Backwoods cartography
September 14, 2020 4:12 AM Subscribe
What GPS software and/or hardware can I use to map hiking trails?
I've recently been exploring a large, public wilderness area in my county. There is an extensive network of trails. Google Maps shows a few of the major ones. AllTrails shows a few more. But there are still plenty that are unmapped.
Since I'm out there anyway, I thought it might be fun to start mapping the trail network – plus notable spots, such as places to park, and interesting features (waterfalls, ruins, etc.).
The only GPS-enabled hardware that I have is a Samsung Galaxy S7 Active (but I'll probably upgrade to a newer phone soon).
It'd be great if I could record the data onto a custom Google Map – it has the best interface of any mapping tool that I've used. But other mapping software is fine, too.
I'd kind of like to retain some control over who can access the map – i.e., I don't necessarily want it to be totally public. Part of the beauty of these trails is that they're so isolated – you have to go looking for them to know they're there – and I'd like to keep them that way. But that's not a hard requirement.
Ideally, of course, I'd be able to view the resulting maps without a data connection, for navigation on the trail.
Is there an Android smartphone app that can help me here? Or perhaps other hardware that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
Thanks for any suggestions!
I've recently been exploring a large, public wilderness area in my county. There is an extensive network of trails. Google Maps shows a few of the major ones. AllTrails shows a few more. But there are still plenty that are unmapped.
Since I'm out there anyway, I thought it might be fun to start mapping the trail network – plus notable spots, such as places to park, and interesting features (waterfalls, ruins, etc.).
The only GPS-enabled hardware that I have is a Samsung Galaxy S7 Active (but I'll probably upgrade to a newer phone soon).
It'd be great if I could record the data onto a custom Google Map – it has the best interface of any mapping tool that I've used. But other mapping software is fine, too.
I'd kind of like to retain some control over who can access the map – i.e., I don't necessarily want it to be totally public. Part of the beauty of these trails is that they're so isolated – you have to go looking for them to know they're there – and I'd like to keep them that way. But that's not a hard requirement.
Ideally, of course, I'd be able to view the resulting maps without a data connection, for navigation on the trail.
Is there an Android smartphone app that can help me here? Or perhaps other hardware that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
Thanks for any suggestions!
I’ve heard good things about Gaia GPS. I also use a Garmin Instinct GPS watch which has excellent battery life and good tracking.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:24 AM on September 14, 2020
posted by Happy Dave at 5:24 AM on September 14, 2020
Yeah, take a look at Gaia or Backcountry Navigator for the Android. Both will record totally private tracks for you. With Gaia, I think you can share them with other Gaia users if you want to. You can export GPX from either of those and import them into Google Maps with jeremias' directions. You might also want to play around with Caltopo.com, which is a really great website making backcountry maps (I think it's better than Google for that purpose) -- you can upload the GPX files there too, as well as import different layers, add your own color coded markers with different symbols, etc.
posted by natabat at 6:28 AM on September 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by natabat at 6:28 AM on September 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
Gaia GPS for Android, which you can export /import maps with Caltopo for more detail/notes if needed.
I also use Google Earth to get a sense of local terrain, and find it pretty accurate (you can also upload GPX maps you tracked in gaia/built in caltopo into google earth, and it's super cool)
on preview, Jinx.
posted by larthegreat at 6:30 AM on September 14, 2020
I also use Google Earth to get a sense of local terrain, and find it pretty accurate (you can also upload GPX maps you tracked in gaia/built in caltopo into google earth, and it's super cool)
on preview, Jinx.
posted by larthegreat at 6:30 AM on September 14, 2020
People seem to like OSMTracker for Android.
I love Gaia on my iPhone for offline maps access. As others have noted, it will record tracks as well. Their own Gaia Topo map layer is surprisingly comprehensive (at least the places I've been) and might have some of the trails you found. Premium subscription makes even more maps available.
posted by exogenous at 6:33 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
I love Gaia on my iPhone for offline maps access. As others have noted, it will record tracks as well. Their own Gaia Topo map layer is surprisingly comprehensive (at least the places I've been) and might have some of the trails you found. Premium subscription makes even more maps available.
posted by exogenous at 6:33 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
https://gmap-pedometer.com/ will let you draw on a GMap and export the gpx data to load into a handheld device.
posted by k3ninho at 7:19 AM on September 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by k3ninho at 7:19 AM on September 14, 2020 [2 favorites]
Oh I know this one! Take a GPS trace with any GPS tracker software on your phone you want; OSMTracker looks like a good bet, there's many others. Strava will probably work, or I like GPS Logger
Then upload the GPX file your tracker produces to OpenStreetMap. That will immediately give you a visualization of your trail. You can stop there. But if you're willing to do a little learning and work, you can then use the web-based ID editor OSM provides to actually edit the map. Basically you draw lines in your browser over your GPS trace to mark the trail, give it a name and a little metadata, then upload it. And voila! Now your mapping work is in the OSM database. It'll show up a few days / weeks later on many major mapping sites like Strava. If the trail is already mapped you can still use your data to improve it by making the route more detailed or marking interesting things along the way.
posted by Nelson at 7:37 AM on September 14, 2020 [3 favorites]
Then upload the GPX file your tracker produces to OpenStreetMap. That will immediately give you a visualization of your trail. You can stop there. But if you're willing to do a little learning and work, you can then use the web-based ID editor OSM provides to actually edit the map. Basically you draw lines in your browser over your GPS trace to mark the trail, give it a name and a little metadata, then upload it. And voila! Now your mapping work is in the OSM database. It'll show up a few days / weeks later on many major mapping sites like Strava. If the trail is already mapped you can still use your data to improve it by making the route more detailed or marking interesting things along the way.
posted by Nelson at 7:37 AM on September 14, 2020 [3 favorites]
Kind of a sideways answer, but the trails might be mapped locally already and available (offline too) through Trailforks even if they’re not showing up in Google Maps or AllTrails. That was the case for us in a similar situation.
posted by stellaluna at 9:53 AM on September 14, 2020
posted by stellaluna at 9:53 AM on September 14, 2020
Nthing Gaia, but also check out the excellent caltopo.com
posted by scrubjay at 10:02 AM on September 14, 2020
posted by scrubjay at 10:02 AM on September 14, 2020
Nn Gaia; chances are good the trails area already mapped on one or more of their maps/layers.
posted by achrise at 10:08 AM on September 14, 2020
posted by achrise at 10:08 AM on September 14, 2020
Was coming here to say what stellaluna said. I am on the conservation commission for our town and we use Trailforks to provide maps to our local town forests. To the best of my knowledge the mapping there hasn't (so far) resulted in them showing up on Google Maps or AllTrails.
posted by jessamyn at 10:17 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 10:17 AM on September 14, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Once the route data is in GPX format, here's how you might bring that into Google Maps.
posted by jeremias at 4:36 AM on September 14, 2020 [3 favorites]