Newsletter Archives

How to Read Topographic Maps

by Mary Cochenour February 24, 2023

written by Mary Cochenour

Knowing how to read a topographic map is the foundation of any backcountry adventure. Through the use of contour lines, topo maps bring a 3-dimensional element to a 2-dimensional paper map. Topo maps allow you to visualize the rise and fall of the land and “see” the depths of canyons, the location of boggy meadows, and the height and shape of mountains.

But, make no mistake about it, learning to read and understand topographic maps takes time and practice. Whether you’re new to topo maps or a seasoned wilderness navigator, this article will help explain the basic features found on topo maps, like lines, numbers, symbols, and colors, so that you can read them with ease and confidence.

This article covers:

Contour Lines
Identifying Features with Contour Lines
Map Scale
Distance Scale
Map Legends
Orienting the Map
Declination
Map Grids
Find Topo Maps

Contour Lines

Contour lines are the primary and most important feature on a topo map. They show the shape of the terrain, including its hills, slopes, and depressions, by tracing a constant line of elevation on the map that corresponds with the landscape in the real world. Think of contour lines as imaginary horizontal planes sliced through the terrain surface.

Visualizing Contour Lines

It may be helpful to visualize contour lines as stacked “layers” of the landscape, similar to a layer cake. A large mountain appears as a dense group of lines with a small circle in the center that represents the peak—just picture looking down at a wedding cake from above. Areas with few contours appear relatively flat—more like a 2-tier birthday cake. A topo map provides a bird’s eye view of those concentric circles, allowing you to “see” both the height and shape of the mountain on the map.

From the USGS Topo on Gaia GPS, the summit of Pu’umakanaka, Hawaii is a near-perfect cone as indicated by the evenly spaced and round contour lines. Notice the tick marks on the contour lines in the center of the map. Those marks indicate a crater or depression at the summit.

Knuckle Mountain

Try this quick exercise at home to get a better understanding of contour lines:

Make a fist with your hand, taking note of the “features” on your fist. There are four knobs (knuckles), a gentle slope (back of your hand), and four small ridges (fingers) separated by ravines (space between the fingers).
With your other hand, mark an “x” on the knuckle that sticks up the highest to mark the “summit.“ Using a pen, drop down from the summit a quarter-inch and make a contour line around the peak of “knuckle mountain.” Follow the elevation around the mountain, without dropping or climbing, until you complete the contour line and close the circle. Drop down another quarter of an inch and repeat. Do that again and again, until you’ve mapped out your entire fist.
Next, lay your hand flat with your palm on the table. Find the spread out contour lines on the back of your hand, indicating a gentle slope. Notice the “v” shaped topo lines where the ravines were between your fingers. The areas by your fingers have contour lines that are close together, indicating steepness. Find an hourglass-shaped topo line for the saddle between your knuckles.

Reading Slope Steepness on a Topo Map

Contour lines present in very predictable ways on the map. When the slope is gentle, the contour lines are spread far apart. Conversely, when the slope is steep the contour lines pack closely together. On a cliff, the contour lines are stacked on top of each other. A flat meadow is void of contour lines.

California’s Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, is steep on its east face as indicated by the closely spaced contour lines. Whitney’s west face is marked by low-angle slopes, as depicted by the wide-spaced contour lines.

Identifying Features with Contour Lines

Contour lines show more than just the steepness of a slope or the elevation of a peak. You can pick out major land features on the map by the way the contour lines are shaped.

Peak: A mountain or hill that is marked by concentric contour lines. The summit may be marked with a name, an “X”, or an elevation.
Valley: A landform with a depression in which water, if present, would flow down. Also know as gullies, drainages, ravines, and couloirs, valleys are indicated by “V“or ”U“ shaped contour lines that “point” uphill, toward higher elevation.
Ridge: A landform with an elevated crest that slopes down on the sides. Ridges are also shown by “V“ or ”U“ shaped contours, but these “point” downhill, toward lower elevations. Remember, water never runs along ridge tops.
Saddle: A low spot between two peaks marked by hourglass-shaped contour lines.

*Basic topographic landforms (peak, saddle, ridge, drainage) and a comparison of relative steepness as seen on US Topo in gaiagps.com.*

*Basic landforms on Thompson Peak, Idaho.*

Contour Intervals and Index Marker

The contour interval is the amount of elevation change between each contour line. Contour intervals vary from map to map. Intervals set at 40-feet are common on 1:24,000 scale maps. But many maps, especially small scale maps, have 50-foot or 100-foot intervals. Index contours are the more prominent, bold colored lines with the elevation marked on them.

*Index contours on the NRCAN C a nada Topo layer. Index contours are every 5th line, and there are 500 feet between index contours, so the contour interval is 100 feet.*

Discover the contour interval in two ways:

Find the contour interval on the map margin or legend, or
Calculate the contour interval between index contours, which are are the more prominent, bold-colored lines with the elevation marked on them. First, subtract the lower number from the higher number and then divide the result by the number of contour lines. For example, if the index contours elevations are 8000 and 7500 feet as shown in the picture above, the difference is 500 feet. If every fifth line is bold, then divide by 5. The contour interval is 100 feet.

Topo Map Scales

Map scale is important because it tells you how detailed a topo will be. Map scale is defined as one single unit of measurement equal to a definitive number of the same number of units in the real world. You’ll find the map scale written as a ratio in the bottom margin of a topo map.

Map scales vary greatly across different topo maps, but the most common scale is 1:24,000 for topo maps created in the United States. On a 1:24,000 scale map, 1 inch on the map is representative of 24,000 inches, or 2000 feet, on the ground. The United States Geological Survey quadrangle maps are scaled to 1:24,000. These are large scale maps and bring a lot of detail into focus.

A map scale of 1:63,360 is common in Forest Service maps, and maps throughout Alaska. These are smaller-scale maps, with less intricate detail. Some National Geographic maps use a scale of 1:65,000, which allows a large area of land to be packed onto a single topo map.

What you need to know is that the bigger the number on the bottom of the ratio, the smaller the scale and the less detail:

1:24,000= a large scale map that depicts a smaller region of land in intricate detail
1:63,360= a small scale map that depicts a larger area of land in less detail

The map scale and contour intervals are usually found in the bottom margin or in the legend of the topo map.

Distance Scale

The distance scale in the margin identifies the distance on the ground in relation to a straight line on a map. For example, in a 1:63,360 map, one inch on the map equals one mile on land. On a larger scale 1:24,000 USGS quadrangle map, as referenced in the photo above, one inch on the map equals 2,000 feet on the ground. This is important when you’re out in the field because it places context to distances on the map’s representation of the landscape.

The bar scale doesn’t take into account distance added by switchbacks and twists and turns of a trail. But you can use the lanyard of your compass, a guy line from your tent, or the shoelace from your boot to trace the bends of the trail and then measure the lanyard against the linear bar scale. This will give you a more accurate assessment of distance than a straight-line measurement on the map’s surface.

Map Legend

A map legend explains what the map’s symbols, lines, and colors represent. Look for the legend in the margin or in the corner of a map. On gaiagps.com, click on the map’s thumbnail in the layers menu to access the legend.

Large scale USFS recreation maps often include a robust legend with keys for recreation symbols, like campgrounds and restrooms. There may be a listing of points of interest, such as prominent peaks and glaciers, and a legend defining roads, trails, and manmade features like gates and power lines.

Colors on the Map

Some legends define what different colors represent on the map:

Blue represents water in the form of creeks, rivers, and lakes.
White areas outlined by a thin blue line indicate a year-round snowfield.
Green areas are sections of land covered with vegetation, like trees.
White, or the color of the base map, represents land that lacks tall vegetation.

The absence of vegetation can mean many things, including a desert landscape, a meadow, a scree field, a gentle grassy slope high above treeline, or a burn area. Use the contour lines to take a guess at what the surface characteristics will be on the ground without vegetation. If the area is flat with no contour lines and a river flows through the non-vegetated area, then the white-shaded zone is likely a meadow. If the non-vegetated area is high above tree-line, steep, and below a rocky mountain, there is a good chance it’s a field of talus.

Declination

Topo maps are oriented to true north, while your compass needle is drawn to magnetic north. Declination is the angle of deviation between the magnetic north and true north. This angle is often depicted in the bottom margin of the map or on the map itself, as seen in the photos below.

These diagrams show the declination for the area on the map. Map and compass navigators use the declination angle to adjust their compass to account for the difference between true north on the map and magnetic north, which lies some 400 kilometers south of true north.

Declination varies with location on the earth, and in one part of the United States may be several degrees different than in another part of the country. Also, declination changes over time as magnetic north responds to the earth’s ever-changing magnetic field, so it’s important to check the map’s publish date as older maps may not accurately reflect the current declination. You can also look up magnetic declination by using this nifty calculator.

Orient the Map

Topographic maps are oriented to true north. If you’re holding the map in front of you, and the letters and numbers are right-side up, then the direction of true north is located at the top of the map. This is important because when you are in the field, you’ll need to orient the map to true north to bring the map in line with the land features around you. Learn how to orient the map from backpacking guide Andrew Skurka.

When the map is oriented to true north in the field all the surrounding features will line up with the contour lines on the map. This is the time to practice picking out ridges and peaks on the skyline and matching them up with distinctive contour lines on the map.

Map Grids

Township and Range

Many maps have grid lines with the numbers 1-36 written in the middle of each box. These numbered boxes are called sections and originate from the township and range survey method that was used throughout the western United States, some midwestern states, and Alabama and Florida. Each square on the map represents one-square-mile on the ground, conveniently giving you the ability to assess distance without having to use the distance bar.

UTM Coordinates

Some maps, like National Geographic Trails Illustrated, display the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, which includes markings on the map for every 1,000 meters on the map’s north-south line and east-west line. The measurements on the north-south lines are “northings” and represent the number of meters that point on the map is from the equator. The numbers on the east-west lines are “eastings” and they depict the number of meters east or west of a particular reference line. You can find these measurements along the margins in the USGS quadrangle maps. Some maps display UTM grid lines, and others don’t, leaving you to eyeball the exact measurement or use a tool to help calculate the exact point.

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and longitude coordinates are also listed in the margins of most topographical maps. They present in the form of degrees, as shown in the picture below.

*Notice the lat/long coordinates on the upper left margin of this USGS quadrangle map and the UTM “easting” and northing“ measurements closer to the edge of the map.*

Find Topo Maps

The USGS has been producing topographic maps since 1879 and has produced some 54,000 maps that cover the topography of the entire lower 48 states and Hawaii. These maps are referred to as the USGS quadrangle maps, with each map covering a 7.5-minute section of latitude and longitude on the globe. USGS quad maps, scaled at 1:24,000, are still considered the industry standard.

The U.S. Forest service also makes topo maps for its lands. The FSTopo is the same large-scale map as the USGS quadrangle map and is available in hard copy at some of the Forest Service offices. Its wilderness maps cover an entire wilderness area and come in a small scale to fit on a single page.

Private companies have delved into publishing topo maps too. National Geographic Trails Illustrated offers more than 250 titles for recreation areas in America. Some smaller companies make regional topo maps, such as Beartooth Publishing in Bozeman, Montana, and Tom Harrison Maps, based in San Rafael, California.

View the nine most popular hiking maps at Gaia GPS to get an idea of which topo maps people use most. With a premium membership, you can access and download the entire Gaia GPS map catalog, including the best backcountry maps and layers. Check out all the classics:

USGS Topo

Official topo maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This quilt of digitized 1:24,000 USGS quadrangles covers the entire contiguous United States. Each quad covers 7.5 minutes of longitude by 7.5 minutes of latitude. The date of the last update varies by region.

Gaia Topo

USFS 2016

Full, detailed topographic coverage of all 172 national forests and grasslands in the US. This is the most up-to-date rasterized map available from the US Forest Service. It includes labeled trails, roads, and vegetation shading to help you plan hiking, backpacking, camping, off-roading, hunting, or fishing trips.

You can also print and customize the maps from Gaia GPS and take them with you on the trail.

February 24, 2023

Gaia GPS How-To Newsletter

How to Save Phone Battery Life in the Backcountry

by Joe Pasteris February 8, 2023

written by Joe Pasteris

Smartphones are an excellent alternative to conventional GPS devices because they are lightweight and compact, and their large screens are ideal for viewing detailed topographic maps while using an app like Gaia GPS.

But, if you use a phone to navigate in the wild, you need to consider ways to conserve battery power so you don’t end up with a dead phone halfway through your hike. The tips in this post will allow most people to get several days, or even longer, of use from their phone in the backcountry. Having said that, it’s important to note that even if you’ve mastered battery conservation, you still must bring along a compass and paper map and the skills to use them. It only takes one unfortunate drop to leave you with a busted phone.

Download Offline Maps Before You Go

Downloading maps to your Gaia GPS app for offline use before you leave home is an essential step that allows you to use the app with your phone in airplane mode or in a location without cell coverage. With the maps downloaded on your phone, you’ll be able to use all of the functionality that Gaia GPS provides, even in the most remote of locations, far away from any cell tower. Learn how to download maps for offline use here.

Use Airplane Mode

After you’ve downloaded the maps to your phone, put your phone into airplane mode before you head out on your trek. This simple change will make a big difference in how long your battery lasts. Airplane mode will stop your phone from constantly trying to establish a network connection when you’re in an area with poor or no cell coverage. Airplane mode will not automatically disable WI-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity. Manually turn off those features in settings in your phone to save even more battery.

There’s a common misunderstanding out there that when your phone is in airplane mode, you won’t be able to use apps that rely on GPS. However, because your phone can still communicate with GPS satellites while in airplane mode, Gaia GPS works just as well on airplane mode as when you are connected to Wi-Fi or cell service, so long as you’ve downloaded maps ahead of time. Download your maps with a Gaia GPS Membership or Premium Membership.

Avoid Exposing Your Phone to Extreme Temperatures

Both hot and cold temperatures can have a dramatic effect on battery life, so it’s important to take steps to avoid extremes. Apple says that iPhones are designed to work well in temperatures between 32°F and 95°F, with the ideal range being 62°F to 72°F. If you’re going out backcountry skiing, you’ll have to find ways to keep your phone warm. Conversely, if you’re headed out hiking in the hot desert, you’ll need to keep your phone cool.

How to keep your phone warm: In below-freezing temps, use your body heat to help keep the phone warm. Keep your phone stashed in a pocket close to your body rather than in an exterior pocket or in your backpack. For extra warmth on especially chilly days, try keeping a small disposable handwarmer packet in the same pocket as your phone.

If your phone does get really cold, the battery level will plummet and the device may even power down. When this happens, try warming your phone up by placing it close to your body. Once the battery temperature warms, your phone should come back to life. If you need to charge your phone, wait until the battery is warm. Charging your phone while the battery is disabled from the cold will be ineffective and can potentially damage your battery.

How to keep your phone cool: Extreme heat can be tougher to solve for and more dangerous for the device than cold temperature exposure. In fact, high temperatures can permanently damage battery capacity, whereas the effects of cold are only temporary.

Prevent overheating by keeping your phone out of direct sunlight. You can also try removing the phone from its case, as cases tend to trap heat. Storing your phone deep inside the main compartment of your pack, wrapped up in gear and clothing, will typically insulate the phone from damaging heat. This leaves your phone fairly inaccessible, so it’s not a great option if you’re using your phone to navigate.

Two climbers review their route in Gaia GPS

Shut Down Apps You Don’t Need

Many apps sit dormant when they’re not in use and won’t drain your battery while they sit open in the background. But, some apps keep track of your location and/or refresh content in the background. Force close all the apps you don’t need during your outing to be sure there’s no background activity that will draw down your battery.

If you prefer to keep apps open, limit their ability to refresh in the background to help conserve battery life. To do this with an iPhone go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh, then tap Background App Refresh and select Off. This disables background activity for all apps. If you want to turn it off for individual apps, you can do so on the Background App Refresh menu. With an Android phone, you can restrict individual apps by going to Settings > Battery > More > Battery usage. There, you’ll see a list of apps with the percentage of battery used. For apps with high battery use, tap them and turn Background restriction on.

Customize Location Services

Do not turn off all location services as this will disable your connection with Gaia GPS. But for apps other than Gaia GPS that you want open during your trip, like your camera, you can reduce the demand on your battery by turning off location services. Of course, doing so may affect how well an app performs. With your camera, for example, turning off location services means location data won’t be recorded and you won’t be able to see where you took a particular photo. But, for many people, location data on photos is not a must-have feature.

Customize location services with an iPhone by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll down to the apps listed as using location services. Go through and select “Never” on those apps you will open during your trip but won’t need location services for. With an Android phone, open your phone’s Settings, then tap “Location services” or “Location access” whichever your phone shows. From this screen you can customize location services for each app.

Lower Screen Brightness

A bright screen is one of the biggest drains on your phone’s battery. Dimming your screen can reduce the impact that your display has on battery life. Here are two ways to do it:

Manually adjust the brightness to the dimmest level that still allows you to see your maps. With an iPhone, open the Control Center and drag the slider with the sun symbol up and down or go to Settings > Display & Brightness and drag the slider left or right. With an Android phone, open your phone’s Settings app, then tap Display > Brightness level and move the slider.
Turn on auto-brightness, which allows your screen to automatically adapt to the lighting, decreasing the brightness in dim conditions and increasing it in bright conditions. With an iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and turn Auto-Brightness on. With an Android phone, open your phone’s Settings app, then tap Display > Brightness level and turn on Adaptive brightness.

Consider Turning Your Phone Off When You Don’t Need It

Putting your phone in airplane mode and taking other battery-conserving measures will allow most phones to stay powered for several days without ever turning them off. But, if you really want to get the most out of your battery, then powering the phone down completely can be a wise move. That said, you need to consider how you use your device.

If you will be checking your phone regularly for navigation or to snap photos, then you should leave your phone on, because waking the phone up from sleep mode uses less power than turning the phone off and back on again. But, if you won’t be needing your phone for a few hours or more, such as when you’re hiking on an obvious trail that doesn’t require frequent map check-ins or when you’re sleeping at night, then powering the phone down completely will save battery power in the long run.

Bring a Backup Battery

Despite all your efforts to conserve battery power, it’s still possible that your phone will get low on juice. So, if you’ll be relying on your phone for navigation, you should always have a backup battery pack and the appropriate cable to be able to recharge your device.

February 8, 2023

Featured Gaia GPS How-To Newsletter

How to Plan a Backpacking Trip

by Jim Margolis February 22, 2022

written by Jim Margolis

On one of my first backpacking trips, I was dropped off by boat at the start of the Dusky Track in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. When the boat driver tried to lift my pack out of the boat, he nearly fell into the water. He curtly told me my pack was too heavy and that I was “doing it wrong.”

Midway through the trip, I could see that I had packed three times as much food as I really needed. Was I so hungry because my pack was so heavy? Or was my pack so heavy because I was always so hungry? I may never know the answer to that backpacker’s paradox, but I do know I could have planned the food more thoughtfully. This article can help you avoid the multitude of trip-planning gaffes. Backpacking is a very broad topic — consider this a starting place for your planning, and adapt the ideas for your trip.

This article will cover:

Choose a place to backpack
Establish priorities for your trip
Plan your route
Educate yourself on hazards
Plan food and gear

Choose a Place to Backpack

You can truly go backpacking at any time of year if you pick the right destination and carry the appropriate equipment. Summer and early fall are common seasons for trips to the high alpine areas in the Rockies and the Sierra. Spring and fall can be a good time in the Appalachian Mountains and the deserts of the western United States. Winter is a good time for low latitude destinations like the southern Appalachians, Florida, and low elevation desert across the southwestern US.

At gaiagps.com/hike, you can search for hikes in many popular parks throughout the United States.

If there’s a specific area you’d like to visit, set Gaia Topo as the map source on gaiagps.com/map, click on points of interest, and nearby hikes will be listed. Guidebooks, blog posts, online trip reports, and forums can also provide inspiration.

point of interest diagram on gaiagps.com

Understand the Human History of Your Destination

You can show respect to the original inhabitants of the area you are visiting by researching the human history of the land. You can use the Native Land map to understand the human history of your destination, as well as your home and many other places worldwide.

In many popular backpacking destinations, such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park, Native Americans were murdered and forcibly removed by the United States government, and the landscape was then advertised as a pristine and uninhabited wilderness. The very definition of “wilderness” in the Wilderness Act of 1964 also perpetuates the falsehood that these areas were uninhabited: “…an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” The founding of National Parks and the creation of wilderness areas, coupled with the larger history of dispossession of Native American and Indigenous lands worldwide through genocide and fraudulent treaties, contributes to the erasure of modern-day Indigenous societies. It’s important to recognize this is not just a history lesson. The cultural and economic impacts of genocide and forced removal remain contemporary issues for Indigenous people.

One way to acknowledge this history is to use a land or territorial acknowledgment. As Chelsea Vowel writes in Beyond Territorial Acknowledgments:

“If we think of territorial acknowledgments as sites of potential disruption, they can be transformative acts that to some extent undo Indigenous erasure. I believe this is true as long as these acknowledgments discomfit both those speaking and hearing the words. The fact of Indigenous presence should force non-Indigenous peoples to confront their own place on these lands.”

An acknowledgment by itself is only a small gesture. Read more about moving beyond acknowledgment with authentic relationship and informed action.

Establish Priorities For Your Trip

Backpacking used to be a balancing act between carrying minimal gear to be happy walking or carrying luxury items to be happy camping. Over the last decade, gear has become lighter, making it easier to be comfortable both walking and camping. Establishing goals around the length of days and hiking pace early in your planning will give structure to planning decisions and can mitigate conflicts with partners.

two backpackers climbing a hill on a rugged trail in Peru

Plan Your Route

Once you decide where you’ll be backpacking, use gaiagps.com/map to create a route for each day. With Gaia Topo, the route planning tool snaps to the trail, making it easy to calculate mileage and elevation. You can put all the routes in a folder to see the total distance and elevation gain for the trip. Add waypoints to mark the trailhead, points of interest, and emergency access points. Consider separate routes for side trips or escape options—if you can’t make it over a pass due to weather or snow conditions, for example. Planning in some base camp days to rest, fish, or summit a peak can be a good way to add variety to your trip. For an in-depth presentation on how to plan a route on gaiagps.com, check out the Gaia GPS webinar on creating routes.

Recommended Maps for Backpacking

Gaia GPS offers a comprehensive selection of maps for planning and use during your trip. You need a subscription to download any map for offline use and to access map sources other than Gaia Topo. Here’s a list of recommended maps for backpacking:

Gaia Topo – updated weekly with data from OpenStreetMap, Gaia Topo offers up-to-date coverage of trails and points of interest. It is also optimized for mobile downloads, saving space on your device.
USGS Topo – Official topographic maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
USFS 2016 – Full, detailed topographic coverage of all 172 national forests and grasslands in the US.
NatGeo Trails Illustrated – These maps cover many popular destinations like National Parks and major long trails like the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, and Colorado Trail.
Public Lands – Use this overlay to identify public lands like National Parks, US Forest Service lands, BLM lands, and state and local parks. This can be a great way of finding local spots for a trip.
Snow Depth – If your route may involve snow, you can get a rough sense of snow coverage with this overlay.

Be sure to print backup maps in case your device runs out of battery or is damaged. It’s easy to print maps on gaiagps.com. You can print on waterproof paper from your home printer, store the backup maps in a plastic bag, or order large custom-printed maps online. For a longer trip, a large overview map, such as those made by Beartooth Publishing, can be helpful.

Before you leave, be sure to download maps to your phone so you can use them without service. Make sure you know how to change map sources in the app (iOS/Android) and conserve your phone’s battery. Also, brush up on your map reading skills with our blog article on how to read topographic maps.

Estimating Hiking Time

An average pace on a flat trail is about 2 mph, and you should add 30 minutes for every 1000 feet of elevation gain. For an 8-mile day where the elevation gain is 3000 feet, the travel time would be 5-and-a-half hours.

This does not include time for breaks. Depending on your fitness, pack weight, and the quality of the trail, you may travel faster or slower. As you travel, keep track of your pace and adjust your time estimates accordingly using the Trip screen in Gaia GPS:

A screenshot of the trip screen in the Gaia GPS app

Once you estimate your hiking time, work backward from critical points along your route to plan out where to camp and when you need to depart in the morning. If you need to be on top of a pass by 1 PM to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, make sure you camp close enough the night before. It’s easiest to edit your route on the website and then sync the route to your phone.

Leave Plans with an Emergency Contact

An injury, navigation error, or other mishap could leave you stranded in the wilderness. It’s always a good practice to leave your plans with a responsible friend who can initiate a search and rescue response if needed. Include the following information:

Your route, including start date and time, end date and time, and campsite locations. Gaia GPS makes it easy to share a route via email.
Establish a clear time that you will be in touch with your emergency contact at the end of your trip. Set a time for your emergency contact to call search and rescue if they don’t hear from you. For example, if you plan to be finished with your trip and in service to contact your friend by 6 PM on July 31, you might set noon on August 1 as the time for your contact to call search and rescue. Have a clear plan for who they should contact and what to do to initiate a search.
Phone number for the main park office, local search and rescue, or sheriff’s office
Location of your car
Make, model, and license plate number of your car
Name of each person in the group and any pertinent medical conditions

Three hikers hiking down a grassy pass along a body of water — Hiking down a pass on the traditional, unceded territory of Apsaalooke (Crow), Tsesthoe (Cheyenne), and Oceti Sakowin (Sioux) in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Montana.

Logistics and Permits

Many popular areas require camping permits or reservations at specific campsites or huts. In the United States, many permits and reservations can be made online through recreation.gov and you can find those campsites right on Gaia Topo. The rules and dates vary by location, but some popular destinations allow online reservations as early as January for trips starting in the summer. However, many land management agencies also have a group of permits that can be acquired daily on a first-come, first-served basis.

To determine if your proposed route crosses Native or Indigenous land, you can use the Native American and Alaska Native Lands layer. Contact the sovereign nation for permits, or change your route if permits are not available.

Educate Yourself on Hazards

An understanding of the hazards you may encounter is the key to staying safe on a backpacking trip. Backpacking is generally not dangerous, and the risks can be managed by educating yourself. The sections below, environmental hazards and human factors, are common hazards to be aware of as you plan your trip.

Hands-on first aid training is invaluable for managing wilderness medical emergencies. NOLS, SOLO, and Wilderness Medical Associates are well-known wilderness medicine course providers. NOLS has a comprehensive wilderness medicine book that is worth studying. It is best used in conjunction with hands-on training through a class.

lightning striking over the Tetons in in Grand Teton National Park

Environmental Hazards

Terrain Hazards
- Exposure. Be wary of cliffs or steep ravines where a fall could injure or kill you. Your balance may be affected by your pack weight and rain can make the ground slick. In these situations, it can be helpful to consider the consequences, not just the likelihood, of a fall.
- Falling trees. Falling trees, particularly dead trees or ones with a significant lean, can pose a hazard, especially at a campsite, where you spend more time. Wind can make the trees more likely to fall — be sure to choose a safe campsite. The Forest Service has a simple guide to this hazard here.
- Rockfall. Camp well away from the base of cliffs. If you are traveling through loose, rocky terrain, position yourself out of the fall line of other hikers so that if a rock is released, it won’t hit you. Consider other hiking groups above you as well as those in your party.

Weather
- Cold and wet conditions. Prolonged exposure to cold and/or wet conditions, or immersion in cold water, can result in hypothermia. Prevention is key—carry adequate layers, extra food, and fuel. Learn how to treat hypothermia in this simple video and read more here.
- Heat. It isn’t just the bad weather that can pose a hazard. Prolonged exposure to heat and sun can cause heat exhaustion and may progress to heatstroke. As with hypothermia, prevention is critical. Maintain adequate hydration, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, and seek shade during the hottest parts of the day.
- Lightning. Thunderstorms are a common occurrence during the summer. On average, 300 people are struck and 30 are killed by lightning in the US every year. Monitor local weather patterns and plan to be off of high passes and peaks before thunderstorms build. If you hear thunder, descend to a safe place. Educate yourself with the National Weather Service’s lightning safety brochure.
Moving water. If your route involves wading across creeks and rivers, seek training from someone with experience in river crossings. Some hiking clubs have classes you can take. The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council has a good informational video, but YouTube is not a substitute for proper training from an experienced individual.
Altitude. Travel to elevations above 8000 feet is associated with risk of developing one or more forms of acute altitude illness. Gradual ascent can prevent altitude illness. If you are unacclimatized, take two days to ascend to 8000 feet. Once at 8000 feet, it is recommended to increase your sleeping elevation 1500 feet or less per day.

Animals. Seeing wildlife can be a highlight of a backpacking trip, but bear attacks and snake bites are not often remembered as fondly. It’s worth understanding how to avoid dangerous encounters with animals.
- Bears. Hiking in a group and making noise will decrease your chances of encountering a bear. Understand the difference between black and grizzly bears, and what to do if you are attacked. In camp, store your food properly. The National Park Service has an educational website about hiking in bear country.
- Mountain Lions. Mountain lions are most active at dusk and dawn. Similar to bears, hiking in a group and making noise will decrease your chances of an encounter. Learn what to do if threatened.
- Snakes. In the United States, the most common venomous snakes are pit vipers (rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths) and elapids (coral snakes). Wear long pants and watch where you step. Snakes tend to be more active in warmer months. Learn what to do in case of a snakebite.
- Bites and stings from spiders, scorpions, bees, wasps, and ticks. In North America, significant envenomations from spiders are uncommon, but black widow and brown recluse spider bites can be harmful. Scorpion, bee, and wasps stings can cause severe allergic reactions in some people. Ticks may spread diseases like spotted fever or Lyme disease. Learn to manage these bites and stings.

Human Factors

three hiker silhouettes on a summit during sunset

Accidents cannot only be attributed to environmental hazards. Bears or rockfall do not pose a threat unless you interact with them, so it is important to consider subjective factors related to personal and group behavior when managing risk. In fact, an Austrian study of hiking accidents found that most hiking falls occurred in good weather. Though not an exhaustive list, the following factors can impair judgment and contribute to hiking accidents:

Fatigue
Dehydration or poor nutrition
Commitment to a goal that blinds you to a hazard — “summit fever”
Poor preparation — lack of awareness of the hazard
Underestimating the hazard
Not voicing concerns due to an interpersonal desire to avoid conflict and/or due to a group culture that doesn’t make everyone feel like they can speak up

Hike in Style

Wherever you go, make sure you travel in good style. Educate yourself on the Leave No Trace principles to help preserve the places you visit for future use. Learn more about the Leave No Trace Principles here:

Planning Food and Gear

Food

It’s important to consume a balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein for a sustained aerobic activity like backpacking. Plan for 2500 – 4500 calories (or 1.5 – 2.5 pounds) per person per day. When buying food, look for dehydrated and instant options. Dehydrated foods are much lighter per calorie because they don’t contain water. Instant food will cook much faster so you don’t have to carry as much fuel. Repackage all food into plastic bags to minimize the extra weight of the packaging.

Planning your food can often be the most time-consuming part of your planning. It is worth making a simple chart for meals. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Screen Shot 2020-06-01 at 9.50.44 AM.png

Other Meal Ideas

These websites also have great backpacking meal ideas:

Backpacker’s Pantry, Mountain House, Patagonia Provisions, and other companies offer a selection of pre-made instant meals if time for preparation is short.

Gear

backpack, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, tent and other camp supplies laid out on the ground.

After stumbling around New Zealand with a 70-pound pack, I eventually learned to go lighter. Over the years, I discovered that trip priorities greatly influence gear choices, but even on a leisure-oriented trip, the lighter your pack is, the happier you—and your knees—will be. Check out my backpacking gear list, complete with pictures to see what I bring for three-season adventures. Andrew Skurka’s website also has detailed gear lists. Also, try Adventure Alan Dixon’s tips on how to lighten your base weight. Get an inexpensive scale and weigh everything before deciding what to pack. Websites like GearGrams and WeighMyGear can help you compile your list and calculate your total pack weight.

View Backpacking Gear List

February 22, 2022

Man looking at a map in Gaia GPS on his phone

Gaia GPS How-To Newsletter

How Learning Navigation Skills Can Make you More Confident Outdoors

by Corey Buhay July 8, 2021

written by Corey Buhay

Forget learning how to start a fire or tie a bowline knot: The first step to feeling more confident outdoors is learning how to read a map.

When most of your outings are with a group, a designated trip leader, or your significant other, it’s easy to fall into step and let someone else take the lead on navigation. That can be great when you’re just starting out. But after a while, you might start to feel left out of some of the decision-making, or like you wouldn’t know what to do or where to go in case of an emergency. Self-doubt can creep in.

That lack of confidence can keep you from really getting the most out of your experiences outdoors. In time, it can hold you back from planning your own trips, or chiming in when you have an opinion about what direction the trip should take.

Next time you go out, take a deep breath, step forward, and ask to be the one to hold the map. It can be scary, but taking that one step will benefit you for the rest of your life. Trust me.

Learning outdoor navigation skills is the secret to unlocking all the empowering benefits hiking and backpacking have to offer, and to being more confident outdoors

Case Study: What Happens When a Beginner Takes the Lead

When I started backpacking, my biggest goal was to go unnoticed.

My first real trip was a short weekend loop in Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia, with a couple of friends from my college chemistry class. I loved every minute of it—the sunshine, the stars, the wild ponies roaming the hills—but I spent most of the weekend my head down. I was too focused on keeping up with the boys to absorb much knowledge. Sure, I was in good shape, but they had more experience and sleeker gear. I felt out of my element.

That weekend, I learned about white-gas stoves, but I let someone else light them. I learned about topo lines, but definitely didn’t volunteer to try reading them. I didn’t want my friends to realize how little I knew. And I didn’t want to fail in front of all the people I looked up to. It took me a full year of backpacking—about a dozen more trips—before I realized that I didn’t know how to light a fire, and I’d never been the one holding the map.

Then one day our group’s usual leader bowed out of a trip. I found myself as the next-most experienced member. Suddenly, everyone was looking to me.

Leading the way across a chilly stream crossing in Shenandoah National Park. Photo courtesy of Lila Fleishman.

I spent a night poring over the maps, figuring out where the water sources and campsites were. And then, when we started hiking, I felt that everything had changed. For once wasn’t terrified of falling behind, because if I did, I’d know exactly where I was.

When bad weather started to roll in, I wasn’t worried. The map showed me where to find intermediate campsites in case we had to stop early. I knew whether the next road crossing would make a good bailout point, and whether I had enough water to skip a fill-up.

This time, I wasn’t hiking with my head down. I didn’t have time to worry about keeping up: I was too busy looking for mile markers and signposts, and the next good view.

The author and friends watch the sunset from an overlook in Shenandoah. Photo courtesy of Lila Fleishman.

Why You Should Be the One Holding the Map

1) Your input matters.

For safety reasons, it’s advisable for all members of the group—regardless of experience level—to know the plan. That way everyone can provide input and voice concerns equally. Putting too much trust in one person’s expertise—a phenomenon known as the “expert halo”—can be just as dangerous as putting a total beginner in charge. Never underestimate your own instincts.

2) Emergencies happen.

If the trip leader gets sick or injured, it might fall to you to find a way out. The best way to get a firm grasp of where you are and where you’re going is to take a turn with the map or GPS. There’s no better way to learn than by doing.

3) The outdoor world needs more kinds of leaders.

Outdoor leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but historically, in mixed-gender groups, the more experienced hiker or backpacker is often male. In mixed-ethnicity groups, that leader is often white.

If you’re a woman or another person from an underrepresented background, we need you. One way to fight the outdoors gender gap or diversity gap, get more diverse people educating diverse people, and make sure those around you are gaining the confidence they need, is to take the lead yourself. Step up and learn how to navigate, and you’ll be able to start planning your own trips and mentor others in the outdoors.

*An all-ladies backpacking trip the author helped plan shortly after her successful trip to Shenandoah. Photo courtesy of Panayiota Boutis.*

Navigation Tips for Beginner Backpackers

Navigation is the one skill every backpacker should know. It puts you in charge of your itinerary, and improves your peace of mind. Plus, it gives you confidence that you’ll always be able to find what you need—and find your way home.

1) Learn how to read a topo map and use a compass.

Ask someone you know to teach you. You can learn a lot online, but there’s no substitute for hands-on instruction. It can be helpful to ask your friend for a one-on-one lesson on a day hike so you don’t feel rushed or put on the spot.

Another good alternative is to look for a class near you. Gear shops, local outdoors clubs, and guiding services often offer inexpensive navigation classes.

2) Download a GPS navigation app.

Using a map and compass is a must-have skill, and it’s always smart to bring them as backup and know how to use them.

However, modern GPS technology, which you can find in your smartphone, can show you your exact location on a digital map. Even better: GPS navigation apps like Gaia GPS work even when you’re offline and out of service. They’re a great resource to have for everyday navigation. They can also be invaluable for finding your way in emergencies.

3) Plan your next trip.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a day hike or a week-long backpacking trip: You should be the one to plan it. Do some research, find a trail you’re excited about, and sit down to plan your route. Take charge of the whole trip, from your driveway, to the trailhead, and back again. You might mess up, but as long as you take proper safety precautions and an experienced buddy, it’s okay.

It’s okay to miss a turn, or get flustered, or take a really long time to decipher the map. Taking ownership of a trip is invaluable, both for your confidence and your skill development. And you’ll learn way more from trying and failing than from never trying at all.

July 8, 2021

Adventures Gaia GPS How-To Newsletter

Tips for Planning your Solo Backpacking Trip

by Mary Cochenour March 19, 2020

written by Mary Cochenour

Solo backpacking can be the ultimate meditation experience. You can travel at your own pace, view beautiful scenery in solitude, and really get the chance to tune into your environment with minimal distractions. But, for some, venturing out to the backcountry alone conjures up visions of long, wide-eyed nights in the sleeping bag, wondering what is making that noise outside the tent?

Whether you’re committed to conquering solo backpacking by choice or forced to go alone because your trail partners can’t get time away from work, this article offers some tips to help you make the transition from backpacking with others to backpacking alone with confidence and ease. If you’re already backpacking solo, review these tips for additional ideas for safety and comfort.

Master Backpacking with Others First

If you’re just starting out with backpacking, spend a whole season, or longer, backpacking with others before trying a solo trip. Get your kit dialed and become familiar with how everything works. Get comfortable with camping in the backcountry and develop basic navigation skills with other people around before trying a trip alone.

Three backpackers hiking on a trail along side a bubbling creek with a rocky mountain in background.

Tap into your backpacking friends and family to mentor you through the beginning stages. If that’s not possible, look to outdoor clubs, groups, and guided trips to introduce you to backpacking. After you’re comfortable with group backpacking, you’ll be more prepared, both physically and mentally, to try solo.

Plan and Prepare at Home

With all of its benefits, backpacking solo has become wildly popular. In fact, more than 60 percent of hikers surveyed last year started their thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail alone. That’s thousands of people that hit the trail solo last year, and if they can do it, so can you.

The first steps to joining the solo ranks start at home. Use these tips to thoroughly research and plan your first solo backpack trip from the comfort of your couch. Knowing all you can about the area prepares you for your trip and eases any anxiety you might have about heading into the wild alone.

A woman backpacker holding and looking at a phone with a topographical map on the screen.

Select a Familiar Area

Choosing an area that you know well will boost your confidence when you’re hiking and camping alone. Start with an area that you’ve hiked many times before. If you’ve only hiked it with company, try a solo day trip before backpacking there by yourself. On your solo day hike, take note of all the major points of interest, such as creek crossings, trail junctions, potential campsites, and major landmarks like peaks and lakes. Track your hike using Gaia GPS and drop waypoints along the way for those notable points of interest. You can pull them up later when you head out on your solo backpack trip.

A desktop computer screen showing a topographical map on Gaia GPS website and a menu of waypoint options.

Choose a Well-Traveled Trail

If you’re feeling timid about being out in the backcountry alone, pick a high-use trail for your first time out. Seeing other hikers on the trail, hanging out at a lake, or camping nearby gives the sense that, although you are by yourself, you are not truly alone. If something goes wrong and you need assistance, you can bet another hiker will arrive shortly to give you a hand.

Another benefit of a busy trail is that you can and should wait for other hikers to come along before tackling any serious backcountry hazard. Crossing a swollen creek and traversing a steep snowfield are safer when you are with a buddy — even if they’re someone you just met a few minutes ago on the trail.

A man with an Osprey backpack facing away from the camera and looking at a mountain

Start Small

Starting out with a low-mileage trip will help you decide if you like solo travel without making a huge commitment. Plus, a manageable itinerary will set you up for success by increasing your chances of cooking dinner, setting up camp, and getting comfortable with the surroundings before the sun goes down.

Plan a route with daily mileage and elevation gains that are well within your reach and close enough to the trailhead that you could bail out in just a few hours if you decide to pull the plug on the adventure. And make sure you test out a series of one-night jaunts before taking on a multi-day hike. Ease into solo backpacking until you can be sure that you enjoy being alone outside.

Research the Terrain Online

Once you’ve selected an area that you’re comfortable with, go to gaiagps.com and pore over your favorite topo maps. Check out the surrounding landscape using satellite imagery. Get a good sense of the lay of the land, noting major landmarks, your planned campsite, trail junctions, and any side routes that you could use to bail out in case of an emergency. Create a waypoint for these important features and add notes to revisit later. Check for public tracks and, if you find one that matches your exact route, add it to your account. Finally, create a route of your planned hike and share that route with your friends and family so that people back home know your exact plan.

Next, look on blogs, Reddit groups, YouTube, and Vimeo for trip reports. Trip reports often contain images or videos that can give you a clue as to trail conditions, camping locations, and hazards like creek crossings or snowfields. Check in with relevant social media groups for current conditions. It’s amazing what you can find with a hashtag. Visit land agency websites for updates on conditions and permit requirements, call if you have questions.

Camp in a Designated Backcountry Campsite

If you want to be around other campers on your first night out alone, plan a trip to a national park that has designated backcountry campsites. Many parks — Glacier, Zion, and Mount Rainier, just to name a few — require backpackers to camp in designated sites and often these sites are clustered. These designated campgrounds are a good way to test out your solo camping game, but with the security of having other people within earshot.

Scope Out the Animals

Curb your fears about bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes by scoping out what animals live in the area you’ll be visiting. Search national park and forest service websites and call the ranger station for information about what animals you’d expect to see. For animals that concern you, find out what they look like, their tracks, the animal population numbers, their specific habitat, and any reports of human encounters. Also, find out what noises animals make in the area you are visiting. Owls, grouse, and elk in rut make significant noise in the backcountry and you’ll save a lot of worry inside the tent if you are familiar with their sounds.

Answering these questions will help you assess the risk of experiencing an animal encounter when you’re out on the trail alone. For example, you might learn that you will be traveling through bear habitat, but that the bear population is diminutive, mostly confined to the area’s lower elevation valleys, and there exists no prior history of human interaction. Knowledge can help you make decisions about where to camp in bear country and control your worry and vivid imagination.

A solo backpacker walking along a beach with cliffs in the background,

Pick the Perfect Time

The perfect time for solo backpacking is when the conditions are the most comfortable. Don’t plan to go in the rainy season, during peak bug levels, or in the late fall when there are minimal hours of daylight and cold temperatures. All of these situations will have you cooped up in your tent for long hours.

Instead, research the area and call the ranger station to find out if the bugs are on the decline. Look up weather patterns and pick the month with the least amount of average rainfall. Go when the days are long and bright if conditions permit.

Share Your Itinerary

Tell someone at home exactly where you plan to go. Give them all the details. Write down or send an email letting them know which trailhead you will start and finish from, where you plan to camp, and when you will notify them upon return to town, and when they should start to worry. Give them an exact date and time when they should call for help if you fail to contact them. Share your Gaia GPS recorded track with them. Have a plan and stick to it.

Learn the Skills to Stay Safe

Get First Aid Training

Take a wilderness first aid class before venturing out on your first solo backpack trip. Studies show that the top three backcountry injuries include soft tissue injuries, lacerations, and sprains while the top three illnesses include chest pain, dizziness, and diarrhea. Take a wilderness first aid class to prepare you to deal with a variety of medical emergencies should one arise. Knowing some first aid is beneficial to you and anyone you might come across in the wild who is sick or injured.

Take a Backcountry Navigation Course

Andrew Skurka teaching backcountry navigation at 11,000+ feet in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Solo hikers are more likely to get lost than hikers who are part of a group, according to one study conducted in Yosemite. Knowing how to read a map, use a compass, and understand electronic navigation will help you stay found in the backcountry. As a solo hiker, you’ll be making all the decisions on where to go and having the skills to navigate around the backcountry will boost your confidence outside even if you stick to a well-defined path.

Gear Considerations for Solo Backpacking

Go Lightweight

Backpacking solo requires the same gear as backpacking with friends. But without friends, there’s no chance of splitting up gear and your pack will be heavier when going solo. Those items you’re used to sharing, like a water filter, tent, first aid kit, and stove, you’ll be carrying on your own.

Adventure Alan camping with his 9-pound base weight.

Solo backpacking is a great opportunity to scrutinize your gear list and shave any unnecessary weight. Focus on dropping pounds with a lighter tent, sleep system, and backpack, and then move through the rest of your gear to determine if any ounces can be left behind. Ditch luxury items like a camp chair, heavy food items, and extra camera gear to keep your pack at a reasonable weight when soloing.

Get a Satellite Communicator

Invest in a good satellite communicator device. This device will allow you to send text messages outside of cell range. You can text your family at night to let them know your status. You can also press the SOS button and send a message for help if the need arises. The goal is to never have to use such a device, but having the capability to send for help in case of an accident is well worth the cost in both money and extra weight in your pack.

A woman hiker standing on a rock looking out into a foggy mountain valley.

Hike with Confidence

Many solo hikers are more concerned about encounters with people than run-ins with wild animals. Think through a plan on how you will act if you run into sketchy people in the backcountry. When approaching people you are concerned about, try sprinkling a little confidence in your step. Walk by them briskly, leaving no time for conversation.

If you get caught up in questions, be vague with your answers. Don’t tell strangers exactly where you plan to camp, how long you’ll be out on your trip, or that you are traveling alone. Have a fake story ready if someone who gives you the creeps starts asking too many questions. Be ready to tell them about your imaginary friends who are just a half-mile behind you, the made-up ranger who checked your permit 10 minutes ago, and make up a campsite location that is no less than 10 miles in the opposite direction from your planned stop.

Finally, don’t broadcast on social media where you will be spending your time alone in the backcountry.

An orange tent in a mountain valley with snowy peaks in the distance.

Camp with Purpose

Consider what makes you more comfortable: camping within earshot of other backpackers or finding an out-of-the-way spot where no one would stumble upon your campsite in the dark. If you like to be near people, choose popular destinations like lakes and river crossings for camps. However, listen to your gut instinct. If you feel uncomfortable camping around people, or you get to the high-traffic camping area and the people don’t seem like a crowd you can trust, load up on water and dry camp down the trail. Choose an isolated, elevated spot so that you can peer down on any person approaching your campsite.

A man sitting on a ledge looking out at a valley, a portion of his tent is in the foreground.

Get into camp well before dark so you have time to set up and watch the sun go down. Getting used to your surroundings in the fading light takes the mystery out of the darkness. Make a plan where you will go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Finally, keep a clean camp so you don’t attract animals.

Conquer Solo Backpacking with a Friend

Finding a friend to practice solo backpacking seems counterintuitive, but it works. Plan your hikes together at home but stay separate on the trail by starting two hours apart. Camp on different ends of the lake and agree to refrain from contacting each other unless an emergency arises. Plan to meet at the car at a certain time at the end of your hike for a quick debriefing on how the trip went.

Another way to hike solo with a friend nearby is to thru-hike an area. You start at one end of the hike, and your friend starts at the other end. Your paths cross somewhere in the middle of the hike, where you exchange car keys. You’ll be miles away from your friend for most of the trip, but knowing that you will meet a familiar face along the way provides encouragement and incentive to keep going forward.

March 19, 2020

Android App Updates Gaia GPS How-To Hunting iOS New Features Newsletter

Customize Paper Maps with Gaia GPS

by Julien Friedland October 15, 2019

written by Julien Friedland

Customize paper maps using the new print preview screen on gaiagps.com. Now you can quickly create and adjust selections before printing and be sure that your entire route is captured and easy to read. Additionally, maps can be exported as PDFs and will print in a higher resolution with a more reliable magnetic declination indicator.

Easily Adjust Map Orientation and Size

The new printing interface allows you to see an exact mock-up of the printed map, making it easy to fine-tune your preferred orientation, and size. New border parameters enable you to click and drag the map and zoom in and out to fit the selection of your customized paper map.

Orientation: Toggle between landscape and portrait to view which orientation best fits the map selection. Swapping between different views requires fewer adjustments and makes it easy to see which orientation will be easiest to read when you’re holding the map on route.

Sizing: Choose from six printing size options ranging from letter size (8.5×11) to A2 (16.5×24). Measurements for each map size appear when making a selection, for quick reference.

New Magnetic Declination Indicator

The magnetic declination indicator has been updated to consistently appear on printed maps, no matter how close to zero your magnetic declination is. This means you can always adjust your compass to increase your accuracy while navigating.

Better Resolution and Attribution

Printed maps will now print at a higher DPI and slightly better resolution. Attribution also appears in the bottom left corner of every map, clearly defining the source of the maps data.

Learn More

To access the new print preview screen, head over to the main map at gaiagps.com. To learn more about how to print your maps –including tips on layering and adding gridlines— visit the print maps online blog post or the help center.

October 15, 2019

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