns Tijuana and Mexicali to the southern tip of Baja at Cabo San Lucas. The topographic map details mountain ranges and road systems.

Find Highway 1 in red (primary road) stretching the entire length of the peninsula, linking to secondary roads (orange), select paved roads (yellow), and dirt/gravel roads (white). Additionally, symbols on the map indicate locations for surfing and diving, whale watching, scenic viewpoints, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, and more.

Map legend featuring different roads and symbols on the map.

Access National Geographic Baja California Maps

Nat Geo Baja Maps are available to Premium users on gaiagps.com and your iOS and Android devices. Access and download Nat Geo Baja by visiting your Map Layers, selecting “Add Maps,” “Topo Maps” and then “NatGeo Baja.”

September 13, 2022

Gaia GPS New Maps Offroading

Gaia Overland: One Map to Rule Them All

by Abby Levene May 24, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Ditch the crowds with our brand new overlanding map. Meet Gaia Overland, the best overlanding map you can put right on your vehicle’s dashboard. MVUM, USFS, public land boundaries – it’s all in here. Designed in-house for planning big routes, navigating tricky terrain, and rerouting on the fly, Gaia Overland is the definitive map for all of your overlanding, offroading, and motorized adventures.

Modeled after our proprietary Gaia Topo map, Gaia Overland comes with the same crystal-clear resolution and download efficiency you know and love from Gaia GPS. But it puts everything for motorized travel first. Whether you’re embarking on a multi-day expedition or just heading to a remote trailhead, use Gaia Overland to get you there efficiently and (relatively) effortlessly.

Our maps team worked closely with overlanding experts Chris Kracht and Wade May to carefully craft this map to your specific needs, both planning on the big screen at home and navigating from the dashboard, an iPad, or your phone on the road.

See every road, from major highways to unmaintained 4×4 tracks. Get all the info you need to make smart navigation decisions, from surface type to road closure dates, just by glancing at the map. Roads are emphasized, and trails closed to vehicles are deemphasized, to make it easier than ever to plan and navigate your motorized adventures. Find water sources, gas stations, and campsites. Take Gaia Overland offline for your entire trip so you can reroute on the fly and find your way home – even when you’re far from cell service.

See All Road Info on One Map

Gaia Overland puts all the roads, trails, public land boundaries, and all the other info you need on one map. Sourcing information from Open Street Map, US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM), US Forest Service road and trail data, and BLM road and trail data, Gaia Overland covers the entire US to show you:

Road Surface Type

Road surface type is conveniently denoted by road styling. Paved, gravel, or dirt? Maintained or unmaintained? Just glance at the map to find everything from highways to forest service roads to double track.

Vehicle Constraints

Learn what kind of vehicles can access which roads just by glancing at the map.

Closure Info

See seasonal road closure information right on the map.

Road Numbers

Forest roads and trails are stamped with badges showing the number reflected on on-the-ground signage to make navigating even easier.

Permitted Vehicles

Icons right along the trail show what types of motorized vehicles are permitted. See if you can ATV or dirt bike on the trails around camp.

Mileage Markers

Distance to the next intersection is clearly marked on the map for quick reference. Eyeball the map to get a sense of how far until the gas station or your campsite.

High Vis for High Speeds

Gaia Overland is styled specifically for your planning needs at home and driving needs on the road. The map contains more roads at lower zooms so you can see the big picture while you plan on your desktop at home or iPad on the go.

High-contrast coloring and bold fonts help you see where you are, even with car glare or on the move. Roads and trails pop from the map, and exaggerated road surface styling means you’ll always know the road surface type.

Emphasized public land boundaries help you stay on legal ground. Bright colors show land ownership so you can easily tell if you’re on BLM or national forest land, for example.

Find Camping that Suits Your Style

Whether you want to enjoy the amenities of a designated campground or ditch the crowds with a secluded spot on public land, Gaia Overland is designed to help you find the best camping that suits your style.

If you’re looking for campgrounds with bathrooms, water, and outlets, peruse the map for official campgrounds and campsites. Campground symbols will show you both where to find campsites and often what amenities are available.

Refuel & Resupply

Gaia Overland puts all your potential stops and destinations right at your fingertips. We’ve added potable water stops, gas and charging stations, and grocery stores to the map to make it as seamless as possible for you to refuel and resupply on the go. Hotels, post offices, and other stops you may want to make along the way are also emphasized on the map.

Avoid Hazards & Bottlenecks

Gates, one-way roads, and many other key navigation points are marked right on the map to help you avoid getting stuck or in over your head.

Reroute on the Fly with Offline Maps

Explore without the worry of getting lost. Take Gaia Overland offline to efficiently problem solve on the move. Use Gaia GPS’s smart snap-to-trail route planning tool to reroute, explore side trails, and find your way back to the start.

Gaia Overland is designed with Gaia GPS’s prototypical file efficiency. This means you can take huge swaths of the map offline in a matter of minutes without hogging up your phone’s precious storage space. Download the map for your entire route, or even your entire state, and never be caught without a map again.

Offline maps let you see your location, even without cell service. Plus, check how much farther until camp, or how many more miles of technical descent you must maneuver before you can relax.

Navigate from your Dashboard with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

Gaia GPS connects with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can enjoy your favorite maps like Gaia Overland on your vehicle’s navigation screen. Plus, you can drop waypoints, follow turn-by-turn directions, and record tracks. Just connect your phone to the car display and store your phone away for safekeeping.

Learn more about connecting Gaia GPS to Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Get Gaia Overland with Gaia GPS Premium

The best map for overlanding is available with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. Premium also unlocks our entire world-renowned map catalog, including high-resolution satellite imagery, USGS and USFS maps, and MVUM. Plus, get wildfire, air quality, weather, mining, and historical maps.

With Premium, you also get full map customization so you can take categorizing and organizing all your data to the next level. And take maps offline so you can always get yourself out of a pickle.

May 24, 2022

Featured Gaia GPS New Maps

Find Phone Signal With Cell Phone Coverage Maps

by Julien Friedland May 2, 2022

written by Julien Friedland

Track where you can find cell service anywhere in the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico with the Cell Phone Coverage maps. Now you no longer need to worry about unexpectedly losing signal. These seven new overlays define where major cell phone carriers reach across the country.

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 be able to send texts, make calls, or access the internet anywhere you plan to go in the US.

Two iPhones displaying Gaia Topo with cell phone coverage layers for two different routes.

Overlay the Cell Phone Coverage maps on your routes to find out where you will have cell phone service during your trip. AT&T displays in blue (left) and Verizon displays in red (right).

The new Cell Phone Coverage maps include unique maps for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Southern Linc, and all carriers combined in the Continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. Each map delineates voice and broadband coverage for 3G, 4G, and LTE as indicated by the color opacity. The lightest colors represent 3G and the darkest representing LTE.

To view coverage for Alaska carriers including ASTAC, Bristol Bay Telephone Coop Inc., Copper Valley Telecom, Cordova, Telecom Coop, GCI, OTZ Telecom, TelAlaska, and Windy City Cellular, view the “All Carriers” map.

Take Cell Phone Coverage maps with you by downloading them before you go with a Premium subscription. To view the maps, select the layers icon on the Gaia GPS iOS and Android apps or on gaiagps.com, then select “add map layers.” Next, visit “Feature/Weather Overlays” and look for “Cell coverage” and then select from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Southern Linc, or Cell Coverage – All Carriers maps.

May 2, 2022

Adventures Featured Gaia GPS How-To New Maps

Using Gaia GPS to Find Free Camping in National Forests

by Ashli Baldwin March 9, 2022

written by Ashli Baldwin

Many National Forests across the United States allow free dispersed camping. This post will show you how to use Gaia GPS to find free camping spots before heading out and navigate when you get there.

Dispersed camping refers to camping outside of established campgrounds, typically with no amenities like bathrooms or running water. Sites vary from drive-up to walk-in only.

Get the Right Maps in Gaia GPS

The best maps to plan for off-grid camping in National Forests include:

USFS Classic: This map offers detailed coverage in many designated USFS areas.
USFS 2016: An update to USFS Classic, the 2016 map shows some forest service roads missing on the Classic map, but lacks private boundaries. Read more about USFS 2016 here.
Gaia Topo: The proprietary Gaia GPS base map — this map rocks. If you’re not using it yet — why?
Public Land (US): A shaded map meant to overlay on any basemap. The important color you’re looking for here is green, which means US Forest Service.
MVUM (USFS): The USFS’ Motor Vehicle Use Maps overlay shows roads styled to indicate seasonality and accessibility. Tap a road for details on use restrictions and access dates.
USFS Roads & Trails: An overlay of maintained routes, 4×4 trails, backroads, and little-known paths across U.S. national forests and grasslands. All roads are labeled to indicate their level of maintenance and accessibility by passenger vehicles.

A Premium Membership allows you access to these maps and the ability to layer maps together. This feature is key so that you can layer Public Land with USFS maps for the ultimate free campsite search experience.

Using the Maps to Find Free Camping Spots

Below you can see an example of a layered map in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Northern Wisconsin. It shows layered maps using Gaia Topo, USFS Classic, Public Land (US), and MVUM (USFS).

You can see the opacity settings used:

How to Find a Dispersed Camping Spot

You’ll want to find an area that is:

In green (National Forest)
Typically along or at the end of a Forest Service road (but not necessarily)
Check the usage periods for the road for accessibility
Make sure there aren’t a lot of buildings in the area (shown as black marks on USFS maps)

You’ll always want to get confirmation that the area you’ve picked is indeed okay for dispersed camping. Rules and regulations can vary widely, and temporary fire bans may be in effect. Always check before you go and note any posted signs along your route.

Using 3rd Party Resources and Maps

A quick Google search may yield some results for locations of free campsites in your National Forest, but more often than not, these sites don’t come openly advertised. This keeps the area impact low, and your special spot a secret.

If you’re willing to spend the time, here are a few additional resources to help you find that perfect spot:

Call the ranger stations. They know the forest better than anyone else, and will typically advise you on the best places to spend the night.
Find specialized maps for your National Forest. Some even list known dispersed camping sites. Here is an example from Nicolet, where the brown tent symbol with a white background represents a common dispersed free camping area.

Planning for Your Trip

Plot waypoints at the campsites you find and/or plan a route to your desired location. It’s best to plan several backup locations in case the one you want is already taken.

If your forest service area offers printable PDF maps, consider adding them to Gaia GPS. You can follow these steps to geo-reference your maps and add them to your account.

Most importantly, download maps before you leave so that you can view your location and navigate offline.

Leave No Trace

When you’re in the Forest, Leave No Trace. Pick up your garbage and follow all rules and regulations.

Find an amazing spot? Keep it a secret!

Disclaimer: Always bring a back up map. Rules and regulations may vary depending on your area. Always check with the responsible land management agency before heading out.

March 9, 2022

Gaia GPS New Maps

Discover Snowmobile Trails Across the Globe

by Abby Levene February 9, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Planning snowmobile routes and navigating across the snow has never been easier. Find sledding trails across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia with our new Snowmobile Trails map. We’ve pulled together trail data from local, state, and federal sources to bring you some of the most comprehensive sledding coverage in the world.

Easily spy trail networks to build routes and find your way in the field. When available, see key details like trail width, grooming status, restricted access areas, and difficulty ratings. Plus, find warming huts, gas stations, and snowmobile shops.

Snowmobile Trails Map Provides Coverage Around the World

No need to rifle through various guidebooks, websites, and maps on your next snow machine adventure. Enjoy trail coverage from local, state, and federal organizations all in one place with the Snowmobile Trails map on gaiagps.com or in the Gaia GPS app.

The Snowmobile Trails map provides comprehensive coverage across many northern states of the US. You’ll also find limited coverage in Canada, Europe, and Australia. If you don’t see the trails near you on the map, hang in there. We’re working hard to expand coverage as quickly as we can.

Styled for Hi-Vis at High Speed

Our cartographers designed the Snowmobile Trails map to make finding trails a snap. The purple trails pop out from the map, helping ensure you see them while flying across the snow. Plus, trails appear at relatively high zoom levels so you can easily discover new networks.

As the key illustrates, trail type is designated right on the map. Trail closures are indicated directly on the map as well.

Get Key Trail Details like Difficulty, Width, & Direction

In addition to all the info you get directly on the map, click on a trail, junction, trailhead, or waypoint to get everything from the difficulty rating to grooming status. Find out which directions of travel are permitted and the width of the trail, when this information is available.

Find Warming Huts, Fuel, & Food

In addition to the designated snowmobile trails themselves, the Snow Mobile Trails map provides all the info you need for a full day of adventure. See key points of interest, parking lots, warming huts, and even where to fill the tank, when this information is available. Plus, easily decipher where you can and can’t go. The map indicates winter closure areas and restricted access areas.

How to Use the Snowmobile Trails Map

To use the Snowmobile Trails map, start by adding Gaia Winter as your base map. Our cartographers designed Gaia Winter specifically for cold weather activities. Key winter points of interest like ski resorts are emphasized on the map. Best of all, the Snowmobile Trails map overlay is designed to pair perfectly with Gaia Winter. The purple snowmobile trails pop against Gaia Winter’s blue-grey palette.

Once you’ve added Gaia Winter as your base map, add the Snowmobile Trails overlay on top of it. Now you’re ready to build a route on your desktop using gaiagps.com or on your phone or tablet using the app. Make sure to download your maps so you can use them deep in the backcountry without cell service.

If you’re worried about finding your way home, record your tracks to leave a breadcrumb trail. Drop waypoints and photos to mark down trees, river crossings, moose sightings, or whatever else you like.

Snowmobile Trails Map is Available with a Premium Membership

The Snowmobile Trails map is available with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. To access this map, visit the layers menu and search for “Snowmobile Trails.” Or from the layers menu, select “Feature/Weather Overlays.” Scroll down and tap “Snowmobile Trails.” Tap the “Add Layer” button. Learn how to add and manage overlays here.

Premium also grants you access to our entire map catalog, including Gaia Winter, avalanche maps like slope angle and avalanche forecast, and weather maps like snow depth and snow forecasts. With Premium, you can also download your maps for use without cell service. And print maps so you always have a paper backup.

February 9, 2022

Screenshot of the Ski Resort Reports map in Gaia GPS.

Gaia GPS New Maps

Get Worldwide Ski Resort Reports in Gaia GPS

by Abby Levene January 25, 2022

written by Abby Levene

From Aspen to Zermatt, get conditions for ski resorts around the globe in Gaia GPS. Ski areas with fresh snow light up on our brand new Ski Resort Reports map. See snow totals and weather readings. Find out how many trails are open. Even read the resort’s daily report, all right within the app and on gaiagps.com.

Checking the conditions en route to your home hill. Or find the best place to ski in a new area. The Ski Resort Reports map lets you do it all with just a tap.

See the Latest and Most Accurate Ski Resort Conditions

The Ski Resort Reports map layer sources its information from OnTheSnow, a leading database for ski resort reports and conditions worldwide. OnTheSnow taps information from the ski resorts themselves, ensuring you get the latest and most accurate information available.

View Snow Depth and Terrain Status

Ski resorts from around the world can be found in this map overlay. Simply click on a blue skier icon to see the entire ski resort report. You’ll find the ski area’s name and whether it’s open. Discover if it’s a powder day with new snow readings from the last 24 and 72 hours.

Wondering if you need your rock skis? See the snow depth for the base, mid mountain, and the summit. You’ll also see snow depth totals. Plus, get a sense of how big the resort is and how much terrain is open. See the total number of runs and how many of them are currently good to go.

Track Resort Weather including Wind Speed

Dress appropriately thanks to temperature readings at the base and the summit. And see that all-too critical factor in determining your comfort: wind speed. If you’re not into downhill skiing, no problem. Find out if the resort offers nordic skiing right in this map. You’ll also see how many kilometers of trails are groomed for both classic and skate skiing.

Maybe the weather looks iffy and you just want to double check that the resort is open. Or perhaps you’re hemming and hawing over which resort to go to this weekend. Either way, just glance at the Ski Resort Reports map to get the info you need.

Find the Freshies with the Ski Resort Reports Map

No matter where you’re trying to ski in the world, find the closest resorts and the freshest snow with Ski Resort Reports. See ski areas at even the most zoomed out levels on the map to quickly access conditions. Most importantly, find the best snow in one glance: ski areas that have received snow in the past 24 hours glow neon blue on the map.

How to use the Ski Resort Reports Map

Ski Resort Reports is a map overlay. This means it is designed to work in conjunction with one of our base maps. We recommend pairing Ski Resort Reports with Gaia Winter or Gaia Topo. Both of these base maps were designed-in house specifically for your adventures. Gaia Winter shows all the ski resort maps in the US and Canada. Add this map to your arsenal and never get lost on the mountain again.

To use Ski Resort Reports, start by adding Gaia Winter or Gaia Topo as your base map. Add the Ski Resorts Map on top. Now you can see where ski resorts exist all over the world, as signified by the light blue skier icon. Zoom in or click on a skier icon to see the name of the resort.

Tips for Getting Condition Updates in a Snap

To see the snow conditions and daily resort report, click on the skier icon. The info will appear right in the sidebar if you’re on gaiagps.com. There’s one extra step in the app. First, click on the skier icon in the app. The Ski Resort Reports tile will appear as an option in the tap drawer. If you don’t see it, keep scrolling down through the options in the tap drawer. Next, click on the Ski Resort Reports tile to see the snow conditions and resort report.

Still need more info? You’ll find links to the resort’s website, as well as the original report from onthesnow.com.

Pro tip: turn on dark mode in the app to make the ski resorts pop out from the map even more.

Ski Resort Reports is Available with a Premium Membership

The Ski Resort Reports map is available in the Gaia GPS app and on gaiagps.com with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. To access this map, visit the layers menu and search for “Ski Resort Reports.” Or from the layers menu, select “Feature/Weather Overlays.” Scroll down and tap “Ski Resort Reports.” Tap the “Add Layer” button. Learn how to add and manage overlays here.

A Premium Membership also gives you access to Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog, including Gaia Winter and a suite of avalanche safety maps such as Slope Angle, Avalanche Forecast, hi-res satellite imagery, recent satellite imagery, Snow Stations (Daily), Snow Depth, and snow forecast maps. Plus, with Premium you can download your maps for use without cell service. And print maps so you always have a backup.

January 25, 2022

desktop and iphone showing Trailforks in Gaia GPS.

Gaia GPS New Features New Maps

Discover Your Dream Ride with the Trailforks MTB Map

by Abby Levene January 13, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Trailforks’ coveted mountain bike trail database is now in Gaia GPS! The sum is greater than its parts: marrying Trailforks’ premier collection of trails with Gaia GPS’s world-class maps and tools unlocks new levels of two-wheeled adventure. Discover brand new routes, get the beta on trail conditions, and easily spy trails based on type and difficulty level with this new map overlay.

Trailforks, a trail management system, catalogs trail networks around the world. The crowd-sourced database and moderated site provides the most accurate and comprehensive trail data in the world. Trailforks community members can access all of this data both on the web and in the Trailforks app. And now you can get all 361,392 Trailforks mountain bike trails around the globe right in the Gaia GPS app and on gaiagps.com. This Trailforks MTB map layer is available with a Gaia GPS Premium or Gaia GPS Premium with Outside+ Membership.

While we’re stoked about this new map (even in winter!), we’re even more psyched about what it represents in our quest to make Gaia GPS even better for you. This collaboration with Trailforks is just the start of a bright future working with our sibling company as part of the Outside Interactive, Inc. network.

Global Coverage of the Best Mountain Bike Trails

Life for downhillers, endurance junkies, gravel enthusiasts, and bike commuters just got a whole lot better. The Trailforks MTB layer in Gaia GPS shows all 361,392 mountain bike trails on the Trailforks website and in the Trailforks app. If you’re familiar with Trailforks already, the Trailforks MTB map layer in Gaia GPS will look familiar:

Mountain bike trails pop out from the map, color-coded by difficulty. Easy trails are represented by green lines on the map. Intermediate trails are blue, and very difficult trails are black. Red and orange signify “double black diamond” and “extremely difficult & dangerous, pros only!”

Distinguish trails primarily used for mountain biking from those where mountain biking is permitted (but not the primary use) right on the map, represented by lines and dotted lines, respectively. Roads come in shades of purple, while double green lines show paved paths.

If you’re wondering what trail you’re on, just zoom in on the map. The trail name will appear right in line with the trail. Click or tap on a trail to get more information, including trail type, use (both primary use and all allowed uses), direction, and closure status. You can also see the trail direction and closure status directly on the map. Little arrows on the trail indicate which direction you can go, if only one direction is permitted. Red “x”s appear if the trail is currently closed.

Layer Trailforks MTB on Gaia Topo Lite for Optimal Visibility

Trailforks MTB is a trail overlay, meaning you need to pair it with a base map to see the underlying terrain. This gives you the ultimate freedom to let your map visualization dreams run wild. You can layer Trailforks MTB on any base map you like, including our suite of in-house topo maps, satellite imagery, and USFS maps.

We highly suggest pairing Trailforks MTB with Gaia Topo Lite. A slimmed-down version of our proprietary Gaia Topo map, Gaia Topo Lite is designed to pair with trail overlays like Trailforks MTB. Gaia Topo Lite takes advantage of the beautiful styling and efficient download sizes of our flagship Gaia Topo map. It simply contains fewer trail details, meaning the Trailforks trails really pop from the map for optimal visibility.

Gaia Topo Lite is available with a Premium or Outside+ membership, which also grant you access to Trailforks MTB and the ability to layer these and other maps together.

Adventure Further and Wiser with Trailforks MTB in Gaia GPS

Whether you’re lapping the resort, linking up trail systems, or simply looking for a new dirt route for your gravel bike, check out Trailforks MTB to tap into a whole new level of trail curation in Gaia GPS. Discover bike paths in new cities — they pop out in purple on the map. Find out whether that forest road you’ve always wanted to explore is maintained. Get beta on where to find the sweetest bike parks.

Take advantage of Gaia GPS’s world-class route planning tools to link up new trail systems or to plan the bikepacking trip of your dreams. Download the Trailforks MTB layer like any other Gaia GPS map so you can always find the trail, see where you are, and create plan B on the fly.

We’re Just Getting Started

We are proud to say that integrating Trailforks MTB trails into Gaia GPS is just the tip of the iceberg for great things to come between our two world-class apps. We know that many loyal Gaia GPS users also love using Trailforks for mountain biking. Trailforks now contains our proprietary map, Gaia Topo. So if you’re a mountain biker, hopefully we’ve simplified life just a little bit for you. Use just Gaia GPS, just Trailforks, or continue on with a combination of both — it’s totally up to you.

If you do enjoy using both Gaia GPS and Trailforks, you can get Gaia GPS Premium and Trailforks Pro (plus Outside TV and a suite of other awesome outdoor content) with an Outside+ membership. And if you’re eager to help Trailforks build out its trail systems for other activities, hop over there to get involved.

Trailforks MTB is Available with a Premium Membership

Add the Trailforks MTB map to your arsenal with a Gaia GPS Premium membership. Premium gives you access to our entire map catalog, including Gaia Topo and Gaia Topo Lite (perfect for pairing with Trailforks MTB). Scout out trail conditions with our recent satellite imagery maps, see where you can camp using the public and private lands maps, and get our extensive suite of weather maps, along with the rest of our deep map catalog. You can also download maps to avoid getting lost, and take advantage of our offline route planning tools so you can always re-route on the fly. Premium also lets you print maps so you have a paper backup.

You can also get Gaia GPS Premium, Trailforks Pro, and the brand-new Outside App with an Outside+ membership.

January 13, 2022

Android App Updates Gaia GPS iOS New Features New Maps

Gaia GPS Year in Review: Best New Maps and Features of 2021

by Mary Cochenour December 28, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

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.

December 28, 2021

A Toyota 4Runner pulling a camping trailer driving down a dirt road with desert mountains in the background

Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast New Features New Maps Offroading

Gaia GPS’s Best New Overlanding Maps and Features of 2021

by Mary Cochenour December 23, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

If you rode some epic trails in 2021, chances are you used Gaia GPS to get you there. But did you know that, while you were sipping camp coffee from your tailgate, the Gaia GPS crew was hard at work rolling out new maps and features? In 2021, Gaia GPS added stacks of new maps and innovative features to help overlanders discover and navigate away from the crowds.

“My technique [for planning trips] kind of changes all the time because I just keep discovering new things and utilizing different features,” says Wade May, host of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast and long-time Gaia GPS user. “I mean, 2021 has been a pretty big year for Gaia, rolling out some new features that are going to be great for offroaders and overlanders.”

Read on to get the details of Wade’s interview with Chris Kracht of 4X Overland Adventures and Matt McClellan of Ozark Overland Adventures about their favorite new maps and features of the year.

Ozark Overland Adventures’ Matt McClellan getting a little off-camber in his Jeep Gladiator.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Integration with Gaia GPS

The most prominent development of 2021 was the integration of Android Auto in July. Gaia GPS synced with Apple CarPlay in February 2020, and Android users demanded the same. When third-party app integration opened up on Android Auto, Gaia GPS’s dev team pounced at the opportunity. Now, offroaders and overlanders can put Gaia GPS’s quality and custom maps right on the dash.

Matt McClellan of Ozark Overland Adventures just got a 2021 Jeep Gladiator, and he uses CarPlay in tandem with his phone to get two viewpoints on the dashboard.

“I can have a wide view of the whole area on my CarPlay screen and then on my phone I can zoom in to where I am … I love it,” McClelland explains on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

Chris Kracht of 4X Overland Adventures taking the desert by storm in his Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Find New Routes with Trails Offroad in Gaia GPS

Looking to put those perfect trails on your rig’s dashboard navigation screen? You’re in luck because in 2021, Gaia GPS also integrated with Trails Offroad — the maker of thousands of highly-detailed curated trail guides in North America. Maybe the most prized new feature of 2021, this partnership lets you push any Trails Offroad route and way points directly to your Gaia GPS account with a simple push of a button.

Chris Kracht of 4X Overland Adventures says he uses Trails Offroad when he’s headed to a new area. “Trails Offroad is fantastic. I’ll use it a lot if I’m in an area that I haven’t had time to research,” Kracht says.

Public Tracks, 3D Maps, and a Handy New Feature that Hasn’t Been Announced Yet

Gaia GPS also rolled out 3D maps, public tracks in the app, and offline snap-to-trail routing in 2021. Plus, there’s a plethora of useful new maps, including National Geographic’s Sawtooth and Sun Valley maps, brand new smoke forecasts, and a heap of updates to Gaia Topo — our most detailed, updated, and nimble map for downloading.

Tune in to Episode 10 of the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast to hear Wade, Chris, and Matt riff on all the best new features that Gaia GPS put out this year and how these experienced overlanders used them in their trips — big and small. Plus, Wade spills the beans on a novel, not-yet-announced feature in Gaia Topo that is bound to make camp reservations a snap.

It’s easy to get in a rut with the way you plan and navigate, but these updates make it easy for you to access our new maps and tools on your next adventure. Tune in to this snappy episode to get all the details. Plus, learn more about how to use Gaia GPS on the Ozark Overland Adventures YouTune channel. And get overlanding tips and tricks from Chris at 4XOA.

December 23, 2021

A computer screen showing a 3D satellite map of Yosemite Valley.

Gaia GPS New Features New Maps

Get Worldwide 3D Maps on the Web with Gaia GPS

by Mary Cochenour November 11, 2021

written by Mary Cochenour

Global 3D maps are now live on the web! Scope out new terrain, plan perfect routes, or dream the day away discovering all the world’s natural wonders in 3D mode on any map in Gaia GPS. Topo maps, satellite imagery, weather, and activity-specific maps can all be viewed in 3D mode at www.gaiagps.com/map/.

3D maps allow you to visualize every mile of your route in a realistic way. Just click the 3D button on the map, and watch the canyons plunge and the mountains pop into 3D objects 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.

Research the Terrain, Create Routes, and View Your Tracks on 3D Maps

All of Gaia GPS’s signature navigation and route planning tools can be used in 3D mode. Scour high-resolution satellite 3D maps to discover new backcountry skiing routes. Explore the best maps for overlanding in 3D mode. Check out your next hiking destination in 3D on Gaia Topo. No matter which map you select, the 3D vantage point gives you a new perspective of the landscape, giving away all its little secrets like slope steepness, impassable cliffs, and low-angle terrain.

Create a route in 3D mode so you can see every swell and dip of the land that you’ll encounter on your journey. Drop waypoints in places you’ll need to remember: trail junctions, water sources, planned campsites, and bail-out points.

Pull up your recorded tracks and relive your adventures on Gaia GPS’s high-resolution 3D satellite map. See all the hills you climbed and how much ground you covered on your track, and show your friends at home all the beautiful scenery you passed through.

You can always import GPX, KLM, and other files and data to your Gaia GPS account. And now you can view these files in 3D mode on the web to get a realistic view of the landscape.

How to Use 3D Map Controls to See all Sides of the Mountain

Toggle on 3D Maps

On www.gaiagps.com, pull up any map in the Gaia GPS catalog. Turn on 3D mode by tapping the “3D” button on the lower right-hand corner of the screen. In 3D mode, use the vertical toggle switch to adjust the pitch of the map. Adjusting the pitch allows you to view the map straight down from a bird’s eye view or sprawled out before you as if you are standing on a mountain top.

Use Your Mouse and Keyboard to View Different Aspects on the 3D Map

Rotate the map so you can see all aspects of the terrain in 3D mode by holding down “control” on your keyboard and left-clicking and dragging the mouse. Another way you can orient the map is by holding down the “shift“ key and using your arrow keys to view different aspects of the map. The 3D map will adjust the bearing accordingly. Also, use the mouse controls to zoom in on the map and pan out for a larger view of the area.

Press the 2D button to return to two-dimensional maps.

Try This: Use 3D Maps to Help Learn How to Read Topo Maps

3D maps make it so easy to read the landscape, but they can’t be downloaded for offline use and shouldn’t be a replacement for knowing how to read topographical maps. However, 3D maps provide a great tool for practicing to read contour lines.

Challenge yourself by first looking at Gaia Topo in 2D mode. Pick out a feature on the map, like a mountain or canyon. See how many landscape features you can point out on the topo map. Look for ridges, gullies, couloirs, saddles, and peaks. Drop waypoints on the features you identified. Now switch the map to view in 3D satellite imagery. Check your work. Did the features check out? Were the slopes the pitch you predicted after studying the contour lines on the map?

Going back and forth between 2D maps and 3D maps is a great way to practice reading contour lines on a topo map.

3D Maps are Available to Everyone

View a limited number of 3D maps for free by creating an account at www.gaiagps.com. View the entire Gaia GPS map catalog, that’s hundreds of maps, in 3D mode with a Premium Membership. With a premium membership, you can layer multiple maps on top of each other on the screen, and view them all at once in 3D mode with just a single click of the 3D button.

3D maps cannot be downloaded for offline use.

November 11, 2021

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