Best (ideally free) maps to install on a GPS unit

[Reidbnm]

This may have been discussed before but I'm unable to get results with a search. Those of you who have hiked the CT with a GPS may have some experience.

What are the best affordable and detailed maps to install on a gps unit before hiking the trail? I really can't afford the Garmin southwest package of DVDs at the moment and am unsure which maps that are opensource and free are reliable and detailed enough.

[tarditi]

I've used backcountry explorer (I sprung for the pro version) with downloaded topo maps (I got free ones) on my android phones for a few years. Works well.
You can cache the maps to conserve battery (doesn't have to pull from web).

[HICKS]

I use free topo and trail maps from GPSFileDepot. I'm on the east coast though, so no idea the quality of Colorado Trail coverage.

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/53

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/search/editorschoice/

[AZ_Astro]

I can echo HICKS' comment. I am using the Colorado Topo 2011 and the Arizona Topo from gpsfiledepot, both free, on my Garmin ETrex 20.

What GPS unit do you have?

[Reidbnm]

I can echo HICKS' comment. I am using the Colorado Topo 2011 and the Arizona Topo from gpsfiledepot, both free, on my Garmin ETrex 20.

What GPS unit do you have?

Thanks for the reply.

I have the Garmin Oregon 600. Checking out the Colorado Topo 2011 at gpsfiledepot and it shows that it doesn't list trails among its features. Has that been your experience?

[AZ_Astro]

The Arizona TOPO has hiking trails. But now that you mention it, I checked, and the Colorado Topo 2011 doesn't. For me it doesn't matter, because I have loaded in waypoints for the Colorado Trail which I will follow. And I have Erik The Black's little guidebook to the trail with TOPO maps that includes trails. Hope this info helps.

[San Juan Ron]

I just manually loaded the critical way points (UTM) from the CT databook many years ago. Ron

[HICKS]

The first link in my post above ('My Trails') appears to include the CT. For example here is the north end from 'My Trails' loaded in BaseCamp compared to a map I found online of the same area. 'My Trails' doesn't seem to include any POI's in that area though (eg. camping sites).

CTBaseCamp.pngSeg1Map_Singletrack_Dogs.pdf

[AZ_Astro]

The first link in my post above ('My Trails') appears to include the CT. For example here is the north end from 'My Trails' loaded in BaseCamp compared to a map I found online of the same area. 'My Trails' doesn't seem to include any POI's in that area though (eg. camping sites).

CTBaseCamp.pngSeg1Map_Singletrack_Dogs.pdf

Here's what mine looks like. All of the waypoints are from the Bear Creek Survey with Erik The Black's waypoints merged in.

First two-thirds of segment 1 Basecamp Screenshot.jpg

[AZ_Astro]

... and that, of course, is what it looks like on the ETrex 20 as well. But with a much reduced screen size.

[bearcreek]

Here is a link to a step by step tutorial on the Bearcreek website explaining how to make your own GPS background maps using GpsFileDepot data: http://www.bearcreeksurvey.com/Data/...s_SD_cards.pdf

The tutorial was created with CDT hikers in mind, but the steps are the same - you just don't need as many base maps to get it done.

[iAmKrzys]

I have the Garmin Oregon 600. Checking out the Colorado Topo 2011 at gpsfiledepot and it shows that it doesn't list trails among its features. Has that been your experience?

Personally, I love https://www.openstreetmap.org . The downloadable version for Garmin GPSes does not have contour lines (I get them from Garmin Topo 100k) but it has a lot more trails and parking areas already marked on the map and people keep adding trails all the time. For Garmin you can read a lot of details at http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/O...armin/Download however, let me compress it for you to 3 simple steps:

1. Select U.S. region of interest and download it from http://daveh.dev.openstreetmap.org/g...t/kml/kml.html - this is updated weekly
2. Copy map file to your device (or memory card) to /Garmin folder
3. Enable display of OSM map via Maps settings -> Select Map (exact menu sequence varies by model.)

[marktrumpet]

I would spend $10 on the Backcountry Navigator Pro app, and use your phone as a GPS unit. From the app you can download USGS topos at no extra cost, plus you can import waypoints (no 500-waypoint limit) for the whole trail.

Having said all that, GPS is not necessary to hike the Colorado Trail.

Mark

[bearcreek]

Guthooks "The Colorado Trail" app turns your phone into a GPS, includes all the maps, does great elevation profiles, and has an excellent built in Data Book. It costs $9.99. A portion of the proceeds from sales goes to support the trail.

[MuddyWaters]

I would spend $10 on the Backcountry Navigator Pro app, and use your phone as a GPS unit. From the app you can download USGS topos at no extra cost, plus you can import waypoints (no 500-waypoint limit) for the whole trail.

Having said all that, GPS is not necessary to hike the Colorado Trail.

Mark

The free app even works pretty good if you save the USGS topo maps. The CT and all the other trais are on there, except for the latest reroutes I think in collegiate west.
for bailout, contingencey, overall map views, etc this is all anyone needs.....if you trust electronic devices only.

You can upload the .gpx waypoint file as well, it gets plotted . You can see where its not on the CT. Actually good enough to show you where the trail will be, the waypoints are pretty close. Switchbacks get iffy, but you dont need a map for that when you have the trail. I could make a case, that the CT gps data and free backcountry navigator is most of what someone needs on the electronic end.


Example:

11-06-15_20-27-22.jpg

[Traveler]

Electronics are fine for casual use in the backcountry, but they do not rise to the same level as a printed map and compass (with knowledge of how to use them). A recent example from a week or so ago makes for the cautionary tale - use electronics, but have a back up system.

"Two hikers from Connecticut have been rescued after making a wrong turn and spending the night on Mount Washington. New Hampshire Fish and Game officials received word of the stranded hikers just before 2 a.m. Thursday.

They say the hikers - 23-year-old Isabelle Motley of Woodstock and 24-year-old Jonathan Finley of Griswold - were trying to navigate using a cellphone GPS and wound up near Mount Isolation. Fish and Game officials relayed information through Motley's mother, who texted directions to the couple after they lost cellphone reception.

Rescuers from the Lake of the Cloud hut reached the hikers at about 5:30 a.m. and got them to the base of Mount Washington at about 10 a.m.

Officials caution hikers not to rely on electronic devices in the back country.
Published at 6:40 AM EDT on Jun 5, 2015"

[Another Kevin]

Electronics are fine for casual use in the backcountry, but they do not rise to the same level as a printed map and compass (with knowledge of how to use them). A recent example from a week or so ago makes for the cautionary tale - use electronics, but have a back up system.

The GPS is the backup system. Map, compass, barometric altimeter and pace count beads come with me on all hikes.

It's also a good idea to learn how to use one properly. Do you know what all the numbers mean on the display? (In particular, 'Error', 'VDoP., 'HDoP' and 'Fix/Sats' give various good indications of how wonky the signal is likely to be.) If you understand its limitations, GPS is invaluable for cross-checking your navigation. In any case, for me, the principal purpose of using GPS on my smartphone is making maps, not using them.

[bearcreek]

Prior to GPS, novice hikers got lost regularly using map and compass. Now some are getting lost using GPS.
Experienced hikers that understand and use either method rarely get lost. Having both maps and a GPS provides some redundancy which is nice.

[MuddyWaters]

My point, is only that 95% ( made up number, but probably close.) carry a phone. You can download free gps apps and topo maps, and the gps waypoint data, subject to the memory you have available, and have this as a backup, etc for free. Or pay 10 for guthooks, still not bad.

[10-K]

I'm good enough with map and compass to manage but I strongly prefer GPS as a primary navigation tool. I like having a track line for the trail I'm hiking and knowing within a reasonable distance how far I am from the track.

What I generally do for the big picture and off trail route issues is find out where I am with the GPS and then locate that spot on the map and then go from there.

I expect to become more proficient on the CDT next month.