Hiking is a great way to reduce stress and boost energy. Moreover, spending time with nature can be therapeutic and relax your mind and body. Hence, there is no other way to explore nature than hiking and camping. But at that time, we couldn’t ignore the abruptly changing weather. Furthermore, are you a beginner at camping, backpacking, or hiking? Are you getting lost and overwhelmed by the variety of hiking apps available? So, here we’ll explore what hiking applications are and their benefits. In this article, we’ll drill down to some of the best hiking apps to help every backpacker throughout their journey.
How can smartphones and hiking apps help a hiker or backpacker?
Smartphones nowadays have become a vital part of our lives. Our smartphone is the assistant that guides us in mastering our everyday life. Moreover, smartphones enable us to use hiking apps for bag-packing purposes. Bag packing is a crucial step while planning for hiking and camping. Situations during hiking and camping can change abruptly. You never know how the weather can change. So, it is essential to pack your bag to face worse conditions. Furthermore, hiking apps are available to make you pack every essential item without forgetting anything. These hiking apps will help you pack smarter, as proper arrangements of your things are essential while packing. They will guide you on how to pack so you can travel freely and comfortably.
What exactly is a Hiking App?
Smartphone hiking apps are more in use nowadays. Hiking apps are useful whenever you plan hiking and camping trips. Helpful tools include trail maps, GPS location navigator, and many more. Smartphone hiking apps can make your hike smooth, enjoyable, and safe. Additionally, incorporating hiking applications into your smartphones can keep you safe in any calamity.
Need for Hiking Apps
Hiking apps help you find new trails to hike, track your progress, and give you safety features. The app inspires you to explore nature more. You can even select places to hike and save for later on your bucket list. Hiking applications are helpful to every hiker as it includes features like:
Navigation – Without access to the internet, one can rely on hiking apps for navigation. Organization – Hikers can customize their hiking plans and places into different categories. New trails – If you want a new place to explore, hiking apps give you access to search hiking places near you. Tracks your elevation profile – Hiking apps will track your progress and speed throughout your hiking journey. Tracking reports will motivate you to perform hiking well.
Last but not least, safety. Safety features are a necessary feature in hiking apps. Some hiking apps allow users to share their location with their loved ones. Before hiking the trail, hikers should download the map offline. To avoid any risk, hikers must be well-prepared and well-planned.
How to choose the best hiking app?
There are plenty of hiking apps available online. So choosing the best will take some time to research. Keep in mind that the apps you select should follow the bare minimum. The most crucial aspect of a hiking app is that it should provide GPS tracking. Plus, it must include GPS navigation, information about hiking, and maps. However, by GPS navigation, the app can guide you on your hiking route more accurately. Additionally, information about hiking places can help hikers to go for the best one. When it comes to maps, offline maps are preferred over topographic maps. One can have access to maps even without cellular data. Are you looking for the best hiking app to install for your next hiking trip? But with many hiking apps, how would you know which one is the best to download? This article will cover some of the best hiking apps for your enjoyable and comfortable journey. So, without any future delay, let’s get to the list.
AllTrails
Attention hikers, this hiking app is for you. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, AllTrails is best for you. Finding hiking, biking, and running trails is just a few clicks away with this app. The app also tracks information on elevation gain and trailhead location. The premium version of this hiking application includes many more useful features. Furthermore, AllTrails is available on both Google Play Store and App Store. You can enjoy all the necessary features in its free version. With AllTrails, sharing your location, custom maps, routes, and experiences is easy. However, only some hikers add images of their hiking place to make the application informative.
Gaia GPS
Gaia GPS hiking application primarily aims to make hikers carefree. Whether the basic maps or planning tools, Gaia GPS offers its users everything they might need during a hike. The premium version is paid, which includes offline usage of the app. For instance, a premium version can save you from a mishap if you’re in the mountains while hiking and your network is dead. Additionally, hikers can easily avail of this from the Google Play Store or App Store. The usage of Gaia GPS allows hikers to customize their trails and routes. 300+ maps are available in both online and offline modes. Moreover, the app notifies users about abruptly changing weather.
Spyglass
Spyglass hiking and camping-friendly application are available on both Google Play Store and App Store. It is the best hiking AR navigation app. An advanced compass and GPS navigation facility make Spyglass an essential tool for every hiker. Valuable tools like maps, tactical GPS, waypoint trackers, speedometers, altimeters, and many more are packed with the Spyglass hiking app. You can download offline maps free of cost without any struggle. Moreover, Spyglass is an all-rounder hiking app that a hiker can use easily at free of cost. Additionally, the most advanced and accurate digital compass elevates your hiking experience. Lastly, you get to make your hiking journey memorable by taking pictures overlaid with GPS and directional data.
Avenza Maps
Avenza Maps is the best free hiking app that is easy to use on Android and iOS devices. This allows users to use their device’s built-in GPS to track their location on maps. However, millions of maps are available on this application, allowing users to browse all of them. Furthermore, you can customize your map by tailoring the one per your needs or liking. You can find the Avenza Maps Plus and Pro versions that are available as annual subscriptions. Recreational and power hikers who need more can go for the plus and pro versions to explore some advanced features in the app.
Hiking Project
The Hiking Project app is compatible with iOS and Android-based devices and is readily available in the Google Play Store and App Store. The app guides you on the best way to search for hikes near you. Along with printed maps, the application provides GPS route info, elevation profiles, interactive features, photos, and more. It allows you to keep updating and adding the location of the new trail. Hence, hikers don’t need any cellular data networks. Furthermore, finding trails near you is just a few clicks away. This hiking application ensures the users a happy trail experience with many memories. The best part of using the Hiking Project app is that it doesn’t have any built-in advertisements to provide a remarkable user experience.
Google Maps
An app that requires no introduction is Google Maps. A general-purpose navigation and map tool that helps you in exploring nearby places. Many of you have this application on your smartphone. The app also recommends nearby places based on your likes and trending. The users can easily customize their bucket list and share it with their friends and family through this app on their Android and iOS devices. Hikers can control their privacy with an easy-to-handle user interface. However, everything is available on Google Maps for free, from real-time traffic predictions to the shortest path to your destination. Automated rerouting based on the conditions of traffic will guide you throughout your journey. Plus, hikers can search maps offline for navigation without internet access too.
FarOut
Start planning your adventure using the browser-based web app: FarOut. The application is available for your smartphones on the App Store and Google Play Store. Trusted trial data collection by trusted individuals helps hikers know the precise location. After the initial setup of the app, offline usage of the app will be available for free. The offline usage includes all features of guidance. Detailed waypoints, including page details with photos and descriptions, are available. You can also share your hiking location with your community. Plan your hiking trip quickly, remembering crucial guidance. Additionally, you can create your custom routes and maps using building tools for free.
Cairn
Cairn is the ultimate hiking safety application available free of cost. The app automatically notifies your safety circle if you’re overdue during your hiking and camping sessions. Hence, Cairn is among the safest hiking apps one should download. The most popular feature is the allowance to share your location with friends and family. You can get quick access by installation via App Store or Google Play Store. The application tracks the time taken to complete your hiking. Based on this tracked time, your progress is calculated. The free version includes every primary feature that hiking apps should have. The paid version has many advanced features to spice up your hikes. Furthermore, you can try Cairn for free for at least 30 days.
PeakVisor
The next sensation of our top hiking app series is the PeakVisor hiking app. Using a combination of image recognition and GPS location, PeakVisor will inform you about the nearest peak. It is available on iOS & Android devices. The availability of 3D maps makes you feel the hiking experience even before you start. No internet connection will ever be the reason for quitting hiking anymore because Peakvisor is also available offline. Every detail you need for your next hiking adventure can be available offline. Moreover, PeakVisor details all the major and minor mountain peaks worldwide. Additionally, it supports the users in sharing their memories with their family and friends.
Seek by iNaturalist
Seek by iNaturalist is designed by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic. You can easily identify the plants and animals that you come across during a hike with this app with your camera and GPS location. Just by uploading the picture, iNaturalist will scan it and inform you. Plus, you will get a detailed description of the species and plants. What makes this app more unique is the user interface and availability. iNaturalist is available on iOS & Android devices for free. To encourage hikers, this application is awarding the hikers for their achievements.
SkyView
SkyView is a free hiking app embedded with lots of features. For identifying planets, stars, and constellations in the night sky, select SkyView to be your partner. The SkyView app uses the phone’s built-in compass to highlight astronomical objects. Moreover, the app notifies you about stargazing events too. Additionally, the paid version also offers usage in the Apple Watch and contains many more features. Interested hikers can have the application on their devices with ease. Stargazing before sunrise hikes or after sunset hikes makes the hiking memorable. The application is available free on the Google Play Store and App Store.
Komoot
Komoot claims to be the number one outdoor app for hiking and camping. All the usual features, such as route planning and navigation, one would expect, are available. The innovative and straightforward user interface makes the app user-friendly. Komoot enables you to search trail locations based on your location. A detailed description of hiking peaks along with transportation is also available in the app. Furthermore, you can easily find a perfect hiking location for your adventure with the Komoot hiking app. Offline availability of maps keeps you on track even when no cellular data is available on hikes. Additionally, the Komoot app is available on both platforms, ie. Android and iOS.
onX Backcountry
onX Backcountry is the ultimate offline GPS hiking & ski maps application. Find backpacking routes & ski tours easily using onX Backcountry. You get to experience a guidebook-quality trail with navigations in offline mode too. On top of that, the app allows you to see the landscape in 3D for real experience before exploring. Features like weather forecasts, custom waypoints, trail data, and many more are available offline. Hence, there’s no need to worry even if there’s no internet. The feature of finding and customizing the new hiking route makes the app stand out among the others. Additionally, you can easily avail of onX Backcountry from the Google Play Store and App Store.
Author’s Note
All the hiking applications, as mentioned earlier, are perfect to fit your requirement list. Technology can upgrade your hiking and camping experience. First, you need to decide on your requirements because that will help you distinguish among all hiking applications. Most importantly, keep in mind to choose the one that works for your safety and comfort.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, everyone seeks a smoother and safer hiking experience. However, hiking apps are designed for this purpose. Technology nowadays can make hiking and camping more fun and adventurous. We have mentioned the top hiking apps, especially for beginners. If you need clarification about hiking applications, you can choose anyone from the list mentioned above. Go through every essential feature of each application, then decide which one to select. Lastly, choose the one without which you can’t experience hiking the best. You can also explore some apps for air quality to check the air quality around you.
