Electronic Maps for Adventure Travelers: Navigating the Choices
By: Sunil Bhatnagar
Tags: Travel, Maps, iPhone, Google Maps, Apple

Twenty years ago, when I was planning to hike the 3,000-mile Continental Divide from Mexico to Canada, I needed to purchase topographic maps. That meant tracking down map numbers, prices, and availability. Because I was creating my own route, I needed more than 100 detailed maps from the United States Geological Survey (U..S.G.S.) and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. It was an enormous undertaking.

Today’s traveler has a whole other collection of resources available. Digital maps are available, and can be downloaded onto computers, cellphones, i-devices, GPS units, and other PDAs. Digital maps can even be customized, and you can print them on durable waterproof paper (Check out National Geographic’s Adventure Paper; 15 sheets costs $19.95.)

Before you decide on which software to buy, consider your destination, how detailed you need the maps to be (you don’t need as much detail on well-marked trails), and, of course, your budget.

Google Maps

Google maps are automatically available with devices such as the iPad, and can be used on many cell phones, as well. Views include satellite images, road maps, maps with shaded terrain features, and combined views.

Note, however, that these maps do not show backcountry trails, and may not show tertiary roads such as logging roads and dirt roads. They are great for regional overviews and for those driving. Price: Free

U.S.G.S. Maps

The U.S.G.S. website has an enormous volume of information, much of it available free of charge, but navigating this site is not for the faint of heart. (Indeed, it’s probably easier to navigate cross country in a fog than to get through this site to find maps of hiking trails.)

Some U.S.G.S. maps, like the Google maps that are based on them, are available as aerial photos with layers of mapping information: road names, physical features, and so on. The formats are confusing: Some are outdated, some are available as aerial images, many don’t have trails on them. Suffice it to say that an hour’s digging did not find maps containing any trace of the Appalachian Trail, which is in my own backyard. The price of U.S.S.G. downloadable maps is right, but there’s a steep learning curve to using this site. For basic maps, you’re better off with Google; for more complex needs, try one of the products listed below. Price: Free, but not easy.

National Geographic’s Topo! Explorer Maps

National Geographic’s Topo! Explorer maps are available as individual maps for a dollar a piece, putting them squarely in the “really good deal” category, especially for people who plan to hike in the same region, on the same trails. Free software is available to customize maps you have purchased, connect to a GPS, and enable you to share your maps.

The maps have seven zoom levels and are intended for use in outdoor recreation, so they include features of use to backcountry travelers such as shelters, springs, and trails. You can also customize the maps by putting in little symbols for trailheads, campsites, and other information. Price $1.00

Maptech Terrain Navigator Standard Edition

This easy-to-use package is based on U.S.G.S. 7.5 and 15-minute maps. Maptech packages them by state or regional groups, and also offers maps for national parks and major trail systems such as the Appalachian Trail. This is a user-friendly package. The cool features (marking your route, creating a profile map, and seeing the terrain in 3-D) are easy enough for even the most tentative computer user to master, and the zoom feature makes it seem like you can just about see the rocks and roots on the trail.

The Maptech products are significantly more expensive than the closest competition, but they have a deeper features list, and are regarded as the Rolls Royce of backcountry mapping. A recommendation: make your decision based on how many different places you want to go to. If you travel widely, DeLorme (described below) will be more affordable. if you tend to stay on one region, you might appreciate Maptech’s added level of detail. A Pro edition of MapTech is also available, but it’s beyond the needs of most travelers, most of whom won’t want to spend the extra $200. Price for the basic package: $99.

DeLorme Topo 9.0, North America

DeLorme is one of the U.S.’s premiere road map publishers, and their computer maps follow suit, with appealing graphics. Topo 9.0 is specifically designed for backcountry recreational use. Once you get the hang of the software, you can add waypoints, do elevation mapping, search for features, track routes, and use the 3-D view.

The new version includes all of Canada as well as the U.S., and Mexican roads (but not trails). The package is available on CD or through online download. A supplementary low-cost subscription is available for more detailed mapping needs. This is definitely the right choice for wide-ranging travelers. Price: $99.95.

Trails.com

Trails.com is an Internet membership site, and the annual fee provides unlimited access not only to topos, but to guidebooks as well. A high-speed connection is required for graphics. Print quality is fair, not great. You don’t get some of the interactive features of the other map vendors (such as making profile maps, marking routes, plotting waypoints, and viewing in 3-D). What you do get, in addition to the maps and guidebooks, is weather data, trail town facts, outdoor news, and aerial photos. Price: $49.95, annually; free, 14-day trial membership.

Whichever of the mapping software products you use, you’ll find that planning a trip can be quicker and less expensive than in the old paper days. (Just compare the U.S.G.S. price of $8.00 for a paper 1:24,000 topo to National Geographic’s e-maps costing $1.00 apiece.) Make your decision based on the features you need, the number of maps, and your destinations. Long-distance hikers may well want DeLorme’s big inclusive package, while weekend hikers needing only a handful of maps might better opt for National Geographic’s maps, available one at a time.