Off the Grid Navigation Apps for Hikers Utilizing Offline Maps and GPS Tracking for Backcountry Exploration

13 Useful Apps for Off the Grid Adventures

Though purists may say nothing can replace a printed topographic map, the worlds leading smartphone apps are getting close. Technology is making it easier than ever to get lost in an adventure without getting lost in the wilderness, and there are plenty of ways to enjoy these benefits even when youve ventured to signal-free zones. Try one of these useful off-line apps on your next remote mountain trek, camping trip, or deep-sea dive to stay connected and informed without an internet connection.

Cairn

Free, iOS

If you prefer traveling solo in the wilderness, download the Cairn app for an extra layer of safety. Before you enter the backcountry, download maps for off-line use and pinpoint your location to access available cellular data points in your area. By clicking on the blue icons, you can discover which service provider works where. Set a designated check-in reminder with the apps safety notification feature. If this goes unanswered, Cairn will alert your emergency contact with recommendations on how to contact search and rescue.

Gaia GPS

$19.99 - $39.99, iOS + Android

Plot your trail and gain access to topographic maps with Gaia GPS, a membership-based app that showcases the newest trails and backcountry routes. Select from a scale of memberships beginning at $9.99, which grants you unlimited download access to save your route map for off-line use. Track your distance, speed, and pace while out of cellular range, and drop markers to ensure youre always going in the right direction. After your trip is complete, you can share your route and trail notes with friends.

PeakFinder Earth

$4.99, iOS + Android

If youve ever been hiking and wondered which peaks youre passing, download PeakFinder Earth for your next trip into the mountains. The app functions completely off-line, accessing your location to reveal names and black-and-white renderings of surrounding peaks. Tap the peaks name to discover elevation levels, and use the flyover feature to glide over ranges and discover peaks in the distance. The app also includes a digital telescope to view less-prominent ranges in your area.

DiveMate

Free, iOS + Android

If youre an avid scuba diver, you know the importance of keeping a logbook to track measures like dive duration, current conditions, and tank size and pressure. Take this concept to the digital age with DiveMate, an app that allows you to quickly and easily log each dive, as well as save online maps for off-line use while traveling by boat or going off the grid. Once youre back on dry land, upload pictures, videos, and notes to share with friends. To transfer dive data, connect your dive computer to your PC or purchase the DiveMate Fusion USB to gain instant access to dive data on your smartphone.

National Parks by Chimani

Free, iOS + Android

If youre an avid explorer of U.S. national parks, the Chimani suite of apps are your perfect companions. Download the main national park app or select a park-specific app before your visit. Use the available national park maps and detailed guides to digitally explore trails, historic and natural points of interest, and useful amenities like bathrooms and rest stops. Theres no need for a data signal, as the interactive maps work off-line, and you can even navigate your path while on the trail.

ROAM by onXmaps

$9.99, iOS + Android

To unlock almost everything thats been mapped in the last one hundred years, download ROAM by onXmaps and purchase the $9.99 one-year membership, so you can build the map you want by selecting the region and features. Whether you plan to venture through unchartered wilderness areas, national forests, or trails and streams, the app connects with your smartphones built-in GPS to track you when youre off-line, making it perfect for backpacking, day hikes, or trail running.

Hiking Project

Free, iOS + Android

Developed by outdoor mavens at REI, Hiking Project gives you access to more than 106,000 miles of trail and the best backcountry hikes near you. Download GPS route information and coordinates, and use interactive features like elevation profiles and trail photos to properly track your hike while out of cell range. Functioning like a guidebook, the app provides expert commentary on trail highlights, challenging features on the route, and planning recommendations.

Moonlight

Free, iOS

Free yourself of the logistical nightmare of group texts by downloading Moonlight, an app created to make preparing for a camping trip a breeze with trip-planning checklists you can share among friends. Download the free version or pay for the premium form to load your dates and the campsite you plan to visit. The premium app will give you a suggested list of recipes to cook by the campfire, as well as helpful information from previous campers at the site. Available for off-line use, the sharable checklist makes it easy to delineate responsibilities between each attendee.

SNOCRU

Free, iOS + Android

Perfect for snow sports, SNOCRU encourages social sharing by connecting skiers and snowboarders with athletes nearby. Download the app to track your route and compete with other skiers and snowboarders in your area, accessing tracking technology with or without an internet connection. Measure important stats like speed, altitude, and vertical drop during your day on the slopes, and check resort snow conditions and ski reports from around the world.

MTB Project

Free, iOS + Android

MTB Project, which was also developed by REI, is an app designed specifically for mountain bikers. Populating bike trails near your location, MTB Project works off-line and features over 101,000 miles of trail. If you plan to venture off the grid, download your full GPS route ahead of time to track your progress on the go and get off-line information like elevation profiles and nearby points of interest.

Flyover Country

Free, iOS + Android

Bring a sense of adventure to flying and download Flyover Country, an app designed to pinpoint specific points of geographical, geological, and historical significance on land. Available off-line as you cruise above the sky, the app lets users browse their path to learn more about the area below. Although developed specifically for flying, it can also be used for long hikes, road trips, and other adventures.

Sky Guide

$2.99, iOS

For hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts looking to navigate the night sky, Sky Guide allows you to find constellations, planets, and satellites with or without wi-fi, cellular service, or GPS signal. Simply place your phone overhead and point it into the sky; the app automatically adjusts your viewing direction, reveling the secret to the stars, planets, and constellations you see. Night vision and invisible wavelength technology allows you to see what the naked eye cant, like supernova remnants and black holes.

Offline Survival Manual

Free, Android

In the event of an emergency or to prepare for routine camping trips in the outdoors, the Offline Survival Manual can prove beneficial in a pinch. Download the app to gather information on how to make a fire, build a shelter, find food, and avoid medical emergencies that can arise in the wild. Search through resources on poisonous or life-saving plants and learn what to do if a snake bites you, which is all available to surf off-line. Michaela Trimble is a freelance travel writer and photographer who splits time between South Florida and Buenos Aires. Follow her adventurous pursuits @MichaelaTrimble or on Facebook and Twitter.

10 Best Off-Road Navigation Apps In 2024 (Top-rated)

Planning an off-road adventure in 2024? Whether youre hiking deep into the backcountry or overlanding across remote terrain, having the right navigation apps can make all the difference.

The top-rated off-road GPS apps for Android and iOS allow you to download detailed offline maps, track your route, access voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, and more even when outside of cell service.

In this guide, well cover:

• The key features to look for in the best off-road navigation apps
• Reviews of the 10 top-rated options for Android and iOS
• Detailed comparisons of each apps offline capabilities, maps, routing, tracking, and special features
• Tips for planning your trip and selecting the right navigation app

Lets dive in and find the perfect app to confidently navigate your next off-grid adventure!

What to Look for in the Best Offline Navigation Apps?

When youre miles from any cell tower or wifi signal, your navigation app needs to be ready with robust offline features. Here are the key capabilities to look for:

• Offline maps The ability to download detailed maps for states, regions, countries, or worldwide for when you lose connectivity. Offline maps should include topographical details, landmarks, trails, and points of interest.
• Voice navigation Voice-guided, turn-by-turn driving or walking directions that continue to work offline. Audible navigation is especially helpful when you cant glance at your phone.
• Trip planning Build routes complete with multiple stops and waypoints before your trip. Easily customize routes and share trip plans across devices.
• 3D/topo terrain maps Highly detailed topographical and terrain maps that show landscape contours, elevations, difficulty ratings for trails, off-road paths, and more.
• Tracking features Record details like distance, speed, elevation, and location coordinates on your hike or overland trip. Share live tracking with others.
• Recreation focus Maps and features tailored specifically for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, skiing, overlanding not just basic road navigation.
• Real-time alerts Get notifications for upcoming turns, speed changes, road hazards, and other warnings to stay safe. Alerts work offline as well.
• Waypoint marking Drop customizable waypoints and points of interest (POIs) onto maps for easy navigation tracking and trip planning.
• Search tools Find destinations, trails, campsites, landmarks and points of interest quickly even without a data connection.

The best off-road navigation apps will include a combination of these key features to guide and orient users anywhere while offline. Lets look at the top options:

The 10 Best Offline GPS Navigation Apps for Android and iOS

Based on offline capabilities, recreation-focused features, maps, routing, trip planning tools and user reviews here are the top 10 off-road navigation apps for 2023:

1. Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS consistently ranks as a top pick for hikers, backpackers, and other outdoor adventurers thanks to its world-class topographical maps and robust feature set.

With Gaia GPS, users can download detailed topographic hiking and cycling maps worldwide down to 1:24,000 scale including trail networks, landmarks, and unlimited offline access.

Beyond just maps, Gaia GPS packs in a full set of useful backcountry features:

• Plan routes with elevation profiles to assess hike/bike difficulty
• Track your progress with GPS position and save trails
• Build and share custom maps with layers like weather and cell coverage
• Access 500,000+ curated POIs like campsites, trails and local tips
• Use waypoint tracking to easily navigate long routes
• Record stats like distance, speed, elevation gain and more

With access to global topographic hiking maps and advanced outdoor-focused tools, Gaia GPS is arguably the most full-featured option for off-the-grid adventures.

Available for:

2. Polaris GPS Navigation

Specifically built for off-road driving and overlanding, Polaris GPS Navigation uses a database of over 300,000 miles of OHV and snowmobile trails across the United States and Canada.

With Polaris GPS Navigation, users can:

• View trails by vehicle type ATV, UTV, snowmobile, etc.
• See trail difficulties from easy green circles to extreme black diamonds
• Navigate turn-by-turn with voice guidance
• Track your route and save trails from each outing
• Access trail maps, hazards, openings and closures
• Download maps for offline access when remote

Whether tackling muddy ATV trails or charting a path through snow-covered forests, the trail-focused maps and robust offline access from Polaris GPS Navigation make it a top pick for off-road driving.

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3. MAPS.ME

With detailed offline maps available for 220+ countries worldwide, MAPS.ME is one of the most versatile options for global offline navigation.

The app offers entirely free access to global OpenStreetMap data including:

• Detailed maps down to walking trails and footpaths
• Offline map downloads by country/region with unlimited access
• Turn-by-turn walking and driving directions
• Navigation tools like route planning, search, bookmarks, etc
• 60+ map layers like cafes, hotels, gas stations and more
• Traffic data in 85 countries with hazards, speed limits and more

MAPS.ME delivers a surprising amount of functionality for a free app. For hikers, bikers or anyone planning an international trip, its a top choice for offline navigation and trip planning worldwide.

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4. Scout GPS Navigation & Maps

Another favorite for outdoor recreation, Scout GPS Navigation provides a wealth of worldwide topographic, marine, and specialty maps that can be downloaded for offline access.

Key features include:

• Global topographic and public land maps from TomTom
• Turn-by-turn voice navigation and directions offline
• Tools for planning, tracking and sharing trips
• Ability to identify camps and public recreation sites
• Elevation profiles and 3D map views
• Integration with satellite weather and visibility data

Scout GPS excels at custom trip planning for hiking, boating, overlanding and other backcountry travel. With ample global map data and a clean user interface, its a flexible choice for offline navigation.

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5. OsmAnd

OsmAnd (OpenStreetMap Automated Navigation Directions) is a free, open-source navigation app based on OpenStreetMap data and maps.

All OpenStreetMap map data can be stored locally on your device for true offline access and navigation. OsmAnd offers:

• Worldwide OpenStreetMap mapping data at multiple zoom levels
• Turn-by-turn walking, hiking, biking, and driving directions
• Elevation profiles and contour lines for assessing hike/bike routes
• Unlimited map downloads and offline access
• Navigation alerts, nearby POI search, and trip recording

For hiking, OsmAnd uses specialty maps to provide trail difficulties, downhill and ski maps, contour lines, and land use/cover perfect for assessing backcountry routes.

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6. Komoot

Optimized for hiking, mountain biking, road cycling, and other outdoor activities, Komoot is a versatile option to plan sport-specific adventures worldwide.

With a focus on recreation, Komoot provides:

• Detailed hiking and biking maps powered by OpenStreetMap
• Offline region map downloads for Android and iOS
• Turn-by-turn voice navigation tailored for biking/hiking
• Elevation profiles and grades for assessing route difficulty
• Planning tools to map, share and export routes
• Activity tracking with photos, weather, and statistics
• Curated points of interest for hiking, biking, ski tours and more

For bikepacking journeys and long-distance hikes in backcountry areas, Komoot has the specialized maps and features to stay on track.

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7. CoPilot GPS

The CoPilot GPS navigation app offers detailed voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, speed limit alerts, lane guidance, and other navigation features that function completely offline.

Users can download highly detailed vector maps for entire states, countries, or terrestrial regions worldwide to access offline, including:

• Street-level mapping across North/South America, Europe, Australia
• Topographical landscape and terrain maps
• 3D map perspectives
• Offline search for millions of restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc.

CoPilot GPS is optimized for in-car navigation but also works for hiking and outdoor navigation thanks to diverse global map data and robust offline capabilities.

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8. Navigator

Navigator GPS Navigation & Maps lives up to its name with highly detailed voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, specialized global maps, and a trip planning suite.

The app offers:

• Offline topographic, nautical, and specialty maps worldwide
• 3D terrain maps with landscape visualization
• Lane guidance, speed limit warnings, and voice navigation
• Trip planning and route optimization based on vehicle type
• Global maps tailored to bike/pedestrian/car navigation

With ample worldwide topographic maps, the ability to fine-tune routes for different travel modes, and voice guidance Navigator is a flexible option for overseas travel and cross-country adventures.

Available for:

9. Galileo Offline Maps

Trusted across the globe for reliable offline navigation, Galileo Offline Maps offers detailed maps for 150+ countries.

Useful features include:

• Offline topographic and terrain maps for hiking, biking, driving
• Search for destinations and addresses without connectivity
• Turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation
• Create routes with multiple stops and waypoints
• Unlimited use of offline maps once downloaded -AR navigation mode for walking directions
• Global petrol station, parking, hotel and restaurant searches

With extensive worldwide map data, navigation tools, and trip planning features accessible offline, Galileo is a top pick for international travel and exploration.

Available for:

10. Sygic: GPS Navigation & Offline Maps

Last up is Sygic, providing turn-by-turn GPS navigation combined with downloadable TomTom maps for offline access.

Notably, Sygic offers:

• Detailed 3D offline maps of North/South America, Europe, Australia, etc.
• Voice-guided navigation for driving, walking, and public transit
• Traffic alerts, speed limit warnings, lane changing cues
• Planning tools to set destinations and routes
• Offline search for millions of POIs like gas, food, hotels
• Road trip route optimization by destination and stops

Sygic combines robust offline mapping capabilities with advanced on-road navigation features perfect for long road trips that go through areas with unreliable cell coverage.

Available for:

Key Features to Compare

When selecting the best navigation app for your needs, compare the key features that enable off-the-grid use:

• Offline maps Does the app allow downloading regions/countries/worldwide? How detailed are the offline topographical and terrain maps?
• Navigation Does it offer turn-by-turn voice guidance offline? Can you set walking, hiking, biking, driving directions?
• Trip planning Can you map multi-stop routes, build waypoints, set destinations, and share trips?
• Tracking Does it record hike/ride stats like distance, elevation, speed? Can you export GPX files or share live tracking?
• 3D & specialty maps Does it have contour, topo, trail and public lands maps? Can you view map perspective in 3D?
• Alerts & Warnings Do you get offline voice alerts for upcoming turns, speed changes, road hazards?
• Recreation focus Are the maps tailored to outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, trail use? Or mainly road navigation?
• Search Can you find local POIs, trails, addresses offline or just online?

Consider where youll be traveling, what activities youll be doing, and which features are a must-have vs. nice-to-have. This will help narrow down the perfect navigation app for your needs.

How to Pick the Right App for Your Next Off-Grid Adventure?

Here are some tips for selecting an offline navigation app that fits your next trip:

• Identify where youll be If traveling domestically, regional apps like Gaia GPS or Scout may work well. For international travel, MAPS.ME, Navigator or Galileo may have more worldwide maps.
• Consider your activities If hiking or biking long distances, look for topo maps and recreation-focused apps like Gaia, Scout, or OsmAnd. For overlanding, Polaris GPS has specialized OHV trail maps.
• Check map availability Make sure the app has offline topographical maps available for your destination(s). Compare map details like trails, landmarks, terrain contours.
• Test offline features Download an app and map region ahead of time. Disable wifi/data and test voice navigation, search tools, tracking, etc. to ensure it works offline.
• Optimize for your device If using a wearable or basic smartphone, prioritize apps with clear UIs like MAPS.ME that dont drain battery. Tablets can handle more robust apps.
• Factor in cost Apps like MAPS.ME, OsmAnd are free. Others have one-time fees or paid subscriptions. Weigh the cost against extra features.

Doing some quick comparisons and tests beforehand ensures your navigation app is ready to guide your off-grid adventures worldwide!

Go Further With the Right Navigation App

Whether youre embarking on a backcountry hiking trip, international bikepacking journey, overland odyssey, or any adventure in between using an offline navigation app enables you to travel further and with greater confidence.

Being able to download maps for anywhere, access turn-by-turn voice guidance, track your route, search local POIs, and plan multi-stop trips all without cell service provides freedom and safety.

No more getting lost! No more losing the trail or path! Just reliable, robust navigation at your fingertips.

The top 10 apps profiled above are leading the way in offline GPS navigation tailored specifically for hiking, biking, overlanding, and other outdoor recreation. Each strikes a balance between in-depth features and ease of use.

So whether youre planning a weekend hike or an ambitious cross-country road trip pick the navigation app that fits your destination and activities. Download your offline maps and let the journey begin, technology paving the way!

With unlimited access to detailed offline maps, the ability to track your adventures, and turn-by-turn voice guidance modern navigation apps open up a world of possibilities. You can travel further while staying right on track.