In this blog, we discuss the best route planner apps for hiking that act as your digital compass, your personal guide, and your assurance that every step you take leads to awe-inspiring vistas, not dead ends.
The excitement of starting a trail can quickly turn into frustration when you find yourself squinting at a map, trying to decipher its cryptic symbols. Let’s face it—getting lost in the maze of trails takes the fun out of the adventure.
But fear not, intrepid explorers, for in the palm of your hand lies the solution to navigating the great outdoors seamlessly: hiking trail apps for your iPhone.
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A great thing about these apps is that they are also compatible with watchOS. So if you are looking for a Apple Watch hiking apps, then these apps have got you covered.
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Gone are the days of wrestling with unwieldy paper maps and second-guessing your route. The best route planner apps for hiking are your digital compass, your personal guide, and your assurance that every step you take leads to awe-inspiring vistas, not dead ends. Let’s reclaim the joy of the trail!
1. Footpath Route Planner
Embark on your hiking journey with the Footpath Route Planner, the best hiking trail app. With the ability to map routes effortlessly using your finger or Apple Pencil, Footpath snaps seamlessly to roads and trails, ensuring precision in your planning. It can measure distances and elevations swiftly, giving you a detailed overview of your route.
The app caters to various activities, from running and cycling to hiking and sailing, making it versatile for all your adventures, no matter where you are in the world. Moreover, Footpath Elite’s turn-by-turn navigation comes with intuitive audio cues for iPhone and Apple Watch users.
You can even replay cues with a simple tap on your AirPods or headphones. What makes it one of the best route planner apps for hiking is the convenient route-saving feature, allowing you to plan out your week or entire trip with up to 5 stored routes or unlimited routes with Footpath Elite.
Download Footpath Route Planner now.
2. Topo Maps+
Topo Maps+ is the best GPS Maps app for hikers who crave detailed maps and precision. The setup is a breeze – tailor your map to your specific adventure, whether it’s hiking, biking, or exploring the great outdoors.
Compare and download maps for offline use, ensuring you’re never stranded without a guide. Customize your map view with overlays, utilize smart route-building tools, and drop waypoints to mark those must-see spots. Need to share your route or map? No problem – print, email, or share effortlessly.
Plus, get a comprehensive view of public, private, and hunting land boundaries, along with parcel information. For group adventures, create teams and live-share members’ last known locations, ensuring everyone stays on track.
Now, let’s talk wearables. The integration with Apple HealthKit ensures you’re in tune with your fitness goals. With CarPlay integration, navigate seamlessly to your starting point with turn-by-turn directions on USFS roads. And because safety is paramount, the navigational mindset provides helpful tips and tricks to keep you secure in the backcountry, making it the best route planner app for hiking.
3. GPS Tracks
Stay on course with the GPS Tracks hiking trail app. Whether you’re hiking, running, biking, or engaged in military navigational applications, this app has you covered. Its seamless synchronization between iOS and OS X allows you to effortlessly switch between devices. No login or account is required – just turn it on and go.
The app’s versatility shines, catering to various needs like offline hiking, photography location tracking, and storing specific hunting or fishing spots.
Live Activities & Widgets enhance your tracking experience, providing real-time information on distance, location, and your last track. The Apple Watch App enables you to track activities directly without your iPhone, saving your workouts to the Health app.
In a nutshell, GPS Tracks is a comprehensive solution that not only tracks your outdoor activities but also elevates your overall outdoor experience, making it the best route planner app for hiking.
4. Gaia GPS
Gaia GPS is a powerhouse for outdoor enthusiasts and perhaps one of the best map apps for biking. Discovering new routes becomes a breeze with its extensive worldwide maps, providing detailed insights into scenic hike trails, camping sites, and offroad routes.
The easy-to-read maps make backpacking and navigating nature a seamless experience, turning the great outdoors into your very own backyard.
Gaia GPS stands out with its offline maps, route planner, and distance tracker features, ensuring you can navigate with precision even in areas with no cell service. Plan your hiking, backpacking, or trail running excursions effortlessly with Gaia Topo, the premier backcountry navigator.
One of the best route planner apps for hiking, Gaia GPS aids in preparing for offroad travel, allowing you to create routes on the fly with confidence. And you can stay informed about changing weather conditions and monitor wildfire activity directly in-app.
5. FATMAP
Embark on your mountain adventures with confidence using the FATMAP hiking planner app, the world’s most advanced 3D outdoor map. With its global reach, this app provides real-time information and offline maps, ensuring you stay connected even in the remotest terrains.
Whether you’re into mountain biking, trail running, hiking, or skiing, FATMAP covers it all with detailed maps and stunning satellite terrain imagery, showcasing the landscape in both summer and winter.
From footpaths and hiking trails to singletracks, you can explore every nook and cranny of the area. Discover outdoor points of interest like mountain huts and campsites, enhancing your overall outdoor experience.
Create and share custom locations, locate yourself on the map at any time, and use various map data like peak names and rivers to orientate yourself effortlessly. The app even lets you navigate trails while biking, hiking, running, or skiing, ensuring you never miss a turn, making it the best route planner app for hiking.
6. FarOut Guides
Discover new trails and hidden gems with FarOut Guides. This app to find the best trails for hiking curates routes from local experts, ensuring you experience the best of the outdoors. Boasting a vast collection of over 200 guides worldwide,
FarOut caters to hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, and paddling enthusiasts, ensuring you have the tools to blaze your own trail.
What makes it the best route planner app for hiking is the extensive coverage. Whether you’re traversing the United States, Australia, Canada, the UK, Europe, New Zealand, the Middle East, South America, or Central America, FarOut has your back. With guides in popular long-distance routes, it’s your passport to global exploration.
Partnering with trail organizations, book authors, and publishers, FarOut delivers trusted, official trail data. No more second-guessing – navigate with confidence, even when offline.
7. Trailforks
With Trailforks GPS tracker and offline maps app for hiking, you’re not just getting a map, you’re unlocking a treasure trove of over 500,000 trails worldwide. This app is a trailblazer’s dream, offering the largest database of mountain bike trails globally.
What makes it the best route planner app for hiking? Well, the beauty lies in its user-centric approach – you can contribute data, and local trail associations meticulously curate and approve it.
The app lets you track your ride, capturing your GPS location and creating a track for future reference. Elevation profiles? Check. You can ‘scrub’ along them, seamlessly syncing with your location on the map. Want to explore what others have found? Dive into user-created routes and trail logs, unlocking a world of possibilities.
Now, imagine having the freedom to explore any trail on the planet. Trailforks Pro, the app’s premium version, makes it a reality. But hey, don’t fret if you’re not ready to make the leap, the free version still allows you to navigate and discover trails in your local area. It’s your choice.
While all of these apps will make your hiking experience better, we have also written about the best running apps for iPhone that you need to download right now.
Hike Smarter, Not Harder
Remember the days of fumbling with paper maps, desperately trying to fold them back into their original shape? Well, say goodbye to that frustration. With these outdoor activities maps apps, your iPhone transforms into a magical gateway to well-planned adventures. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned hiker, these tools cater to your needs, ensuring every step is intentional and every view is earned.
So, as you embark on your next outdoor escapade, armed with your trusty hiking boots and the best route planner apps for hiking, remember this: the journey is yours to create, but a little digital assistance can turn it into something extraordinary.
