Maps on iPhone

[Grasshopper2011]

Is there a way to download maps for the entire AT and store them on an iPhone? I'm looking for something that requires no internet connection to load maps (with AT&T I am not counting on data reception.)

Are the maps from Trail Map Magic any good? Are there other ways worth exploring?

[ChinMusic]

Trail Map Magic apps ($1.99 per 200-mile segment) get horrible reviews but they do work. I have used them on the AT and they are good at telling you at a glance how far it is to certain points of interest (water, shelter, etc). Some folks will claim that the GPS function does not work with this app, but it does. The user interface is tricky. Once you've done it right once you are set.

Topo Maps ($7.99 for unlim 24K maps) will not give you the databook-type data but it will give you REAL 24K maps. These maps take up a lot of memory. I would prob download the next 200ish miles (maybe more) and delete maps as I finish them. You will have plenty of opportunities along the way to download.

I use both. Both work without cell coverage.

[The Cleaner]

The AccuTerra app is great too.I think the app is free and you buy maps.It has more resolution than the ATTrail app...and it does work without any cell service...sometimes....

[Grasshopper2011]

Do either the Topo Maps or AccuTerra have the trail on the map, or are they strictly topo? Do either of these have points of interest such as shelters and water? I'm not concerned with it displaying the distance to the shelter..just whether it has that information or not.

[GeneralLee10]

Is there a way to download maps for the entire AT and store them on an iPhone? I'm looking for something that requires no internet connection to load maps (with AT&T I am not counting on data reception.)

Are the maps from Trail Map Magic any good? Are there other ways worth exploring?

yeah dude AT&T blows for service. You mite get a text out on the trail that is about all. As for the maps I have no clue, plus your battery will die. Just buy the maps and be done with it. Plus you can mark them up and find short cuts to towns and so on.
When you buy the maps I think it helps the ATC with funding too. Just a thought. I am sure the ATC can use some money, as they do help maintain the trail your going to be walking.

[SouthMark]

I have tried one called Gaia GPS. Maps are free and you can download in advance so that you do not need internet or cell service to use. The iPhone GPS works off of the satellites just the same as a stand alone GPS. I download the maps for the area that I'm going to hike in advance, then I remove the sim card to keep the iPhone from searching for cell signal. The battery lasts about three or more times as long. If I need to make a call I just install the sim card. The battery lasted the entire 100 mile wilderness last August. Apple needs to allow only. Unfortunately airplane mode turns off the phone and GPS. Maybe they will address this in iPhone 5.

[The Cleaner]

Do either the Topo Maps or AccuTerra have the trail on the map, or are they strictly topo? Do either of these have points of interest such as shelters and water? I'm not concerned with it displaying the distance to the shelter..just whether it has that information or not.
AccuTerra does show the AT and many side trails.You have to buy AT north&AT South to get the whole trail.It does drain your battery so you just use it to find out your location then power off.When you power back up the map shows the area you were last using.I've been using it to show my location on some side trails near the AT in my local area....also you can set it to show shelters,firetowers ect...Try a half to see if you like it,I paid 1.99 for AT south...

[ChinMusic]

Do either the Topo Maps or AccuTerra have the trail on the map, or are they strictly topo? Do either of these have points of interest such as shelters and water? I'm not concerned with it displaying the distance to the shelter..just whether it has that information or not.
Topo Maps is a standard 24k topo map and does have most trails on it. The AT is nothing special on these maps. The AT is not marked in bold. I use the Topo Maps for trips all over the country.

That is why I like something like the Trail Map Magic maps as a supplement for the AT. Thes maps would not be of much help for getting off the trail quickly as they are AT specific. The AT is marked clearly. You position on the AT is clear. You approximation to water, shelter, etc., is also clear.

Again, neither app required cell coverage.

[QiWiz]

The AccuTerra app is great too.I think the app is free and you buy maps.It has more resolution than the ATTrail app...and it does work without any cell service...sometimes....

Get AccuTerra Unlimited for $4.99 and all the map packages cost $0 extra - if you get the free app you pay extra for each map package. Can have the whole AT and some of the side trails, on a topo map, with AT shelters indicated, all in your iPhone with ability to check your position anytime with no cellular connection. However, you are limited by the iPhone's GPS, which is not as good or fast at finding your position as a dedicated GPS and sometimes won't do it in heavy tree cover.

[Grasshopper2011]

Thanks for all the suggestions.. I think AccuTerra is probably the way I'm going to go..I'm surprised at how many options there are out there..I had always used google earth and figured you were just SOL when there was no data coverage.

Also..good call on the SIM card SouthMark.. I was thinking I would leave it off or in airplane mode and put it on regular mode just long enough to get a location if I needed it.. Your way sounds smarter.

[SouthMark]

Thanks for all the suggestions.. I think AccuTerra is probably the way I'm going to go..I'm surprised at how many options there are out there..I had always used google earth and figured you were just SOL when there was no data coverage.

Also..good call on the SIM card SouthMark.. I was thinking I would leave it off or in airplane mode and put it on regular mode just long enough to get a location if I needed it.. Your way sounds smarter.

There is a way to turn your sim card on and off without removing it. I was given this info from a member over on BPL. I tried it and it works. You have to set up a SIM PIN which requires that you enter it everytime you turn your pone on. This is not the same as your password. The SIM is locked or unlocked in system settings/phone/sim. You can go to your online AT&T account, click on "My Device." There will be a link for the PUK lock code. Then you can change it to whatever you want. With the PIN you can unlock the SIM and turn off the phone function to save your battery.

[Trailryder42]

I have Accuterra Unlimited. I think it's a great app. My hike isn't til 2012 but I already have the AT maps loaded on my iPhone.

I used the app in Colorado last year and it had trail coverage that neither my handheld GPS nor map of the area had. I was able to determine my location on the trail and see that I had made a wrong turn before getting too far off my intended track.

Also used it while hiking a few trails along the BRP and Skyline Drive during a motorcycle trip last year. I think it is quite accurate. And no cell service needed.

And yes, it has options for displaying all kinds of points of interest, from the shelters on the AT, to side trails, campsites, parking areas, names of mountain peaks, waterfall, scenic overlooks, forest service offices, and a lot more.

A lot of the maps you can download, depends on the area, are HD, meaning the level zoom and detail is greater, like the AT maps.

[Bucherm]

Buy paper maps brother, I wouldn't rely on an iPhone as the GPS, odds are that you'll run out of juice before reachign a spot where you can recharge.

[The Old Fhart]

I have all the detailed street maps with routing capability for all of North America plus the 1:100K topo maps for the east coast with the A.T. centerline and all shelter waypoints marked on the overlay I added. I’ve also loaded the hi-res topo maps from MapDepot with 20’ contours of the individual States as well. That uses about 2Gb and I have about 7.5Gb free on my Garmin 62s. I plan to use the Garmin plus AWOL’s 2011 A.T. Guide when I do a section this spring.