Offroading

9 Expert Driving Tips For Your Next Overlanding Trip

by Michael Charboneau April 20, 2023

written by Michael Charboneau

If you’re considering an overlanding or offroading trip, you’ll want a quiver of offroad driving skills. Knowing how to handle driving through sand, mud, river crossings, and steep climbs will help you get farther and keep you comfortable on your route.

This article covers the key overlanding tips to master, based on input from four experts: Nena Barlow, an International 4WD Trainer Association certified Master Trainer, Bob Wohlers, an author and off-road safety trainer, and seasoned 4×4 tourers John Watson, founder of The Radavist, and Sinuhe Xavier, filmmaker. From planning a trip to getting unstuck, they share their perspectives on essential off-road driving skills and how to learn them.

Do Your Overlanding Research

Preparing for an overlanding journey should begin well before you fire up your engine. That means knowing what trails you’ll follow, deciding where you’ll camp, and ensuring that private property won’t block your route. Studying the Gaia GPS web map will help you understand what obstacles you might face on your trip. After you scour the maps at home, download your favorite maps to your mobile device so that you can take the maps with you to places without cell service.

“I’ll download all the maps I can for the region that I’m going to,” says Wohlers, who teaches off-road safety in northern California and has written several books on off-roading. “Between all of them, I find that I have a pretty complete story of where I am and what I want to do.” Wohler’s favorite maps are the NatGeo Trails Illustrated, Gaia Topo, and USFS maps for offroad travel. Also, check out 4X Overland Adventure’s list of best maps for overlanding.

You also need to factor in the weather, says Barlow, who founded Barlow Adventures, a 4×4 school and outfitter in Utah and Arizona. Check the forecast and consider how conditions will affect trail surfaces, and how they might change as you pass through different elevations. You’ll likely want to use the Gaia GPS precipitation layers and snow forecast maps to determine if road conditions will be soggy on your next adventure. With a little research, you can avoid hazards and travel when conditions are optimal.

Know How Your 4×4 Vehicle Works

If you’re interested in overlanding and off-roading, you probably own a four-wheel drive vehicle. Most true 4x4s have a transfer case that allows the engine to send power to all four wheels, and understanding how to use the transfer case will help you harness that power effectively.

Barlow has a few common rules to follow for when to use 2WD versus 4WD. For pavement and hard surfaces, use two-wheel drive. Shift into 4-Hi (four-wheel drive) when you encounter loose gravel, slush, and sandy surfaces. If you’re going less than 15 MPH because of the terrain, shift into 4-Lo (four-wheel drive that delivers more torque at a slower speed). You’ll get enough power for forward motion without bouncing over obstacles too quickly. 4-Lo will also help you maintain a slow speed without stalling if you’re driving a manual transmission vehicle.

Proper use of traction control, found on many newer vehicles, forms another critical off-road driving skill. Essentially, traction control detects when a wheel spins and automatically applies the brakes. That slows the wheel down so it can regain its grip on the ground. If you have traction control and feel your tires slipping, says Barlow, apply steady throttle so the mechanism can activate.

“You really need to give those systems a full second,” she says.

Air Down Your Tires

To give your tires maximum grip and help absorb shocks, adjust your tire pressure for the terrain. The exact pressures you need will take some trial and error to figure out, but Watson, who has been off-roading since he was a teenager, has some general guidelines:

“The second I hit the dirt, I’m down to 25 PSI,” Watson says. “The second I hit a rock garden, or some technical trails, I’m at 15 PSI, and then as soon as I hit pavement, I’m pumped back up to 35 PSI.”

Just remember: Always check your tire pressure before airing down, bring an air compressor to air back up, and never exceed your tires’ suggested pressure.

person inflating their tires using a portable air compressor

Sit Comfortably

Driving with an aching back or sore legs can distract you and keep you from maintaining control of your vehicle. Before you head out, make yourself comfortable in the driver’s seat.

Barlow recommends holding the steering wheel in an “8 and 4” position. This relaxes your shoulders and keeps your thumbs out of the steering wheel, so if you hit an obstacle and the wheel spins, it won’t take your hands with it. She also recommends adjusting your seat for even support from your butt to the backs of your knees. Finally, make sure the heel of your right foot rests on the floor. Your foot on the accelerator pedal and your leg should make a 90-degree angle, giving you maximum leverage.

“If you’re over-extended or under-extended, you’re not going to have good control on the throttle,” Barlow says.

Look Ahead and Develop Trail Vision

two vehicles offroading in the San Juans, Colorado

“Trail vision” sounds like a sixth sense that experts hone over many years, but it boils down to one simple rule: Don’t drive where you can’t see. On the trail, look as far ahead as you can, says Barlow. This will help you anticipate terrain and adjust for it (making a gear change before a creek crossing, for example).

“If you’re looking over the hood, you’re just looking at the next bump in front of you instead of establishing the correct line and momentum that you need,” she says.

Your Driving Mantra: Smooth and Steady

Off-roading will throw many obstacles at you, but the key to pushing through them is to focus on measured, steady driving.

“Go as slow as possible and as fast as necessary,” says Xavier—a lesson he’s learned over many 4×4 trips and backcountry film shoots.

As you look ahead on the trail, supply smooth power to move over the terrain. Flooring the accelerator, slamming on the brakes, and other sudden movements will only decrease traction and make it harder to drive.

Know How to Handle Common Issues

A man fixing a vehicle with the hood up.

In addition to driving skills, you’ll need to be prepared for mishaps any time you head into the backcountry. Driving a loaded vehicle on unimproved roads adds more issues to the mix. At the very least, know how to change a flat tire, get unstuck, and handle basic first aid.

Changing a flat might seem simple, but aftermarket wheels and other modifications can make your vehicle challenging to work with, says Barlow. Make sure you have the equipment you need—a lug nut key that fits your lug nuts, a jack that works with your vehicle—and rehearse a tire change in controlled conditions, like in your driveway at home. Changing a flat on the trail should not be the first time you do it.

Getting stuck is another common overlanding incident, but a little resourcefulness can get you moving again. A tire jack can lift your vehicle off a rock, and Xavier points out that floor mats placed under your tires can provide extra traction when bogged down. He also recommends purchasing a MaxTrax recovery board, which is easy to use and effective.

“Recovery is the best thing to invest in,” he says.

Finally, Watson and Wohlers both recommend learning first aid. When you’re deep in the wilderness, it can keep a minor injury from snowballing into a more serious situation.

Know When to Turn Back

“Turning around isn’t failure,” says Xavier. Especially as a beginner, remember to recognize the limits of your skills and stay humble. Keep in mind that your turn-around point depends on a variety of factors, says Barlow, including daylight, weather, fatigue, fuel level, and the amount of food you have. Don’t go farther than you’re comfortable with.

Some Tips for Learning These Skills

There’s a lot to learn in overlanding and many ways to learn the skills. If you’re willing to invest some time and money, signing up for an off-road driving class will give you the benefit of expert insight and save you a lot of time in the trial and error process. Wohlers points out that an instructor can help you tackle terrain that you might not have attempted on your own—an invaluable experience builder.

You can also learn from a local 4×4 club, says Watson. Many groups exist for specific vehicles and types of off-roading such as rock crawling or overlanding, for example. These vehicle- or activity-specific groups can be very helpful for getting detailed advice for the kind of driving you want to do.

Try visiting your local OHV park: There, you can drive on challenging terrain without wandering too far from help. These parks offer a great opportunity to practice getting bogged down and freeing your vehicle, says Xavier.

“Get stuck and see what it’s like to be stuck,” he says. “See how much time it takes to get unstuck.”

Finally, you can even build some overlanding driving skills on the pavement. Barlow recommends practicing wheel placement—essential for navigating narrow or rocky trails—by setting out cones or rocks and maneuvering your wheels to meet them.

No matter how you choose to practice, building these skills through hands-on experience will pay dividends on the trail. Even if you’re just a few minutes from your driveway, getting behind the wheel can always lead to valuable lessons.

“There’s nothing better than good old-fashioned seat time,” says Xavier.

April 20, 2023

Cook Marco Hernandez’s Mouthwatering Camp Meals

by Mary Cochenour January 25, 2023

written by Mary Cochenour

One of the best aspects of car camping is that you can bring any fancy kitchen contraption that fits in your vehicle. Filet mignon on the BBQ, sunset margaritas poured from the blender, and homemade chimichurri can be standard camp fare if you plan your menu in advance. If you’re Marco Hernandez, author of The Overland Cook and the face behind the popular offroading brand Ovrlndx, you toss an oven, yes an oven, in your kit and slow-bake a roast while you make your way towards camp.

“By the time we get to the camp, I just open that oven and dinner is ready,” Marco says of his new 12-volt oven. “I think this is going to be a game-changer.”

Marco admits that not everyone needs an elaborate kitchen set up to cook mouthwatering meals at camp. He explains on the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast this week that some of the best meals can come from cooking burritos under the hood of your Jeep. You read that right. Marco has cooked burritos on his engine.

A Baja California native, Marco shares his famous south-of-the-border recipes. From his traditional birria taco recipe to his secret ingredient for delicious salsa, Marco dishes out his tips for serving up gourmet meals out on the trail. Plus, Marco breaks down all the gear and upgrades on his new brand new Jeep 392, dubbed by the manufacturer as “the quickest, most powerful Wrangler” ever made. Marco confirms that his new Jeep has power.

You can pick up a copy of Marco’s book The Overland Cook (available in English and Spanish) on his website ovrlndx.com and follow his YouTube channel to watch Marco in action.

Impress your friends on your next camping trip with Marco’s famous and easy-to-make chimichurri recipe, an Argentinian sauce that tastes great as a topping for meats or spooned over toasted sourdough bread as an appetizer.

*Ovrlndx’s Marco Hernandez in front of his new Jeep 392*

Get Marco’s Chimichurri Recipe

3 bunches of parsley, finely chopped
2 cups of olive oil
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
8 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon red pepper chili flakes
a pinch of salt

Step 1: Combine parsley, garlic, red chili pepper flakes, paprika, and oregano in a bowl. Mix until evenly distributed.

Step 2: Add salt, ground black, pepper, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.

Step 3: Mix until all ingredients are completely incorporated.

Step 4: Pour into a glass jar and let sit for 24 hours.

Tip: Chimichurri sits better after letting it sit for at least 24 hours. The flavors will incorporate into the mix.

Meet Wade May, Host of the Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast

After a 43-year career of flying A-10 and F-16 fighter jets for the United States Air Force and Boeing 737s as a commercial airline captain, Gaia GPS Offroad podcast host Wade May has put his feet firmly on the ground. With over 20 years of offroading and overlanding experience, Wade constantly seeks out the serenity of remote backcountry adventures with his trusty 4-Runner, “Bullit.“ Between extended solo overland adventures, Wade shares the lessons learned from his broad experience in the sky and on the trail in overland workshops, classrooms, writings, and, of course, while hosting the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast.

January 25, 2023

Gaia GPS How-To Offroading

How to Get Started Overlanding

by Bryan Rogala January 9, 2023

written by Bryan Rogala

Image Credit: 4 X Overland Adventures

Overlanding has taken the outdoor industry by storm in the last few years. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a term used to describe vehicle-based travel that typically involves dirt roads, four wheel drive, and getting as far off the beaten path as possible. Overland Journal, the longtime authority on the subject in the U.S., describes the pastime as “self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal.”

Think of it as backpacking with a 4×4. Overlanding originated in Australia and Africa and can involve anything from driving the Pan American Highway in a Volkswagen Syncro, to circumnavigating Africa in a Jeep Wrangler, to an overnighter at a dispersed campsite on a local Forest Service road. While the method of transportation plays a role, more than anything overlanding is about the journey and the experience along the way. Anyone can do it with some basic knowledge, a mechanically sound vehicle, and a thirst for adventure.

In this article, we’ll cover what an overlanding route looks like, along with the type of vehicle and equipment you’ll need, and some tips for getting started. Here’s what you need to know to get into overlanding.

What an Overlanding Route Looks Like

Overlanding routes vary greatly in terrain and difficulty, a lot of which depends on where they are located. Routes in the Western U.S. tend to be longer and more remote, and can involve high mountain passes, vast swaths of empty desert, or long stretches of rough roads. Routes in the Eastern U.S. are typically shorter in length but can be tighter and trickier to navigate with a large vehicle.

An overlanding route planned using the Gaia Overland map in Gaia GPS.

If you’ve ever driven a vehicle off road, you likely already know what type of obstacles to expect. Rough dirt roads, washboard, deep ruts, stream crossings, sandy washes, mud, loose hill climbs, tight switchbacks, and even snow are all common road conditions you might encounter. That being said, overlanding differs from four wheeling, rock crawling, and other forms of off-roading because it takes place for an extended period of time, includes driving on pavement, and typically doesn’t involve “extreme” obstacles like you might see a Jeep Wrangler tackling in Moab.

Overlanding draws you to remote, uninhabited places to enjoy the scenery and solitude, and you’ll need maps to find your way. Gaia GPS offers a catalog of off road and 4×4 maps that show you what kind of terrain you’ll encounter and how difficult your route will be. You can download the maps for offline use with a premium subscription and use them out on the trail, which is far more useful than just a paper map. Toggling between Gaia’s proprietary Gaia Overland map, NatGeo Trails Illustrated map, the MVUM (USFS) (US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map), the USFS Roads and Trails Map, and Gaia Topo layers gives you on-demand access to trail junctions, road conditions and closures, dispersed camping sites and terrain features. Using these at home on a desktop helps with route planning, and then using them offline on a phone helps with navigation in the field and allows you to deal with unexpected route changes, like deadfall across a road or another impassable obstacle.

Tread Lightly, Stay on Established Roads

The USFS MVUM and Roads and Trails Maps are indispensable because they also have notes on road closures and status, grade, road material, and even whether a road is passable in a passenger car or requires high-clearance and four-wheel drive. It’s also important to stay on legal roads—driving off-road doesn’t mean pointing your truck into the woods and creating your own path, it just means driving off pavement, on a dirt road. The key here is that you’re still driving on a legal road of some kind, and it’s important to follow Leave No Trace principles and guidelines for responsible 4×4 use from Tread Lightly.

Vehicle Considerations

The vehicle you drive plays the largest role in an overlanding trip. It will act as your home base, and needs to be comfortable both on and off pavement. While you can technically overland with whatever vehicle you’ve already got, there are some things most overland rigs have in common.

Four Wheel Drive Versus All Wheel Drive

First, you’re going to want four wheel drive, or at the very least, all wheel drive. Traditional four-wheel-drive vehicles have a transfer case that allows the driver to send power to both the front and rear wheels, and the power is typically split 50/50. Four-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs, like a Toyota Tacoma, let you select from a high or low range, the latter of which increases torque, helps you navigate steep hills, and generally puts more power to the wheels. Overlanders prefer true four wheel drive for a number of reasons, but mainly because it’s more capable off road than all wheel drive.

A Subaru Outback negotiates a stream running through a field.

All wheel drive, like what you find in a Subaru Outback, automatically sends power to whichever wheel has lost traction, and typically doesn’t split the power evenly between the front and rear wheels. This type of system works well on icy or wet pavement, and can certainly get you down a dirt road, but it’s not as robust and doesn’t work as well in the serious off-road situations many overlanders face. Learn more on the differences between four and all wheel drive.

Ground Clearance

Another important consideration is your vehicle’s ground clearance. Most passenger cars and some crossovers don’t have enough clearance to safely navigate rocks and ruts off road. Subaru’s Outback and Forester have 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is plenty for most situations, while a Toyota Tacoma has 9.4 inches and a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has 10.8 inches.

Storage Space

An SUV with a roof rack is parked on a beach at sunset.

Storage space and payload capacity are also particularly important for an overland rig since you’ll be camping and need to be fully self-sufficient for the duration of your trip. Smaller SUVs like a Jeep Wrangler are great for rock crawling and general trail riding, but their limited interior size and small payload doesn’t make them particularly well-suited to overlanding. A full-size truck, or a larger, truck-based SUV like a Toyota Land Cruiser often works better because you can load it up with gear and it is rated to carry heavier loads. It’s very easy to exceed your vehicle’s payload capacity once you include the weight of passengers, gear, and any accessories like roof racks, rooftop tents, or a winch, which can impact the vehicle’s drivability and safety. Longer trips also often require bringing spare parts since you’ll be far away from help, so having lots of storage space is always a good idea.

Accessories and How to Use the Rig You’ve Got

If you spend much time around the overlanding crowd you’ll quickly realize that outfitting your rig with aftermarket parts and accessories in order to make it more capable and comfortable is extremely popular. Things like heavy-duty off road bumpers, skid plates, winches, additional off-road lighting, as well as suspension lifts and locking differentials are all popular upgrades. If you already own a vehicle that would make a good candidate for an overlander, upgrades like that can be a good way to protect your vehicle from damage and ensure that you can make it further into the backcountry.

How to Upgrade the Vehicle You Already Own

You can make your vehicle more off-road worthy with a few simple upgrades, no matter what you drive. Tires are the most important modification you can make to a vehicle if you want to drive off road because they provide your vehicle’s traction. A tricked-out 4×4 won’t get very far if it’s rolling on street tires without an aggressive tread pattern. All-terrain tires are a good choice for most overlanders because they offer a mix of on-and-off road performance. The BFGoodrich T/A KO2 gives you great traction in dirt, mud, and snow, and is still quiet and comfortable on pavement. If you want to try overlanding in your crossover or smaller SUV, you should consider something like the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail. This tire weighs less than the KO2, but still provides improved off-road traction and is a better fit for something smaller like a Subaru or Toyota Rav4.

A close-up of a vehicle with flat tire on a dirt road.

You can’t do anything to increase a vehicle’s payload capacity, but you can increase storage space by adding a roof rack. You don’t want to strap too much stuff on top of your vehicle because you’ll increase the center of gravity and have a greater rollover risk, but a good roof rack like Frontrunner’s Slimline II will allow you to easily carry gear you can’t fit inside the car. You can also bolt on accessories like bike, ski, or kayak carriers, mount a storage box on top, or carry a rooftop tent and an awning to protect you from the elements.

Two people sit outside a van parked at sunset.

The Equipment You’ll Need

It’s very easy to overthink what type of gear to bring and how much of it you’ll need on an overland trip. In this article, we’ll cover just the basics to get you started; just keep in mind that you can acquire a lot of this equipment over time as you learn what your needs are and how your vehicle performs.

Sleeping: Rooftop Tents

People stand around a bonfire at night with a flock of jeeps parked in the background.

Essentially an off-the-beaten-path road trip, overlanding brings you to dirt roads where you camp along the way. You’ll need to decide where you’ll sleep. The easiest and cheapest option is to simply use a tent. Many overlanders with larger SUV’s (or pickup trucks with a camper shell) choose to sleep inside their vehicle to keep things simple. This offers more weather protection than a tent, but you need a vehicle with a bed or seats that fold flat. Sleeping inside the vehicle becomes more complicated for two people traveling together since you’ll need to move all of your gear outside the vehicle to create enough space for sleeping at night.

A jeep with a roof tent is parked in the desert. Off to the side, two people sit in camp chairs around a fire, gazing at the sun setting behind the mountains in the distance.

Many people opt to sleep on top of their vehicles in rooftop tents. Rooftop tents (or RTTs) attach to your vehicle’s roof rack and either have hard sides that pop straight up, or soft sides that fold out into a traditional tent shape. RTTs have a couple of advantages: they eliminate the need for a flat piece of ground free of rocks and offer a comfortable memory foam mattress where you can store your sleeping bags. They’re also quicker to set up than a ground tent, which is something overlanders value because it allows you to spend less time setting up camp and more time exploring and enjoying time outside. The downside is they’re quite heavy (usually around 150lbs), and they can negatively impact your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Campers

A modified truck with a storage unit in the back and a rooftop tent is parked at a beach on a sunny day. Turquoise water laps behind and stratocumulus clouds cover the blue sky.

The next step up from a ground tent or rooftop tent is either a camper of some sort built into your vehicle, or pulling a camping trailer. There are pros and cons to every option, and ultimately you’ll have to weigh factors like convenience, comfort, and budget to determine the best solution for you. A self-contained camper performs better off road, and allows you to maneuver in tight spots more easily. It’s also easier to park and drive around town, but it’s easy to overload your vehicle and exceed it’s payload capacity if your build is too heavy, which can be dangerous.

Trailers

A truck with a covered back and a trailer hitch drives across dry, grassy plains with mountains in the distance.

A camping trailer, can store all of your camping equipment full-time, making it easier to hit the road since you won’t need to pack your vehicle each time. But it takes more skill to maneuver a trailer on technical trails. Some trailers, like Hiker Trailer’s Extreme Off Road Deluxe model, are overland-specific and have modified suspension systems that make them incredibly capable off-road. Trailers also allow you to unhitch and create a base camp, so you can use your tow vehicle to run into town for supplies, or drive to a trailhead without breaking down camp. Some trailers like Off Grid Trailers even include kitchen components, a shower, and ample sleeping space. However you choose to camp, the key is to keep your setup as simple as possible and make it easy to access your gear and break down camp to continue your trip.

Basic Camping Equipment

Chances are you already own all of the camping gear you’ll need. Overlanding doesn’t require any specialized camping gear, but the beauty of camping out of your rig is that you can afford to bring heavier stuff, like thick sleeping pads, blankets, and camp tables to make your experience more comfortable. Two things to consider are how you’ll be storing food and water. If you’re going out for a long weekend and won’t have access to more drinking water, you should bring at least seven gallons with you. That will ensure you and your trip mates have enough water to drink, do dishes, and rinse things off. Some people like to have access to a shower while overlanding, which can be easily done with something like a RoadShower. You can even make your own solar shower if you’re so inclined.

An overlander sits in a camping chair, tending to scrambled eggs in a skillet on a two-burner portable stove. Vegetables sauté in the a pan on the other skillet. A pack of sausages sit on a cooler in the foreground.

Food Storage

Someone stands with their back to the camera. They work on a laptop placed on a standing desk, which faces out of the back of a built-out van.

Coolers work perfectly fine to store food that needs to be refrigerated, but a popular upgrade for overlanders is an electric cooler. You can power one from your vehicle or a portable battery, and they’re particularly nice for overlanding because you won’t need to worry about melting ice and soggy food after several days of off-grid travel.

Recovery Gear

A close-up of vehicle shows a flat tire with a torque wrench wedged in the hub.

Recovery gear is also essential. Since you’ll be traveling on dirt roads, your vehicle may lose traction and get stuck in deep mud, sand or snow at some point. You should be prepared to get yourself or another vehicle unstuck. A winch on the front bumper is a great choice, but at the very least you’ll want to have a recovery kit with tow straps, and a set of MaxTrax. MaxTrax are traction boards you slide under your tires to give you more traction. It gives them something to grip onto when they’re spinning freely and not moving your vehicle anywhere. They work incredibly well thanks to the raised “teeth” that give your tires something to dig into, and they are built to last for decades without wearing out.

Trip Planning Tips

Once you get all of your gear sorted, it’s time for a trip. You can start with a day trip to ease into things, and then plan a two-day, one-night weekend trip after that, so you don’t have to worry about packing too many supplies and can instead focus on having fun. Pick an easy, well-known, and well-driven route for your first trip, like the Valley of the Gods road near Mexican Hat, Utah, or a trip to North Carolina’s South Core Banks. That way if you run into trouble or have some sort of mechanical problem, there’s a better chance of someone being able to help you.

Travel with another vehicle, especially on your first few trips so that if something happens to you or your vehicle you’ll have help and can avoid a long hike out. It’s also wise to check whether there will be cell service along your route in case you need to call for a tow or other assistance.

Start simple when it comes to route choice. If you don’t live near any famous overland routes, start by finding dispersed campsites on nearby public lands or by finding Forest Service roads in an area you’ve wanted to visit and create your own route. Make sure to pack light, keep it simple, and most importantly, bring plenty of good food. Finally, don’t stress too much about the gear; the beauty of overlanding is in the journey itself and the simple joy of having an adventure.

If you’re excited about overlanding and want to hear more, listen to our interview with Lifestyle Overland on the Out and Back podcast, sponsored by Gaia GPS.

January 9, 2023

Gaia GPS Hikes Offroading

Our 2023 Travel Bucket List

by Abby Levene November 21, 2022

written by Abby Levene

Happiness experts say that it’s better to receive an experience than something material. So we rounded up the trips we’re dreaming of taking to gift your loved ones this holiday season.

Outside editors have ambitious travel bucket lists and are always on the move. When asked what trips they’d most like to receive as gifts this year, our colleagues knew exactly what to say.

1. Svalbard

Sightseeing in Svalbard (Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/Getty)

I can’t think of a more festive holiday gift than a trip to Svalbard, the northernmost settlement on the planet, just 650 miles from the North Pole. Although I’ve seen headlines about this arctic archipelago for years, when Outside columnist Emily Pennington wrote to me about her recent trip there this fall, I immediately added it to my bucket list. (Of course, I’d postpone my trip until summer when temperatures hover around 40 degrees.)

I’d spend at least a couple nights in a tent at Longyearbyen Camping (from $17)—you can rent camping gear right on site!—taking polar plunges in the Advent Fjord and exploring glaciers by hiking Sarkofagen Mountain. A trip to Svalbard wouldn’’t be complete without a dog sledding adventure; Green Dog offers tours by sled and wheels, along the snow and sea, depending on when you visit (from $95). After a few days of roughing it, I’d book a stay at the Funken Lodge (from $200), complete with a sauna, champagne tasting, and an old mining-cafeteria-turned-restaurant.

Key gear: I wouldn’t make this trip without my Women’s Intraknit Merino Fleece hoodie ($240), a cozy, wool zip-up with ample airflow that makes it perform for hiking, but cute enough that it’ll blend in around town. — Abigail Wise, digital managing director

2. Japan

The snow-capped Mount Yotei, a dormant volcano in Niseko, Japan (Photo: Stefan Irvine/Getty)

I recently got married, and in lieu of a traditional gift registry, we asked for guests to contribute to our dream, once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon trip to Japan in February. We’ll start out in Tokyo, where we plan to visit multiple vintage clothing stores and cookware shops. (I hope to procure a nice, Japanese-made chef’s knife at the latter.) After that, it’s a bullet train to Kyoto to visit some temples and shrines and enjoy the (relative) tranquility of the city after bustling Tokyo. Lastly, we’ll be flying to Niseko, where we hope to catch one of the country’s famous snow festivals and—of course—ski the famous Japanese powder at Niseko United.

We’ll be eating and drinking our way through the country, making sure to block out plenty of time for tasting sake, regional dishes, and konbini snacks in each city.

You don’t need a newly minted marriage license to enjoy this trip, though: Gift it to yourself by buying two tickets to Tokyo (around $1,200 from Denver), four nights at the Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka hotel (around $130/night), four nights at Ace Hotel Kyoto (around $170/night), three nights at The Green Leaf Niseko Village (around $130/night) and two, $105 two-day passes at Niseko United (or you can use your Ikon pass, as we plan on doing). — Kelsey Lindsey, senior editor

3. Salmon River, Idaho

Whitewater rafting, Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, United States (Photo: Merrill Images/Getty)

I want to go on a rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho with the outfitter Oars (from $3399) and its expert guides so that I don’t have to worry about a thing. I’ve been craving being out in stunning wilderness on water, to get a breather from the relentless grind of Slack, social media, and bad news.

The Middle Fork is a classic trip. I’ve seen photos from friends’ outings on it over the years and can’t believe how serene and gorgeous it looks. You need to get yourself to Stanley, Idaho, and from there you take a bush flight with Oars to the put-in on the river. There are Class III to IV rapids, gorgeous riverside sandy beaches to camp on, hiking, hot springs, and historic stops along the way.

Key Gear: I’d definitely pack a pair of sunglasses that will protect my eyes from the sun and water’s glare, like the Costa Caletas. — Mary Turner, deputy editor

4. Coastal Maine

The rocky shores of Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine (Photo: John Greim/Getty)

The trip I’d most like to be given in 2023 is a journey home. I spent my formative years on the coast of Maine, and developed a love for the outdoors in the Pine Tree State’s woods and waterways. I haven’t spent time on those trails, rivers and bays for over twenty years. I miss the crash of waves against the shore, the smell of fresh, salty air, and the rugged beauty of the rocky shores.

I’d cover my airfare to Portland, and the rental car to drive up the coast, if someone will gift me my lodging and equipment rentals. I’d love two nights at Camden’s Grand Harbor Inn (from $200 a night), where I’d run the trails of Camden Hills State Park and rent a kayak ($60 an hour from Maine Sport Outfitters) to explore the harbor and islands in the afternoon. Then on to my youthful home town of Bucksport, where I’d run the rolling, wooded 10-mile loop of Verona Island where I first learned my love of going long, before driving on to Mount Desert Island.

I’d need three to four nights at the Bar Harbor Inn (from $240/night for ocean view) to get in all the activities: biking Acadia National Park’s loop road above granite cliffs ($35/day from Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop), canoeing on Great Long Pond ($38/ 3 hours at National Park Canoe Rental), climbing Cadillac Mountain, and running the miles of groomed carriage roads around the park’s lakes and hills.

Key gear: Since my running surfaces on the trip will range from paved roads to gravel paths, with a few rocky trails, I’ll need to pack a versatile pair of shoes like the Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Adventure. — Jonathan Beverly, senior running gear editor

5. Marin County, California

There are SoCal beach-goers and then there are NorCal ones; my family falls into the latter group, happily. Which is why we’re gifting ourselves a trip to Marin County for a long weekend next fall, when the weather is glorious. We’ll split our time between residential Stinson Beach, where my husband can surf-cast while my teenage daughter and I relax and roam the wide, 3.5-mile-long beach or spend an afternoon hiking the lush Dipsea Trail, and Marshall, another scenic outpost just 30 minutes from the choice clamming grounds of Bodega Bay (a daily permit of $17.50 is required for fishing or clamming).

In Stinson, we’ll stay at the century-old Sandpiper Lodge (from $280 for three people); it’s steps from the shore, trailhead, and a neighboring café with hearty hot breakfasts. In Marshall, up the coast on Tomales Bay, I’ve been eyeing the recently renovated Nick’s Cove, with 12 cabins overlooking the water (from $375 per night) and a sweet little restaurant at the end of a pier featuring a seasonal menu that will have your mouth watering if you’re in the area for seafood (and who’s not?). Four days of sandy beaches, salty air, and shells and fog and seaweed never seem like enough—but they’re all solid reasons for many returns.

Key gear: Mud boots, for both surf-casting and clamming, are a must. My family likes Bogs—my husband for its simple lines and my daughter for the colorful patterns. — Tasha Zemke, associate managing editor

6. The Ozarks, Arkansas

The Boston Mountains in the Ozarks (Photo: Paul Knightly/Getty)

Covered with hardwood forests and split by sheer sandstone river bluffs and quiet valleys, Arkansas’ Ozarks are a world away from the Appalachians or the Sierra, but they’re every bit as compelling. I’ve dreamed about hiking the Ozark Highlands Trail ever since the first time I set foot in those woods. Parts of the trail are still roadwalks or bushwhacks, but if you have 10 to 14 days free, you can get a taste of the best the path has to offer on the 164-mile Boston Mountains segment, which covers the trail’s most rugged peaks.

Start at the trail’s western terminus at Lake Fort Smith (closest airport: Fort Smith, which has daily flights from Dallas-Fort Worth; $380-450 at the time of writing). From there, meander east through deep hollows and over forested peaks, tagging the 2,382-foot summit of Hare Mountain, the trail’s high point, along the way. Your journey ends with a bang by traversing Richland Creek Wilderness, home to more than 30 waterfalls, including the 78-foot-high Terry Keefe Falls.

Tip: Camping is easy—you can pitch a tent (I’d want to bring an ultralight model like the Zpacks Duplex, starting at $699, along with a quilt like the REI Co-op Magma Trail Quilt 30, $329 and a good old Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite Sol, $55) along most of the trail, as long as you’re 200 feet away from the treadpath or any water source—but resupplying is not. With few to no grocery stores within walking distance, your best bet is to mail food to post offices along the trail.

Key gear: Ask a friend or family member to send you resupply boxes. My gourmet wishlist includes a few nice meals from Stowaway Gourmet, $16 each, and vegan jerky from Beyond Meat, $4 for a 3 ounce bag. — Adam Roy, executive editor of Backpacker

7. Tuscany, Italy

Gravel biking in Tuscany (Photo: Zodebala/Getty)

Every spring, just as winter is loosening its grip, something magical happens in Central Italy. Emerging from hibernation, the pro cycling peloton winds through the olive groves and 1,000-year-old vineyards of Tuscany in a spectacular one-day race known as Strade Bianche. Surging up and down the eponymous “white roads” of the Bel Paese, the hilly course is a romantic’s dream—a throwback to the days when all races took place on gravel and ended with a heaping bowl of pasta, a hunk of crusty bread, and a bottle of Montepulciano or Chianti.

In my version of the dream, I join a guided 7-day tour with InGamba, a boutique operator founded and staffed by former pros who love fine food and conversation almost as much as they adore two-wheeled adventures. I’d draft behind Tour de France legend (and lead guide) Eros Poli as our small group of 8-10 riders rolled out of Florence, threading our way day-by-day through small villages and ancient ruins on cypress-lined roads.

Supported by a team of mechanics who tune and wash InGamba’s top-of-the-line fleet of Pinarello Grevils every morning, I’d dine on local delicacies each night, laughing with riders from all over the world around rustic tables in small, family-operated restaurants. And of course I’d show off the coating of fine white dust that’s the best souvenir of a Strade Bianche experience.

InGamba trips aren’t cheap—$6,950 for this one—but they’re worth every penny for the team’s local knowledge, impeccable attention to detail, and first-class food, drink, and lodging. Each rider receives a custom kit (which is washed and returned to you every night), but since a bike is provided there’s little gear to worry about.

Key gear: A broken-in pair of quality gravel shoes like the Specialized S-Works Recon Vent Evo. Oh, and a bottle of ibuprofen for the morning after all that Chianti. — Jon Dorn, VP of strategy at Outside, Inc.

This article was originally published on Outside Online.

November 21, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To Offroading

Five Incredible Road Trips Perfect for Fall

by Megan Michelson September 27, 2022

written by Megan Michelson

We asked Andrew Collins, author of the new book ‘Ultimate Road Trips: USA and Canada,’ to reveal his favorite fall road trips. From underrated national parks in Utah to classic leaf peeping in New England, here’s his intel on where to go and what to do.

Fall is the perfect time for a road trip. Temperatures are cooler, so you can drive with the windows down. Peak summer crowds have gone back to work and school, and off-season deals abound. Plus, you’ll be treated to fall foliage, you-pick orchards, and autumn festivals.

But figuring out where to go is always a challenge. For suggestions, we called up self-proclaimed nomad and seasoned traveler Andrew Collins, author of the recently published guidebook Ultimate Road Trips: USA and Canada. Collins has been road tripping since he was a kid in his family’s wood-paneled 1969 Ford Country Squire station wagon. His book features dozens of detailed itineraries, but he picked the five best suited to take in the fall.

“There are famous destinations to see fall foliage, but at that time of year, you’ll be able to find beautiful colors in a lot of lesser-known places as well,” Collins says. Here, he offers a few must-see sites along each route, but grab a copy of his book for more complete route suggestions, plus additional lodging and dining options along the way. Now all you have to do is hit the road.

1. Get Off the Beaten Path in California

Winding through San Luis Obispo’s verdant farmland (Photo: Mimi Ditchie Photography/Getty)

Wineries dot much of the California coast, and you can’t go wrong with a road trip on the northern or southern end of Highway 1 or Highway 101. But consider focusing your fall road trip on the lesser-visited central coast, hitting low key towns like San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, which have ideal weather in the fall, so you can combine wine tasting, hiking, and a day at the beach. “Several of these roads you can follow from town connect with the coast,” Collins says.

Start in Los Angeles and head 175 miles north to San Luis Obispo, known for its year-round Thursday night farmers’ market downtown. Collins recommends Old SLO BBQ Co. for its Santa Maria-style barbecue and overnight lodging at Hotel Cerro (from $399), which has a rooftop pool and in-house brasserie.

From there, drive Highway 101 over Cuesta Pass, stopping at the Ancient Peaks Winery for a tasting and for wildlife or foraging tours at Margarita Adventures. The next town worth posting up in: Paso Robles, 30 miles north of San Luis Obispo on Highway 101. “Paso Robles has an incredible restaurant scene, all within walking distance,” Collins says.

It’s worth it to take a short detour to the coast and drive a stretch on Highway 1, visit the elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas Rookery, then take a tour of the hilltop and historic Hearst Castle. From there, it’s back to Highway 101 north for 150 miles to reach Pinnacles National Park, which has 30 miles of trails with views of the park’s famous rocky spires. “That’s a great place to combine hiking and wine tasting,” Collins says.

2. Take a Classic New England Foliage Tour

The ultimate leaf peeping in the Berkshires in Massachusetts

You can’t beat New England in the fall. “The maple trees are the most dramatic with changing colors, especially in northern Vermont and New Hampshire,” Collins says. “Plus, there are harvest festivals, Oktoberfest festivals, all the different apple orchards and cider makers and pumpkin patches.”

Collins suggests starting in Burlington, Vermont—three and a half hours from Boston—with a night at the upscale Hotel Vermont (from $439), and a dinner of earthy, seasonal fare at Hen of the Wood, next door.

From there, head south on U.S. Route 7, stopping at the farm store and for a walk along the pastoral grounds at Shelburne Farms. Your destination for the night is Manchester, Vermont, 100 miles south of Burlington, where you can visit the American Museum of Fly Fishing, drive to the top of 3,855-foot Mount Equinox, the highest peak in the range, and post up for the night at the Taconic (from $221), a boutique hotel with wrap-around porches.

Next stop is the Berkshires, in Massachusetts. Spend a morning hiking up 3,491-foot Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in the state, and refueling afterward at the Lost Lamb Café, in Stockbridge. End your trip in Litchfield, Connecticut, where you can birdwatch from the 4,000-acre White Memorial Conservation Center. “With perfect town greens and white-steepled churches, Litchfield is a classic New England town,” Collins says.

3. Check Out Southern Utah’s National Parks

Capitol Reef National Park has fewer crowds than other Utah parks.

Start in Salt Lake City and point your car south: it’s 230 miles to Arches National Park. “Fall is the perfect season for exploring the five national parks of Utah, all in the southern part of the state,” Collins says. “Summer can be hot there and winter you may not be able to access everything, and fall is primetime for the scenery, with cottonwoods and aspens turning at higher elevations.”

The Mighty Five, as Utah’s national parks are called, can be excessively crowded, so plan ahead and check entry requirements before you go. Arches National Park requires reservations, but that’s lifted in early October. “If you’re trying to do the parks like Zion and Bryce and Arches that are suffering from overcrowding, fall can be a slightly quieter time to go,” Collins says. “Though plenty of people still know it as the time to go.” In Arches, head to Devils Garden for some of the park’s best hiking trails.

Back on the road, take in a view of the sandstone hoodoos in Goblin Valley State Park, then grab a roadside lunch at Stan’s Burger Shackin Hanksville, before heading to Capitol Reef National Park. “It’s the most underrated,” Collins says. Book a room at the Chuckwagon Lodge (from $118), near the park entrance in the town of Torrey, where you can have dinner with a view of the red rock mountains at Hunt and Gather.

Cap off your Utah road trip with a stop at Bryce Canyon National Park. Be sure to drive the Southern Scenic Drive, an 18-mile stunning roadway that starts from the main park entrance and ends at the overlook at Rainbow Point. Collins recommends the short, beautiful hike into the canyon along the Queens Garden Trail, accessible from Sunrise Point. Stay at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon (from $183), the only lodging inside the park.

4. Cruise Around Lake Michigan

We recommend a chilly dip in Lake Michigan on this road trip. (Photo: Ed Reschke)

Lake Michigan has excellent fall foliage as well, and a drive around the northern edges of the lake feels like truly getting away. “There are these beautiful small towns that you’ll want to hide away in for days,” Collins says. Head to Wisconsin’s Door County, 150 miles from Milwaukee or 245 miles from Chicago. Collins recommends the charming towns along the peninsula’s western shore, including Egg Harbor, Ephraim, and Sister Bay, for their you-pick orchards and boutique lodging, like the Scandinavian-style Dörr Hotel (from $229), in Sister Bay.

Back on the road, pass through Green Bay and head north on the scenic U.S. 41 and U.S. 2, which hug the northern shores of Lake Michigan, eventually making your way to the western shore of Michigan, some 300 miles away. Collins’ tip: stop for chicken pot pie at the Good Hart General Store before pushing onto the lakefront town of Harbor Springs, where home base is the 105-room Inn at Harbor Bay (from $347), located waterfront in Little Traverse Bay.

“Harbor Springs is this cute little boating town with great hiking around it,” Collins says. “There’s a road there called the Tunnel of Trees that takes an hour to drive. It’s literally a tunnel of deciduous trees that change colors in the fall.”

While you’re there, go for a swim from the white sand beach at Zorn Park Beach downtown, then enjoy a cruise on a restored wooden boat that used to serve as a local water taxi, followed by a seafood lunch at Stafford’s Pier. From Harbor Bay, it’s a six-hour back drive to Chicago to complete the circumnavigation of Lake Michigan.

5. Go from City to Mountains in Québec

The lakeside village of Mont Tremblant in Quebec (Photo: Marc Guitard/Getty)

“Québec is a French speaking province, and it’s a very different experience,” Collins says. “It’s a cliché at this point, but traveling here feels like an opportunity to see France without getting on a plane over the Atlantic.” The draw of this road trip is it hits both rural and urban destinations and fall colors will be on display here as well. “Montréal and Québec City have lovely parks and tons of trees, but you’re also in a great city, so you can enjoy the restaurants and culture,” Collins says.

Start off in Mont-Tremblant, a lakefront ski resort with European-style lodging and a lively village. The panoramic gondola offers lift-accessed hiking and mountain biking until October 16 from the top of the highest peak in the Laurentians, and there’s live music on weekends at the base around Place Saint Bernard’s fireplace for much of the fall.

Stay overnight in the mid century-style Uville Hotel (from $209) in historic Old Montréal. Continue your journey along Highway 10 east from Montréal. Collins recommends stopping in the town of Bromont to visit the climbing gym slash café known as Backbone, a community gathering place with exceptional coffee and ramen in the heart of what’s known as the Eastern Townships. Then take a tour of the Haskell Free Library, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border (with entrances from either country) and was founded in 1901. Take a brisque swim in nearby Lake Memphremagog or push on for a hike in Mont-Orford National Park.

Finish up in Lower Town of Québec City. “That’s the really historic spot where the city began,” Collins says. “You’ll find historic buildings with beautiful sidewalk cafes that’ll still have outdoor seating in the fall.” Book a room at the Hotel Pur (from $208).

This article was originally published by Outside. Outside and Gaia GPS are both owned by Outside Inc.

September 27, 2022

Overland rig drives on dirt road with mountains in the background.

Adventures Gaia GPS Offroading

Discover the Best Maps for Overlanding

by Chris Kracht September 13, 2022

written by Chris Kracht

Overlanding lets you get off the beaten path — if you know where to look. That’s where Gaia GPS comes in. Taking the best maps along for the ride ensures that you enjoy optimal freedom as you explore the backroads and beyond. Plan ahead on gaiagps.com/map and use the Gaia GPS app for navigating while in the field.

Gaia GPS has over 18 maps useful for offroading and overlanding. You can even connect Gaia GPS with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to bring the best outdoor maps directly to your vehicle’s dashboard navigation screen. Below, learn about the best maps for overlanding, including how and why you should use them.

Gaia Overland

Meet your new go-to map! Gaia Overland puts all the roads, trails, public land boundaries, and all the other info you need in one place. Designed in-house, Gaia Overland sources 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 to show you road surface type, vehicle constraints, closure info, road numbers, permitted vehicles, mileage markers, public land boundaries, and campsite info. Like our default base map Gaia Topo, Gaia Overland boasts an efficient download size. This means entire states can be downloaded for offline use, which is incredibly useful for overlanders who regularly travel long distances over the course of a trip.

USFS Roads and Trails

USFS Topo map of Lizard head Wilderness Area

pop up description of trail usage regulations for Black Mesa - 661

One of the best maps for offroading, the United States Forest Service (USFS) Roads and Trails layer indicates maintained routes, 4×4 trails, backroads, and little-known paths across U.S. national forests and grasslands.

USFS Roads and Trails often displays more roads and trails than any other map. Use this layer to find information on the road surface, maintenance level, and trail width. Click or tap on a road or trail for information on if it’s passenger vehicle-friendly and to find out the surface material. Additionally, color-coded trails indicate which activities, like hiking, biking, or motorized sports, are allowed on each trail. Just tap a trail to learn more.

MVUM – Motor Vehicle Use Maps

Motor Vehicle Use Map of Lizard Head Wilderness Area

pop up indicating vehicle use for Black Mesa - 611 road

The Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) layer uses data from the Forest Service to bring vehicle-accessible roads to maximum visibility on the map. As a supplement to the USFS Roads and Trails layer, MVUM maps indicate which type of vehicles are allowed on a road or trail. It also provides information on seasonality, usage, and the condition of various roads. Just tap or click on the route to learn more.

The MVUM layer typically contains the most up-to-date information on which Forest Service roads are open to motor vehicles, which helps ensure you don’t break any rules or drive where you aren’t supposed to. Not all USFS lands have an MVUM, but this map data serves as the legal standard for trail access. Modeled off of paper maps MVUM makes it easy to compare and switch seamlessly between paper and digital.

Public Land

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The Public Land layer helps you find places to camp on BLM land, and identify land ownership like national parks and forests across the US. Pair the public lands layer with USFS to find free campsites as you travel off the grid.

Private Land

Avoid trespassing and double-check that your camp spot is on legal ground with the Private Land map. Place this transparent overlay on top of any base map, like Gaia Overland or Satellite Imagery, to see land boundaries and ownership. View ownership information and parcel sizes by clicking on the map.

Satellite Imagery

Screen Shot 2020-08-25 at 9.22.22 AM.png

Seeing a photographic overview of an area provides key details that topo maps leave out. Our suite of satellite imagery maps help you discover potential camping spots and small secondary trails that lead to open areas. These map give a clear view of the landscape, making it easy to scout out clearings for dispersed, unmarked, and/or hard-to-find campsites. Choose from maps with or without labels.

Cell Phone Use Coverage

Screen Shot 2020-08-26 at 10.10.28 AM.png

The Cell Phone Use Coverage map provides insight into whether you can access internet or send texts while exploring the back roads. Track where you can find cell service anywhere in the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Find out where your network provides 3G and LTE coverage for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Southern Linc carriers.

USFS 2016

Screen Shot 2020-08-25 at 9.22.04 AM.png

The USFS 2016 map contains full, detailed topographic coverage of all 172 national forests and grasslands in the US. Easy-to-read Forest Service road numbers make route planning simple. This up-to-date, rasterized map available from the US Forest Service includes labeled trails, roads, and vegetation shading. Also plan hiking, backpacking, camping, off-roading, hunting, or fishing trips.

USFS Recreation Sites

Screen Shot 2020-08-25 at 9.23.10 AM.png

If you’re not looking for dispersed camping, the USFS Recreation Sites layer provides easily identifiable established campsites, visitor centers, trailheads, and other points of interest on national forests and grasslands throughout the U.S. Tap or click on a site to learn about fees, access restrictions, and more. This layer is particularly useful if you are arriving in a new area late at night and need to quickly find a campsite, or just want to find some things to do during the day near your base camp.

Explore More Maps for Overlanding

Wildfires (current)
View current fire conditions before heading out on the trail by using the current Wildfires layer over any base map. 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.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated
The National Geographic Trails Illustrated layer displays offroad trails, hiking trails and trailheads, camping locations, picnic areas, and more. It’s especially useful for visiting national parks with off-road trail access like Death Valley National Park.

USGS Topo
The USGS Topo layer includes the official topo maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Another detailed topographical map layer, it can be used in conjunction with the Gaia Topo layer to compare trails and points of interest.

Precipitation Forecast – Available in 24, 48, and 72-hour views
Precipitation forecasts help determine general weather patterns. This layer is great for overlanding because the nature of a dirt road can change drastically when it becomes wet; what may have been an easy drive on the way to camp may quickly turn impassable after a storm.

September 13, 2022

Gaia team plus the Staples at Overland Expo

Gaia GPS Offroading

Feedback, Friends, and Fuel at Overland Expo Mountain West

by Abby Levene August 31, 2022

written by Abby Levene

From August 26 to 28, a contingent of the Gaia GPS team camped out in Loveland, Colorado, where we filled our souls with joy, brains with knowledge, and shoes with the enormous amounts of dust blowing across the plains at Overland Expo Mountain West. As one of the premier overlanding event series in the world, Mountain West brings the overlanding community together for a weekend of learning, ogling rigs, connecting, and spending time outside.

Learning from the Pros

Huge thank you to our partners who helped out at the booth and taught top-level lessons on using Gaia GPS. Sonya and Necota Staples of Staples InTents held “how to get started with Gaia GPS” sessions in which they covered app navigation, how to find the most useful map layers for overlanding, and how to download maps for offline use. We loved hearing their story about how Gaia GPS powered their overlanding adventures around Africa. It’s so cool to see our hard work behind the screen being put into action around the globe!

Matt, Cara, and Goose of Ozark Overland Adventures also conducted powerful lessons on using Gaia. They told an incredible story about how our new Gaia Overland map helped them discover one of the best campsites they’ve ever seen. Feeling some expo FOMO? Check out Staples InTents and Ozark Overland Adventures Youtube channels to catch up on all the action and to learn how they take their adventures to the next level with Gaia GPS.

Now we’re back to work, incorporating your feedback on how to make Gaia GPS even better for your adventures. Stay tuned for product improvements, new features and maps, and upcoming lessons on how to get the most out of the app and gaiagps.com. In the meantime, keep in touch with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Feature photo courtesy of the Staples.

August 31, 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

Monique Song, Overland Lady, Arctic Circle

Gaia GPS Gaia GPS Offroad Podcast Offroading User Profiles

Monique Song: How a City Girl Became the Overland Lady

by Abby Levene April 7, 2022

written by Abby Levene

What do you do when you’re unhappy in your corporate job? You hit the road and drive…all the way to Australia. That’s how Monique Song found her way into offroading and eventually becoming the beloved Overland Lady. In a traditionally male-dominated pastime, Monique challenges gender, racial, and cultural norms on her solo adventures around the world.

Monique ended up spending a year traversing Australia’s remote landscapes with “Altar,” her Toyota Landcruiser. It was in the land Down Under that she started Overland Lady, a blog about her inspiring adventures.

Monique’s journey to traveling around the world on four wheels was far from given. Born and raised in China, she felt the heavy weight of expectations from her culture and her parents. And yet, Monique found she was happiest on her weekend getaways from her home in Vancouver, BC, to the mountains.

“On every trip, the part I dreaded most was coming back,” Monique says. “Looking at a city from afar I would think, ‘oh man, back to real life.’ That’s when I started to realize that maybe I liked the life out there on the mountain.”

When the opportunity to travel from Canada to Australia arose, she jumped on it. From Australia, Monique headed to the Arctic. Since then, she’s joined the rollover club and totaled her rig on Alaska’s Dempster Highway. While Monique is not afraid to get her hands dirty and her rig destroyed, she infuses her personal sense of femininity into her wild lifestyle. Monique attests it’s important to her to wear makeup and do her hair, even when hundreds of miles from another human.

“As an overlander, you tend to become a bum over time,” Monique explains. “You rarely shower. You don’t shave. And really over time you start to look sloppy. This is my way of keeping myself accountable in terms of hygiene.”

Get the full inside scoop on Monique’s makeup philosophy plus find out what rigs she’s eyeing next on the Gaia GPS Offroad podcast. You’ll also get her best tips on how to ease yourself into traveling alone in new places. Follow along on Monique’s adventures by following her on Instagram and YouTube and by checking out her blog, Overland Lady.

April 7, 2022

Gaia GPS How-To Offroading

How to Air Down Off-Road Tires for Overlanding

by Bryan Rogala March 23, 2022

written by Bryan Rogala

Overlanding upgrades often include expensive add-ons like lockers, a winch, or a new suspension. But there is a simple upgrade that will improve your vehicle’s traction, and it doesn’t have to cost a penny. Try airing down your tires.

Traction starts and ends at your tires and improves your vehicle’s off-road capability immensely. If your tires don’t have traction then it doesn’t matter how advanced your vehicle’s traction control system is or how much money you’ve dumped into other modifications. Airing down, or letting air out of your tires to reduce the pressure, increases a tire’s contact patch on the ground. Under the right conditions, airing down provides more traction and a smoother ride.

Read on to learn how to gauge tire pressure, the different methods for airing down, tools to make it easy, and how to air back up when you hit the pavement.

How Low Can You Go? Airing Down Your Tires

First, let’s talk about air pressure in general. There’s no hard and fast rule on what pressure you should air down to, and most tire manufacturers won’t give recommendations for liability reasons. Choosing how much air to let out of your tires will largely depend on your specific vehicle and tires, what street pressure you run, and your driving preferences. In general, lighter vehicles, like a Subaru Forester or Jeep Wrangler, can run lower air pressures off-road than a larger vehicle.

person kneeling next to jeep letting air out of tire while other person looks on. Several cars in background with other overlanders standing near

The best guide I’ve found is from Jonathan Hanson, a writer and adventurer who co-founded Overland Expo and Overland Journal. As a rough starting place, Hanson recommends dropping pressure by 25% for general off-road driving on rough dirt roads, washboard. and moderate trails, 30-35% for traction on slick-rock and difficult trails, and up to 50% for surfaces like very soft sand.

Let’s use my 06 Power Wagon as an example. I run about 44 PSI in the front tires and 54 PSI in the rear on the street, and going by the guide above I should be running around 30 PSI in the front and 40 PSI in the rear on most easy off-road terrain. I can go as low as 22 PSI upfront for deep sand. Remember, that’s just a starting point: figuring out the best pressure for your rig will take some testing to see what works best.

Tire Choice

Before diving into the nitty-gritty on how to air down, let’s talk about tire choice. Tires are the most important piece of the traction puzzle, and the tires you put on your vehicle can make the difference in how far down the dirt road you venture.

All-terrain tires work best for overlanding, offering a durable tread compound and burly sidewalls. These elements help protect the tires from punctures and other damage while driving off-pavement and also makes them better suited to airing down. When you reduce the pressure in your tires, the sidewalls flex, providing more tread in contact with the ground. Stiffer, stronger sidewalls allow you to air the tire down more with less worry about damage.

The Toyo’s Open Country A/T III, which I run on my truck, or BF Goodrich’s All Terrain T/A K02, provides an upgrade in off-road traction compared to the stock all-season tires that come on most crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. Thanks to a more aggressive tread pattern that has more bite, these tires perform well in loose dirt and rocks. Despite being more aggressive, they still work very well on pavement and remain quiet on the highway.

Three Methods for Airing Down

The Cheap Method

Pressure gauge letting air out of a tire

Tire gauges, like the small, pen-shaped devices that are available at most gas stations, will measure PSI and let air pressure out of your tires at a low cost. To use the tire gauge, depress the valve core and monitor the pressure gauge until you let the desired amount of air out of your tire, and repeat the process for each tire. You can also use a stick or other slim object like a pen if you’re in a bind, being careful not to let too much air out.

The biggest drawback of the tire gauge method is that, depending on your tire pressure, it takes a long time and you’ll only be able to deflate one tire at a time. There are several tools to consider to make it easier on yourself.

The Fast and Precise Method

To reduce time spent airing down, many overlanders use ARB’s E-Z Deflator. This tool removes the valve core (the mechanism that prevents air from escaping the tire) and lets you decrease pressure from your tire faster, saving you a ton of time at the trailhead. While you can remove the valve core yourself, you risk losing the valve core and ending up with a flat tire. The E-Z Deflator encases the valve core inside of it, ensuring you won’t lose it, and uses a built-in pressure gauge so that you won’t miss your mark when airing down. Unfortunately, using this method means you still only deflate one tire at a time.

Person sitting next to Toyota Tacoma using an E-Z deflator to let the air out of the passenger side Toyota.

The Automatic Method

Use automatic tire deflators to let the air out of more than one tire at once. Automatic tire deflators screw onto your tire’s valve stem and automatically let the air out of the tire until you reach your target pressure. First, you need need to set up your target tire pressure manually and then simply screw them on to your valve stems and let the tire deflators take the air out for you. When your tires reach the desired pressure, the deflators shut off and stop letting air out. This means you’re free to do other tasks and that you won’t have to worry about checking tire gauges. Here’s a great video on how to use automatic tire deflators. While at a higher price point this set from Staun has been proven over the years and is highly recommended.

If you want to make airing down even easier, consider another tool called an Indeflate. It’s a simple device with two air hoses that automatically equalizes the pressure in two tires and allows you to deflate or inflate two tires at once. It still takes the same amount of time that it would for your compressor to inflate two tires, but this tool will remove one step and pair down your airing down/up process even more.

Airing Back Up

Airing down provides a much more comfortable ride off road and gives you better traction, but running low pressure on the pavement is unsafe and robs you of fuel economy. Underinflated tires heat up on the pavement, especially at highway speeds, and are subject to blowouts and failures, so you must fill your tires back up when you leave the dirt. Driving slowly to a gas station with an air compressor works in a pinch, but you’re better off carrying an air compressor in your vehicle.

Air compressor cables hooked up to the battery of a car

There are many portable air compressors on the market designed for automotive use. I recommend a high-quality compressor that connects to your vehicle’s battery for maximum filling capacity. For filling up larger off-road tires you should look at one from VIAIR or ARB – like VIAIR’s excellent 400P. Avoid buying one of the small compressors that plug into your car’s 12v outlet; they just don’t have the power to fill up tires quickly, and once you realize how long it takes it’s unlikely you’ll ever air down again.

When you choose an air compressor, pay attention to the CFM (cubic feet per minute) rating and duty cycle. The CFM number refers to how much volume the compressor can move, and the duty cycle refers to how long the compressor can run before needing to shut down. I’ve used VIAIR’s 400P Automatic for years with great success, and it will fill one of my truck’s 35×12.5in tires from 15-30PSI in 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

Person kneeling next to vehicle managing the air tubes for a compressor in order to put air back into the tires.

Make Airing Down Easy and You’ll Do it More

After swapping on a set of all-terrain tires, airing down provides the biggest performance boost you can give your rig. The time it takes to air down prevents many people from skipping this step, despite the many benefits. With that in mind, make airing down easy and you’ll be more likely to do it. A set of automatic tire deflators and a good air compressor will accomplish that goal.

March 23, 2022

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