Forum Discussion

Naio's avatar
Naio
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2018

Is there a good app for long distance secondary roads?

I spend ridiculous amounts of time trying to get google maps to cough up the smaller roads -- zooming in and out, trying terrain mode -- then I pull out the ol' paper map and they are right there!

But the phone is more convenient, where I have a signal. Is there an app for this?

I'm talking about anything from minor state highways down to BLM 2-tracks. I'm specifically excluding topo maps because I need a scale where I can see 100-200 mile routes at a glance... like, say, a AAA map.
  • I use GAIA GPS (available on appstore not sure about android), it has different layers ets. contains all the FS roads, service roads etc, plus its able to give you navigation, record the track and elevation etc.

    I have used it for my 4x4 driving and it has never let me down (plus you can download maps for those offline areas)
  • Naio's avatar
    Naio
    Explorer II
    That's a cool app, Fizz, thanks! Not useable on my phone (needs more processing power), but I will try it on a laptop....

    Update/review:

    Extremely slow to load on high speed wifi, but does have a lot of detail if you go away and come back. Topo shading or lines at different zoom levels.

    Has a weird bug causing map to move anytime mouse is moved. Does not **** off that function by usual methods like clicking or moving cursor off of map. This makes the app unusable, unless I can find a way to stop that.... ah, going to a different tab in browser and coming back is a kludgy workaround...

    Forest Service roads only, so not very useful for route planning, but nice for finding potential boondocking sites!
  • Naio's avatar
    Naio
    Explorer II
    What I like about paper maps, and am trying to replicate on my phone, is the ability to see at a glance what route I want to take from place A to place B, 100 miles away, avoiding major roads.

    Doing this with google maps, is when I end up doing all the zooming in and out. I have to zoom way in to see the small roads, and then back out again to get the proud of you and make sure that the road I found is heading in the right direction.

    This ends up being incredibly time consuming. Partly because google wants to insist that there is no road there, even when I know there is. Paper maps don't hide the fine details.
  • Naio's avatar
    Naio
    Explorer II
    Thanks, Fizz and GordonThree :). I do have topo apps, but topo maps are too much detail, and too slow to load, for route planning :).

    I am looking for the equivalent of AAA state map. They show most of the Forest Service and BLM dirt and gravel roads. Or National Forest maps, for the tiniest dirt roads. I don't know what the Canadian equivalents would be.
  • Go to your app store, Android or Apple.
    So a search for TOPO maps.
    There are a few there.
    Make sure the app uses GPS and you'll be fine.
  • "Forest maps" are what I use for USFS and I've downloaded them to my iPad. Works well and even shows where I am...even out of cell range. Don't understand how it works. Shows most BLM land too but not all.
  • Yes, TOPO Maps USA. It's $10 well spent. Every dirt road, two-track, fire trail, etc is on there. Included are landmarks you might see while hiking like radio towers, fire observation towers, swamp/marsh areas, etc. If you have a stout mobile device, you can download the maps on WiFi so it doesn't need data while out and about.

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