Offline navigation
This page offers my recommendations for offline navigation services, and covers the following topics:
(1) My favorite offline navigation services (GaiaGPS and Ride with GPS)
(2) Navigation services I sometimes use (Avenza and Guru Maps)
(3) Other navigation services (e.g., CalTopo; Onyx Maps)
(4) Services not recommended for backcountry navigation (Apple Maps, Bing Maps, Google Maps)
(5) Why you cannot trust Google Maps, cue sheets, and turn-by-turn directions in the backcountry
(1) My favorite offline navigation services
My favorite service for offline navigation on my smartphone is GaiaGPS. I also like using Ride with GPS to create routes, and sometimes use it to navigate a route offline. To save your smartphone's battery when navigating offline, it is recommended to put your phone on Airplane mode.
GaiaGPS consists of an online catalog of maps that can be viewed via their website and on smartphones. You can annotate these maps with your own routes, waypoints, and geotagged photos. With paid subscription, you can download your maps for offline navigation. The catalog of maps includes a variety of topographic maps, including Gaia's own topographic map and the classic USGS topographic maps, satellite imagery, layers indicating land ownership, and much more.
For offline navigation I have downloaded onto my iPhone Gaia's own excellent topo map and the land ownership layers (public and private) for much of Oregon. It is always there when I need it.
I have also uploaded digital images of maps to Gaia as custom layers, including maps I have created and Starker Forests' maps. To learn how to add maps to your own GaiaGPS account, including ones I created, click here.
Members of the Mid-Valley Bicycle Club (MVBC) can receive a 20% discount on a paid GaiaGPS account.
Programs that are similar to GaiaGPS are CalTopo and Onyx Maps. The former is popular with hikers and search and rescue crews and the latter is popular with hunters.
RWGPS can be accessed for free on the web and within smartphone apps for iPhone and Android. It is my favorite service for for creating and sharing routes. With a paid subscription, you can download your routes for offline navigation. When creating a route in RWGPS, I recommend that you use Open Street Map as your base map, rather than Google Maps, as it is more accurate in the backcountry. If you are a MVBC member, you can download MVBC routes for offline navigation with a free RWGPS account. MVBC members also can receive a 20% discount on a paid RWGPS account.
(2) Navigation services I sometimes use
Two of the three services below offer databases of geotagged map images (Avenza and Maprika). Geotagging (aka georefrencing) is the process of adding data to a digital image of a map so that it can be used for offline navigation on a device (such as a smartphone).
Avenza is the largest and most sophisticated database of geotagged map images. Some are free and some you have to pay for. The app is available for Android and iPhone.
A smartphone app that can download offline maps based on Open Street Map (OSM). OSM is the "Wikipedia" for maps and is often more accurate than Google Maps in the backcountry. I have downloaded the entire state of Oregon to my iPhone and it doesn't take up much space.
(4) Services not recommended for backcountry navigation
Apple Maps and Bing Maps are poor imitations of Google Maps. Their coverage of backcountry areas is often incomplete and inaccurate. It is possible to download an area of Google Maps for a limited period of time for offline navigation, but I don't recommend it due to its unreliability and poor accuracy. Open Street Map is often more accurate in the backcountry than Google Maps, but it is not suitable for offline navigation unless you use Guru Maps.
Open Street Map (OSM) when used on a web browser. To use OSM for offline navigation use Guru Maps.
(5) Why you cannot trust Google Maps, cue sheets, and turn-by-turn directions in the backcountry
Follow the link above. Friends don't let friends... use Google Maps in the backcountry. ;-)
(6) Why I don't use Garmin or Wahoo
I haven't seen the need to. The only advantage I am aware of is battery life, but that can be addressed by putting my iPhone on Airplane mode and carrying an extra battery pack. I am open to feedback on what I am missing out on (email me at: routemaster@mvbb.info).