On most trips and in most locations, to navigate I rely primarily on my paper topographic maps, ABC (altimeter, barometer, compass) or GPS watch, and听magnetic compass. As both a backup and supplement to these tools, my smartphone has a GPS app like (good) or (better), which I use to access downloaded map data for offline use.
A GPS smartphone app has two purposes:
- It acts as a map library, in case your printed documents are damaged or lost听or if you unexpectedly hike off course.
- It has the same functionality you鈥檇 expect of a traditional handheld GPS鈥攍ike pinpointing its location听and navigating to waypoints鈥攂ut is lighter, less expensive, and more user-friendly.
Collectively, these four instruments constitute my navigation system. Some hikers may consider my preferences old-fashioned, since it鈥檚 increasingly common to navigate exclusively or primarily with GPS. But I value the reliability and efficiency of these more analog methods, and I appreciate the art of using them. To hone that art, I recommend downloading听maps in Gaia GPS for offline use. This will preserve the app鈥檚 functionality, even in the backcountry without reliable cell service.
This tutorial is听based on an assignment听I give to my guided clients, who participate in an eight-part planning curriculum that prepares them for their trip and can be retooled easily for their own personal trips. I鈥檝e decided to share it听publicly, since so many people are under stay-at-home orders and so many spring backpacking trips have been canceled or postponed.
Get Started
First, download the Gaia GPS app.
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To complete this assignment, you must have a regular听or premium membership, which cost $20 and听$36听per year, respectively. Gaia has a free account, too, but it does not allow for offline use. So that you can complete this assignment (and maybe test out the app in the field), Gaia is offering a . (This听free trial听does not require a credit card. If you wish to renew later, you鈥檒l need to enter one. At that time, take advantage of .)
Avoid doing this assignment at the last minute. If Gaia is new to you, give yourself about 15 to 30 minutes to complete it. To download map data, you鈥檒l need a reliable internet connection with a high data-use limit, which means Wi-Fi听in most cases. Don鈥檛 count on rural mobile data service or an overtaxed motel connection.
Download an Area
Determine the area you want offline maps for. Make sure it encompasses听your entire route, plus all prospective shortcuts and extensions. For a point-to-point itinerary, this zone will probably be long and narrow; for a loop, it鈥檒l probably be more square.
If you must download a large area, it鈥檚 useful to have a 鈥渞eference box,鈥澨齜ecause as you zoom out, it becomes difficult to identify topographic features on a five-听or six-inch smartphone screen. With a box that remains obvious at all magnification levels, you can be assured that you are downloading the intended area. This box can be created in the app听by adding waypoints or routes to the map听via the plus (+)听button. On the Gaia desktop site, you can also add听waypoints or routes to a map via the left-side toolbar, which then syncs to your smartphone.
I鈥檝e created some download boxes for my guided trips that you can use for practice:
- In your smartphone browser, open this .
- In the top menu, select the wrench icon, and then Export GPX.
- In the 2020 Trip听folder, select one trip. Deselect all other exportable data.
- Press Export听to download a GPX file.
You can complete these steps from a desktop computer, too, in two ways:
- Download the GPX to your desktop, email yourself the file, and download it to your phone.
- Download the GPX to your desktop, upload it to your account at the Gaia GPS website, then sync your phone.
Alternatively, you can download an area that鈥檚 more relevant to you. For extra practice, you can create your own download box in Gaia beforehand.
Now听load this GPX file into Gaia GPS. You have two options:
- In the app, select the plus听button in the top menu, then Import File.听Find the GPX file on the phone, and select it.
- Use a file-system app (e.g., Files听on Android) to find the GPX file, then open the file in Gaia GPS.
If you don鈥檛 see the track from the GPX file, click on the layers icon in the upper right and confirm that Tracks and Routes听is turned on, then听make sure your trip location is visible on your screen.
Select the Download Layer
With a basic membership, only one map layer听can be downloaded at a time. With a premium membership, multiple layers can be downloaded simultaneously. However, the opacity settings at the time of download will be frozen. If you want to use the layers independently, they must be downloaded separately.
Touch the upper-right layers icon, and select the desired layer(s) to download. You may need to dig into the map library for your desired maps鈥攍ook under More听Layers.
You may also want to download the听Gaia topo layer, which will load more quickly than USGS听and Forest Service topo layers, because it鈥檚 vector based, not raster. Or download the听Trails Illustrated layer, handy for听small-scale overview maps. It may make sense to download other maps听instead of or in addition to those I鈥檝e already mentioned. For example, before elk hunting in Colorado, I download the GMU听(game management units) and public-access layers, so that I remain on legal hunting grounds, plus USGS aerial satellite imagery, so that I could find clearings more easily.
Download the Maps
Finally, let鈥檚 download some maps.
Select the plus听button from the top menu,听then Download Map.听A red-shaded box will appear. Move it and its corners to encompass your guide box or the map area you want to download.
If you鈥檙e听low on storage space, you can reduce the zoom level. If not, keep it at level 12听for maximum resolution.
Hit the Save听button, and name the map.
Check Your Work
To confirm that your maps have downloaded successfully:
- In the bottom menu, select the folder icon (Saved).
- Pull up your saved maps. Look under All听or Maps听in the top menu, between Saved听and the triple-dot icon.
- Gaia should push out a notification that your map download is complete.