The Best Hiking and Backpacking Apps
I love a good app, especially a free app.
All but one of the apps below have a free version. While there are instances where it’s worth paying for a premium plan, most hikers and backpackers will find the free plans are a good place to start.
So load up on these apps, learn to read a map (and take a paper one with you), and head out there!
Top Hiking and Backpacking Apps
Best GPS (Navigation) App with offline maps: Hiking Project
Best GPS Pro App (worth paying for): Gaia GPS
Most underrated GPS App for Backpacking: Avenza
Best App for Safety: Cairn
Best App for Fun/Learning: Seek
How Apps Improve your Hiking/Backpacking Experience
Inspiration and New Places to Explore
How many times have found yourself heading out to the same old routes? Apps can help inspire you to find new trails, new loops, and new places to explore.
Learn as You Go
Ever wonder what that little yellow plant you keep passing is? There’s an app for that.
Or maybe you want to learn more about astrology and learn to identify Ursa Major. There’s an app for that too.
There’s so much to explore and learn.
Plan and Navigate
Sometimes the trail isn’t easy to follow, let alone find. Apps can help you locate the trailhead and determine which way to go at the unmarked turn.
Stay Safe
There are apps to help you log your location, find your location, and allow others to track you.
The Best Apps for Day Hikers
My recommendations: Gaia Free Version, Hiking Project, Seek
If you’re heading out on a day hike to known locations, you don’t need much in the way of apps. Most day hikers will need two navigation apps for the trails because redundancy is key.
The free versions will suffice for most. You’ll need to try them to see which ones you like best. I highly recommend Hiking Project. It’s not only free, but it works in many locations.
For fun, having an app like Seek to identify plants, is helpful.
The Best Apps for Backpackers
My recommendations: Gaia Premium Plan, Hiking Project, Seek, Cairn (if going solo)
I recommend backpackers have at least two navigation apps to find and stay on the trail, including one with a paid Premium or Pro version. It’s worth the peace of mind.
Personally, I use Hiking Project and I have the Premium version of Gaia. These two apps have served me well on every trip I’ve been on for the past two years.
Seek is also fun because I can’t identify plants to save my life and it’s always satisfying to find out what the pretty purple flowers are.
If you’re backpacking solo and in an unfamiliar area, consider allowing others to track your phone using its built-in function, or paying for an app like Cairn. A satellite device is also a smart move. You can see my comparison of the Zoleo and inReach Mini here.
Best GPS Navigation Apps for Backpackers and Hikers
Hiking and backpacking got a lot easier with the advent of GPS apps. Now you can see if you’re still on trail, and if not, how to get back to it. If you’ve downloaded the map, you can use them offline in airplane mode, which is even better.
Don’t forget you have to download the maps first. Most GPS apps require you to pay for the pro versions to unlock this function. Hiking Project is one of the most noted exceptions.
And using a phone for navigation requires caution and a backup plan. Your phone is not foolproof. Too many people with no experience, no map, and no ability to navigate head out assuming their phone will keep them on track.
What happens if the battery dies, it takes a dip in a stream, falls out of your pocket in a privy (it’s happened), or breaks? Without knowing your route, having a basic idea of where you are, or toting a paper map, you’re in trouble.
While your phone is a great tool, it’s just that, a tool. One of many you should have on your trip.
Pro Tip for Navigation
Before heading out on your hike, drop a pin, set a waypoint, whatever your app calls it, at the parking lot. Name it “car”.
If you become lost, at least you know the location of your car and can head in that direction, or note that the trail you are on is heading the wrong way.
It’s an easy way to prevent going around in circles.
Gaia GPS
Available for both IOS and Android.
Gaia became part of the Outside+ family earlier this year. Outside Inc. is home to Outside magazine, Backpacker, and more.
It uses OpenStreetMap data (OSM), an open-source, public mapping project to generate its maps.
You can use Gaia for free, pay for a premium plan with extra features, or pay for Gaia and add an Outside+ membership to get their magazines.
Gaia Free: The free plan allows you to plan your route, mark waypoints, and record your trip. It does not allow you to download a map to follow offline. Without downloading a map, it does tell you where you are, and in many cases, it has nearby trails.
Gaia Premium ($39.99/year): With the premium plan, you can create and download a custom map. The paid plan also opens additional maps including USFS and weather maps. You also get a yearly subscription to Outside with your annual Gaia subscription.
Which one would I choose? I have the Premium Gaia plan. I purchased it two years ago and have been happy with the service and how well the maps cover the areas I’m in. It’s also been relatively glitch-free.
Check out my comparison of AllTrails versus Gaia
AllTrails
Available for both IOS and Android.
AllTrails uses crowdsourcing to generate its maps.
You can use AllTrails for free or pay for their Pro plan.
AllTrails Free: With the free plan, you can explore maps, plan your trip, export files, leave reviews, and create custom maps. You can’t download maps to use offline.
AllTrails Pro ($29.99/year): The pro plan removes the ads and allows you to print maps. There are also real-time updates and trail conditions. AllTrails Pro also comes with Lifeline which keeps friends and family informed of your trip and expected timelines.
Which one would I choose? I had AllTrails Pro for a year and had issues with it being glitchy. It would crash and tell me the map wasn’t downloaded. Recently, I tested it again and found the same issue. I’ve also found the routes to be significantly off and others have said the same.
However, friends use it and haven’t had any issues. Like all navigation apps, I would start out with the free plan to test it out, then move to Pro.
Hiking Project
Available for both IOS and Android.
Hiking Project app was created by Adventure Projects which was bought by REI and then split off. It was later purchased by onX.
The information in the app is generated through crowdsourcing, however, they validate all information before it’s posted.
The app is free. You download your state map ahead of time and then you’re good to go. There’s no downloading a specific route. When you arrive at your location, turn it on and it will show your location and the trails in the area (even in airplane mode). It will continue to track you against the map, keeping you on trail.
I love this app. It works well here in North Carolina and the surrounding areas, including lesser-hiked trails in Slickrock Creek Wilderness. I’m continually shocked at how thorough this app is.
You can use the search function in the app to find a location and plan your trip. The big downside is that the search function is not good. Some places come up right away, and others you have to tinker around with various spellings and phrases to try and locate them. Once it’s up though, you can save it to favorites and you’re good to go.
Hiking Project also has great information about the trails and loops including a description, reviews, difficulty rating, and “need to know”.
The user interface isn’t always intuitive, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy.
This is my number one app for navigation. It’s perfect for hikers and backpackers.
FarOut (Guthook)
Available for both IOS and Android.
The maps are generated by trusted individuals and partner organizations. They are continually assessing and updating the information.
Originally an app for the Appalachian Trail, the company continued to grow and was renamed to FarOut. It now includes several trails throughout the US and International trails.
The app is free, however, you pay for the maps. Some trails are divided into sections where you can purchase a portion of the trail for a lesser fee than the entire trail. Prices vary depending on the trail.
What’s great is this is one of the few apps showing water sources. Fellow hikers can also leave comments, so you can click on a water source location and see if anyone has recently identified the status. This is key when hiking longer miles to help you plan water usage.
The user interface is not as friendly as I would like. While you can plan a trip using only part of the trail map, the system continually gets confused on whether you’re using the entire trail or just the “trip” you planned.
The more it updates, the more confused it gets.
If you’re through hiking one of the trails listed, it’s a good tool. For section hikes, it’s useful for the water information, but other apps have similar information. I would see what your current apps have first, then determine if you need it.
Google Maps
Available for both IOS and Android.
Google Maps? Yes, really.
The app is free and, while I wouldn’t rely on it as my sole backcountry navigation, in a pinch it can be helpful. Google Maps does list some trails via dotted lines. It’s also helpful if you’re completely lost and need to find a parking lot, or road.
This is a helpful tool for day hikers, especially if you’re in a park near civilization. Backpackers may find it helpful to find a nearby road in an emergency.
Avenza
Available for both IOS and Android.
This is a little confusing, but for certain locations, it’s the best GPS app and worth figuring out. The app itself is free, but it’s blank. You have to search for and purchase maps. The maps are created by various entities and you don’t necessarily know if they’re good or not. Previews are available, but they’re blurry and not helpful.
I’m recommending this app because the maps are sometimes free and very good. The person offering the map determines the cost.
Here in North Carolina, if you’re heading to Linville Gorge or Wilson Creek, this is your app. The maps for those locations are free in Avenza and the best I’ve ever seen. They were created by locals and have details not available through other apps.
Best Apps for Safety in the Backcountry
A word of caution before using the apps below. While geolocators can tell you where you are, either giving you GPS coordinates, or 3-word locations, that’s where they end. If you don’t have a signal, you cannot convey your location to a third party for help.
Always have a paper map and know how to use it. Leave a waypoint at your car so you can track back to it. And consider a satellite communication device if you’re going to locations with limited cell service for an extended time.
What3words
Available for both IOS and Android.
The app is free.
What3words divides the world into 3-meter square boxes, each denoted by a unique three-word combination. It’s much easier to relay this to emergency services than the long, difficult to read, GPS coordinates.
However, if your emergency services don’t use it, there’s a way to convert to GPS coordinates. Simply click on navigate and it will open your mapping app and provide the coordinates.
As noted above, while the app works offline, it will only provide you with the location information. The app cannot communicate with third parties, and if you have no signal, you will know your location but won’t be able to get help.
Cairn
Available for both IOS and Android.
Note: There is a difference in how the app sees airplane mode on IOS versus Android. You can learn more about how the app works on each phone here.
Cairn Free: Cairn is a map app that doubles as a safety app. When you have a signal, it will update your location and share your progress with a group of people you designate.
The app also provides crowdsourced information including where cell signal can be located on the trail.
Cairn Premium ($26.99/year): The premium version allows you to download maps for offline use and provides automatic overdue alerts to your safety circle.
If you travel solo frequently, this is a useful app to have. Just make sure you choose levelheaded people for your safety circle.
Educational Apps for Hikers and Backpackers
SkyView Lite
Available for both IOS and Android.
SkyViewLite is a free app that identifies planets and constellations. Just point it at the sky and it does the rest. You can tap on an item to learn more.
It’s basic but does the job and is perfect for getting the most out of those backcountry locations.
There’s a paid version, SkyView, for $2.99, but unless you’re a budding astronomer, you likely won’t need the additional features.
Other Astrology Apps
There are several other similar apps. I would try the free versions of a few different apps to see which one you like best. They’re all similar. Some will work better with certain phone cameras than others.
Seek
Available for both IOS and Android.
If you’re like me and can’t identify a plant to save your life, then this is the app for you. I really like that Seek immediately identifies the flower as you’re focusing to take the photo.
Once you complete the photo, it saves it so you can keep track of the new flowers you’re discovering.
It’s also completely free and doesn’t annoy you with ads or continual offers to upgrade to premium.
While there are other apps out there that do the same thing, I find Seek more reliable with its identification and easy to use.
PeakFinder
Available for both IOS and Android.
This is the one app that doesn’t have a free version.
The app has a one-time fee of $4.99 to download.
PeakFinder identifies mountains in the distance so you can be a hiking hero when someone asks, “what’s that mountain over there?”
While there are other programs, this is the cheapest you’ll find. Despite a competitor advertising “free”, it only allows for one location per day which isn’t helpful.
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