Gaia Topo, the world’s best backcountry navigation map, just got even better! Today, we rolled out a whole new version of our flagship map, chock-full of ground-breaking updates. Gaia Topo now includes more than 150,000 miles of additional National Forest 4×4 roads and trails, brand new worldwide tree cover and relief shading, and point-to-point mileage markers that show distances between trail segments. Dovetailed with a complete overhaul to the map’s style and design, these improvements make Gaia Topo the best map for planning and navigating on your next backcountry adventure.
Best of all, these updates won’t compromise Gaia Topo’s bedrock feature — downloading efficiency. You can expect the same industry-leading download speeds and tiny sizes that you’re used to seeing from Gaia Topo’s revolutionary design. Whether you’re overlanding across multiple states, sightseeing in a vast national park, or backpacking across hundreds of miles of wilderness, you can still download one huge section of the Gaia Topo map to cover your entire journey.
More than 150,000 Miles of Additional 4×4 Roads and Trails
Gaia Topo now has more 4×4 roads and trail networks than ever before. Create new hiking loops and link up endless miles of dirt roads with the addition of 150,000+ miles of USFS 4×4 roads and trails on the map. The new roads and trails connect seamlessly with existing ones on the map so you can build custom routes using Gaia GPS’s signature snap-to-trail planning tools. This update gives you a more complete picture of USFS roads and trails, letting you explore deeper into forest lands across the U.S.
Get Point-to-Point Mileage Markers on 4×4 Road and Trail Segments
No more guessing how far it is to the next trail junction. Gaia Topo now displays distances between all non-urban trails and 4×4 road segments to the nearest tenth of a mile or kilometer. These new point-to-point distance markers take the guesswork out of trip planning in the field. Simply glance at the map to get an accurate distance on 4×4 road and trail segments all around the world.
Use Gaia Topo (Meters) to get the same great mapping experience but with distances shown in kilometers and contours displayed in meters.
See Landscape Details with Shaded Relief on the Map
Mountains, valleys, plateaus, and canyons come to life with our brand new shaded relief feature on Gaia Topo. Built in-house, the new shaded relief adds depth to landscape features, letting you get a quick read on the terrain with just a glance at the map. Get tons of useful information about the earth’s surface from this new version of Gaia Topo, so you’ll know what to expect on your next backcountry adventure.
Find the Alpine with New Tree Cover Shading
Whether you’re backcountry skiing, overlanding to new heights, or hiking over mountain passes, you’ll be able to quickly spot the alpine with Gaia Topo’s new tree cover shading. The new tree cover shading shows you areas on the map that lie above treeline. Use Gaia Topo to find protected campsites under the forest canopy and get a sense of where you’ll be exposed to the elements on your next adventure anywhere in the world.
The new tree cover shading also distinguishes vegetation types. Subtle, verdant coloring on the map signifies mature forests, while a greenish-brown color depicts young, sparse forests and shrubs. Areas without shading indicate a lack of sizeable vegetation and could indicate grassy meadows, fields of talus, slick rock, sandy deserts, and more.
Trails, 4×4 Roads, Urban Streets, and Recreation Amenities Stand Out on the Map
New styling improvements give Gaia Topo a clean and crisp appearance that call attention to the map’s most important features. Find 4×4 roads and trails in a flash with a new emphasis on styling that makes these features pop on the map. The new updates also make transportation and recreational opportunities on public lands come into focus sooner so you won’t miss important stops along the way. Plus, new styling helps distinguish land ownership, making it easier to see if you’re on public or private lands.
The upgrades don’t stop at the city limits either. Urban areas now emphasize main thoroughfares and city streets, making it easier than ever to find your way from your driveway to the trailhead. The map showcases urban amenities, too. Gas stations and resupply spots stand out on the map as you roll into town after a long trip.
With style improvements to both road and trail features, Gaia Topo is the gold standard map for both urban and backcountry settings.
Gaia Topo is Available to Everyone
Access Gaia Topo on the web at www.gaiagps.com/map/ and in the Gaia GPS app on both Android and iOS. With Gaia Topo you can search for hikes in your area, record tracks in the field, and create a custom route on the map for free. Create a free account to save your routes and tracks so you can revisit them later.
Get a premium membership to download Gaia Topo and take the map offline with you in areas without cell service. A Premium Membership also gives you access to Gaia GPS’s entire map catalog. Download hundreds of maps, including National Geographic Trails Illustrated, high-resolution satellite maps, weather overlays, and government issued topo maps like USFS topo, all the USGS quad maps, and MVUMs.
The new version of Gaia Topo appears automatically on the map. However, if you’ve downloaded previous versions of Gaia Topo, you will need to download the map again to see the updates on your offline map. You’ll be reminded to download the latest version when you open the “Saved” tab in the Gaia GPS app. Look for a prompt at the bottom of the screen, letting you know that a new version of Gaia Topo is available.