New Maps

24- and 72-Hour Weather Forecast Overlays

by Robyn Martin October 24, 2018

written by Robyn Martin

In addition to the 48-hour Precip Overlay, Gaia GPS includes 24- and 72-hour Forecast Overlays, too. Beat the rain, or maximize your powder days, with these options that you can display over your favorite base maps.

Sourced from NOAA Data

Like the 48-hour overlays, the 24-hour and 72-hour Precip Overlays refresh with new information every 12 hours from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Prediction Center (WPC). Predictions show a static image of the amount of liquid precipitation expects to fall in the given time frame for the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Using the Precip Forecast Overlays

Choose the best day to head out on the trail by referencing the right weather overlay. Heading out for the weekend? Check out the 72-hour forecast to get a view of overall precipitation. Just want to know what tomorrow looks like? Use the 24-hour forecast to get a quick and accurate prediction.

Premium Members can view the forecast overlays when connected to WiFi or cell service in the iOS app and on gaiagps.com.

How to View the Precip Overlays

In the app:

Follow these steps to add the Precip Overlay to your layers list.
Find the Precip maps under the Feature/Weather Overlays category.
Turn on layered maps to view the Precip overlays on top of your favorite map source.

On gaiagps.com:

Follow these steps to add the Precip Overlays to your layers list.
Find them in the Weather and Features Overlays category.

How to Read the Precip Forcast Overlays

These overlays use colored shading to show forecasted cumulative precipitation. The legend below shows the color markings for cumulation in inches:

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. Gaia GPS provides map layers to help plan and prepare for inclement weather but make sure to check with local news sources for more frequent and localized updates.

October 24, 2018

App Updates Gaia GPS Hunting iOS New Features New Maps

Interactive Hunting Maps for Game Management Units with Stats

by Nathan Copeland October 16, 2018

written by Nathan Copeland

Interested in hunting stats for all game management units and wildlife areas? With Gaia GPS, you now have access to interactive hunting maps with helpful statistics to plan a successful hunt. Pairing the interactive hunting maps with the private and public land overlays will show your hunting unit’s boundaries alongside current landowners within the unit so you can stay on legal ground.

Comprehensive Hunting Stats

The scouting information you always wanted, now at your fingertips — Gaia GPS hunting maps now include the critical information you need to select the right units for all your draw tags and plan your hunts.

The hunting stats can be accessed from basecamp or in the field when you download an offline map of your unit.

Stats include:

Game Management Unit Name
Size
Public Land Percentage
Covered Game Species
Land Cover Types
Open Water Percentage
Elevation (min, avg, & max)
Monthly Temperature (min, avg, & max)
Average Monthly Precipitation Rates

Accessing the New Hunting Stats

Hunting stats come built into the US Hunting Maps available with a Premium Membership in the latest iOS version of Gaia GPS. Following these steps will display the hunting stats for your next hunt:

1. Add your state’s hunting overlay to the Layers menu.
  Step 1: Open the Layers menu and tap Edit
  Step 2: Tap the US Hunting Overlays category
  Step 3: Tap the green “+” icon next to the correct overlay for your hunt
2. From the main Layers menu, drag your hunting overlay to the top position in the Visible section.
3. Position the main map over the area you plan to hunt
4. Tap any of the game management units to reveal their name
5. Tap the Information “i” icon for the game management unit to view the hunting, precipitation, and temperature stats.
6. To access the stats for your unit offline, download an offline map for the area you plan to hunt. If you already have offline maps for your hunt, deleting and re-downloading the areas will update your offline maps to include the stats for your hunting unit.

Share your favorite game management unit or hunting area with the Gaia GPS family by tagging @gaiagpshunting on Instagram or Twitter.

October 16, 2018

App Updates Gaia GPS iOS New Maps

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

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

Gaia GPS New Maps

Gaia GPS Adds Bob Marshall Wilderness to National Geographic Map Layer

by Nathan Copeland March 7, 2018

written by Nathan Copeland

The National Geographic Trails Illustrated layer now includes full coverage of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in northwest Montana.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, nicknamed “The Bob”, ranks as the fifth largest wilderness area in the continental U.S. and covers over 1 million areas of pristine alpine lakes, waterfalls, and ionic peaks like the Chinese Wall section of the Continental Divide. [1] The Bob also includes over 84 miles of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).

Follow Gaia GPS on Facebook or Twitter to keep up to date with the all the new additions to the National Geographic Trails Illustrated layer

Want to check out Gaia GPS’s National Geographic Trails Illustrated layer but not a Premium Member? Subscribe to Gaia GPS Premium or Premium with Outside+ today.

[1] “Wilderness.net Wilderness Data Search page“. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
Feature photo by Sam Beebe.

March 7, 2018

Build the Ultimate USFS Map with Gaia GPS Map Overlays

Gaia GPS Hunting New Maps

Build Ultimate USFS Maps with Gaia GPS Map Overlays

by Nathan Copeland March 2, 2018

written by Nathan Copeland

U.S. national forests (USFS) host a wide variety of outdoor activities from backpacking to hunting to overland excursions. The Gaia GPS suite of USFS maps and premium overlays provide the best offline maps for any of the USFS managed lands.

Learn how to add overlays to base maps for finding outdoor adventure in U.S. national forest land.

Choosing USFS base maps

USFS 2016 & USFS Classic

These two base maps provide complete coverage for all 174 national forests and grasslands. The USFS Classic and USFS 2016 layers display the topographical relief of USFS managed lands and include trails, points of interests, and USFS forest roads labels. Click here to learn more about these base maps.

Adding national forest map overlays

A map layer is a base map used for navigation. Map overlays allow users to combine aligning coordinate systems on top of a map layer for additional information. Gaia GPS provides a way to add overlays to a map, along with an opaque scale to see multiple overlays in one instance. Check out the below overlays for a detailed mapping experience within the U.S. national forests.

USFS Timber Harvest

The Timber Harvest overlay is the most recent addition to the interactive premium overlays available in Gaia GPS. The overlay conveniently displays forest lands harvested any time since the mid-1800s. Tap on any of the green areas on the Timber Harvest layer to reveal more information like the name of the project, area logged, when the project finished, and the harvest method.

Skiers may find the overlay helpful when planning backcountry ski trips that involve navigating tree-covered slopes.

US Wildfires

Viewing current and historical wildfires adds additional depth to the USFS Classic and USFS 2016 layers. Try combining the Timber Harvest and the US Wildfire overlays to quickly display the status of our national forests. Click here to learn more about the current and historical US Wildfires overlay.

USFS MVUM

After finding the perfect spot for your next adventure, turn on the USFS MVUM (motor vehicle use maps) layer for extra insight on USFS road designations. This overlay color codes USFS road by approved vehicle type and tapping the roads displays more information.

Building the ultimate forest map

Combining all or just a couple of these USFS specific overlays with the USFS base maps or Gaia Topo produces great offline maps (iOS/Android) for any activity in the national forests.

Know what to expect in terms of habitat before you start your hunt with USFS Timber Harvest and US Wildfire overlays. Check out the San Isabel National Forest in southern Colorado or the Osceloa National Forest on the Florida-Georgia line.

Already using these overlays? Let us know your favorite combination or favorite national forest on Twitter: @GaiaGPSHunting

March 2, 2018

Emergency Response Gaia GPS How-To Hunting New Maps

View Areas Affected by Past Wildfires in Gaia GPS

by Nathan Copeland October 4, 2017

written by Nathan Copeland

The Gaia GPS map catalog now includes historical wildfires in the U.S. from 2000 to 2018. The new interactive premium overlay displays wildfire areas in shades of red on the map, with more recent fires colored brighter shades of red. In the iOS app, you can tap on a fire to see the official name, year and acreage of the fire.

Find and add the new overlay by going to the Premium Maps > Feature/Weather Overlays category of the Layers Menu.

Why use the Wildfire Overlay?

Many backcountry users can make use of the new wildfire overlay.

Hunters

Don’t be surprised by a recently burned valley when you crest a ridge line on your hunts. Referencing the US Wildfires overlay with Gaia GPS can save you miles and hours of scouting.

Wildfires also create dynamic shifts in habitat quality and forage abundance for big game species. The US Wildfires overlay can also help identify these areas.

Wildland Firefighters

Layer US Wildfires with a Satellite base map to estimate fuel loaded in previously burned areas and identify areas of new growth. You can do this out in the field while working active wildfires by downloading an offline copy of the overlay.

Search and Rescue

The US Wildfires overlay can help identify areas of dense new undergrowth, while coordinating search efforts.

Knowing past major environmental events in an area like wildfires, also act as key planning tools for search and rescue personnel.

Hikers

Thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and other multi-day trails throughout the U.S. will benefit from using the new overlay.

Be prepared with alternate routes, campsites, and water sources before hiking trail sections that have been affected by past wildfires.

Premium Membership

October 4, 2017

Gaia GPS Hunting New Features New Maps

Access Private Land Data for the US with a Premium Membership

by Nathan Copeland August 31, 2017

written by Nathan Copeland

Premium Members can now reference land ownership for the entire US, with the newly released US Private Land overlay. This new Premium overlay complements the current Public Land overlay and lets users easily view land ownership information and parcel sizes.

Gaia Topo layered with the US Private Land overlay and Public land overlay

US Private Land

The US Private Land overlay includes interactive information allowing users to tap individual parcels for ownership information, similar to the recently released USFS MVUM overlay. Please note that while Android users can also display this overlay, it is not tappable on Android.

Tapping the US Private Land overlay reveals land ownership details

The land boundaries and ownership information available within the overlay match the data published in county plat books.

Benefits of the US Private Land Overlay

Various outdoor enthusiast and professionals ranging from hunters to conservation officers and first responders can easily access information that once required multiple source as a single source with Gaia GPS.

HUNTERS

- Planning to hunt a new area, layer the US Private Land overlay on top of the Mapbox Satellite layer and quickly scout the area and easily view the property lines.
- Combining the US Private Land, Public Land overlays, and the 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 travels to.
  Gaia Topo layered with the US Private Land, Public land, and Colorado Big Game GMUs overlays

- Bird hunters will also enjoy the quick access to land ownership data, whether you pursuit pheasants in South Dakota or follow the mallards down the US flyways.
  US Private Land overlay combined with the Mapbox Satellite Imagery base map

CONSERVATION OFFICERS & FIRST RESPONDERS

- 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 US private land overlay and the area feature, firefighters can use Gaia GPS to complete wildfire incident reports.
  Creating an area with a base map of Gaia Topo and the US Private Land overlay

Perks of a Premium Membership

A Premium Membership lets you access all of the overlays mentioned above and more like US Shaded Relief, Slope, and Features overlays. Also included are premium map sources like the National Geographic Trails Illustrated and NeoTreks Land Use maps.

August 31, 2017

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