Trail Navigator

[Intimnasc]

Do any of you use trail navigation systems? There seems to be a lot of choices out there and I'm sure there are a lot of opinions. Next year I M going to Moab and the Price, Wellington area and while I don't know z lot of trails I have family in the area that goes but I thought a navigation system would be a nice to have.

 

[Mike_H]

I’ve used OnX and am currently using GAIA. OnX is probably more user friendly, but it’s very much an App. I got away from it a couple years ago when they started the tier pricing and it’s was like 100 a year “elite” package to see land ownership in off-road, but free in hunt. I haven’t looked at it recently.

I like GAIA because it has so many layers to view. It’s also a pretty good nav system in general. Finally, you can plan a trip at home, on your computer, then shared it with a group (as a gpx). That last part is useful for leading trail rides.

 

[Intimnasc]

You never have problems losing phone signal and dropping a map? That's why I was looking at dedicated off road gps like the Garmin Tread (though I hate Garmin). I'm thinking I wanna bring a tent and do days off road.

 

[Mike_H]

You never have problems losing phone signal and dropping a map? That's why I was looking at dedicated off road gps like the Garmin Tread (though I hate Garmin). I'm thinking I wanna bring a tent and do days off road.

Both apps I use allow you to download an area ahead of time. The GPS chip in your phone doesn't require a signal to work...so, as long as the area is downloaded a phone or tablet work fine.

 

[Rut Row]

I started with GAIA, switched to OnX and may be going back to GAIA although I despise their move to a subscription service.

 

[macleanflood]

I use Avenza.

-Mac

 

[Apparition]

Started with GaIa and moved to OnX.

OnX works well for Moab. They usually have discounted membership at some point in the spring.

 

[bbaldwin237]

I use OnX hunt and off-road. I personally like OnX and have had very minimal issues with it. Though it did try to tell us to drive off a cliff this summer (@PG. )

 

[Moglocker]

Do any of you use trail navigation systems? There seems to be a lot of choices out there and I'm sure there are a lot of opinions. Next year I M going to Moab and the Price, Wellington area and while I don't know z lot of trails I have family in the area that goes but I thought a navigation system would be a nice to have.

Just move to Florida,you’ll never have to worry about a trail again (lol)when we plan a trip I usually update my onx

 

[speeding_infraction]

I use OnX, the $30 /year version. Where I've been, there's been LTE service at least, and it's saved me from get lost in the woods at windrock more then once. The only thing I don't like, is that the place we frequent the most, Royal Blue, it doesn't auto label every trail. Some of them are labeled, trail 13, trail 4 etc, but many trails that we do, like trail 10, trail 7 are not labeled properly, just "Sundquist WMA." not very helpful when you're trying to brag to your friends where you went

 

[Abendage]

Trails Offroad is my favorite for most areas. OnX is better in some areas. Avenza with Forest Service MVUM’s is the old standard. Between the 3 I get all the info I need.

 

[DirtDawg]

In many regions (including where I live), publicly available USFS trail mapping data is quite limited on Road Maintenance Levels lower than Level 3 (see definitions here). By that, lack of USFS Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) published as a byproduct of Travel Management Plans intended to regulate off-pavement recreation within specific USFS district regions. With that level of data not publicly available, commercially available apps likewise will be compromised by lower level of details than ideal. Correspondingly, the presence of USFS trail marker signage often is limited on the less than Level 3 off-pavement roads as is preferred for OHV usage.

My buddy and I use proprietary ARCGis mapping software with said buddy having created comprehensive mapping of this entire region (easternmost AZ's ASNF and westernmost NM's GNF), which is kept fresh by annotating changing conditions (closures/blockages), adding new tracks (such as legacy trails not currently shown) and then uploading overwriting updates to the master map file. Rather than showing examples, take a look at the mapping products now offered free to the public by Tonto Recreation Alliance, using similar (but read-only) ARCGis mapping, which covers AZ's entire Tonto National Forest, subsequent to several years of volunteer hours of trail inspections and sign marker installations aligned with specific USFS protocol, in advance of TNF's MVUM publication for that forest region. Tonto NF OHV Maps

 

[cb4017]

I started years ago with DeLorme map books and a hand held GPS that would show my location coordinates and bread crumbs. I then bought a Garmin Overlander GPS and later the DeLorme Earthmate app. They don't need a connection to load maps as both of them can load TOPO maps for the US. Both are compatible with the In Reach satellite communicator for messaging and tracking.

Lately I use GAIA and I'm trying OnX. I put a Double DIN receiver in my TJ so I can use both with Android Auto or on my bat phone. So far I prefer GAIA.

I also have T-Mobile Satellite set up on my phone that connects to Starlink. With no cell service I can still send messages and location pins. Awesome for $10 a month.

 

[Harold&Cat]

I subscribed to OnX and Trails OffRoad when they ran a sale . I also use Gaia GPS . Trails OffRoads let's you upload trails to Gaia .

 

[jonny jeep]

I don't know how the maps compare but OSMand has free versions with limited downloads on Android and Apple. there are road, topo and terrain shading maps available. I used the paid Android OSMand+ version where unlimited downloads are available.

I got it when it was on offer at a big discount. They also do a subscription version which doesn't have enough features to make it worth it for me.

It uses openstreetmap data for the maps and if you found trails that aren't on the maps, and add them to the OSM data via the online editor, they would appear on a later update for the OSMand maps.

Edit: Here's a link for the openstreetmap in the Moab are so you can see the detail.
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=13/38.56971/-109.57747

 

[JeepDrivesBest]

I've been using OnX for Moab trips and it works great there, just make sure to download the offline maps before you head out since cell service gets spotty on some trails.

 

[DirtDawg]

Interesting comments from those using commercially available nav apps. I too used Gaia and BackCountry Nav, augmented with Garmin (SW region topo card) until adopting previously mentioned proprietary ArcGIS software. As outlined by others, data available within off-pavement regions varies depending on publicly available USFS MVUM data or that uploaded by private or for-profit enterprises. In this region, using commercial app data will more than likely result in confusion on lower than Level 3 roads due to lack of map details and/or trail marker signage (if any). Bottom line, easy to get lost off the "main roads". Seems more than likely, that scenario exists nationwide...

 

[macleanflood]

We're in the process of writing an app for scouting illegal dumping sites, abandoned vehicles. We've realized the infrastructure can extend to our trail maintenance folks since we're essentially plugging into the Forest Service GIS servers.

And let me tell you that data...at least in two of our closest forests is a complete mess. Missing roads, data in incorrect fields. We've essentially had to write a translation program just to use it.

We've found that the MVUMs in our area are wildly inaccurate. Roads on the map simply no longer exist on the ground (which I see as an opportunity to build 4x4 trails.) Roads hundreds of feet off their actual locations. It essentially makes enforcement impossible.

-Mac

 

[DirtDawg]

^^^ Mac, perhaps like your own USFS region, district forest managers in my current and former AZ locations are severely limited by lack of manpower and budget resources. i could post images of RVs, gutted and then abandoned not far from pavement, however your "Trash and Trail" YouTube website clearly illustrates the problem and challenge for removal. For those not having viewed your channel, well worth watching IMO.

Likewise agreed on your comment WRT trails not where shown on USFS data. Yes, physical conditions change with time and weather exposure but the evidence shows legacy mapping not kept current is suspect at best. With that considered, the "trail" evolves - often with a bypass to downed trees or obstacle leading to bypass to that bypass - none of which data is collected and updated within USFS base mapping. Much as water tends to do, trail users tend to make their own way over time...

 

[PG.]

I use OnX hunt and off-road. I personally like OnX and have had very minimal issues with it. Though it did try to tell us to drive off a cliff this summer (@PG. )

Yea I don’t know what made me stop get out and look over the hill but I’m glad I did.