Hiking can be a perfect way to escape from tedious routines. In order to make sure that you’ll have a great time outdoors, the hiking app is one of the things you need to prepare before you go. The best hiking apps should have useful features to give you the best experience while keeping you safe.
When it comes to hiking apps for Android and iOS, there are a plethora of options. If you don’t have enough time to scroll through the Google Play Store or App Store, you have visited the right page. The most recommended hiking apps are ready for you. Look at this!
The Best Hiking Apps to Enjoy Nature
1. Wikiloc
The first hiking app we want to introduce is Wikiloc. It is a perfect app to share and discover hundreds of routes. It has more than 7.5 million users and 21 million routes have been shared. This hiking app helps you record your route on a map. Plus, you can add waypoints and take photos for adventure logs. Once you’re done, upload to Wikiloc from your phone.
It is highly regarded because it is known as more than just an app for hiking trails: you can download tours for biking, skiing, or even horseback riding.
Wikiloc is available for free on the Google Play Store and the App Store. But if you want to enjoy more features like weather forecast, live tracking or advanced search filters, you may need to upgrade to Premium versions.
Discover great trails and plan your next adventure with Wikiloc.
2. ViewRanger
Discover more than 150,000 routes with ViewRanger. You’ll never run out of plans for your next adventure, thanks to the long list of routes to explore. For convenient outdoor use, this best hiking app supports offline mode with detailed maps.
With this app, you can easily navigate trails and view tracking stats at your fingertips. It also allows you to record a new track with pause and stop function. Plus, you can view heading and altitude data.
3. Komoot
Komoot is a very complete app and for this reason it is also one of the most used apps among lovers of hiking. This app allows you to plan your routes and then follow them with GPS navigation. In addition, it has a lot of data about each route made, such as the speed, the profile of the route and the unevenness at each point. It is very interesting because it makes you proposals of the best routes that you can follow.
What makes Komoot special among the others on this list is that it has a user-friendly interface, perfect for amateur hikers. Navigating the app is never complicated. All it takes is just a few clicks to create off-road foot and hiking plans in seconds. To top it off, the app supports turn-by-turn voice navigation to help hikers focus on their journey and drive with ease, whether on small trails or in the woods.
It is for hikers, of course, but also for lovers of mountain biking and other activities that take place outdoors.
4. Gaia GPS
If you prefer a hiking app that provides detailed topographic, satellite, and road maps, look no further than Gaia GPS. Millions of users around the world have trusted this app for camping, hunting, or hiking, thanks to versatile maps that are designed for every outdoor activity. This is what you need to enjoy outdoor adventure and never get lost.
As one of the best free hiking apps, Gaia has tons of features like smart routing tools to help you plan trips and an up-to-date weather forecast to help you pick the best time to start. It can also measure distance, elevation, as well as mark campsites.
What if the signal is lost? You don’t need to worry about it. Gaia GPS supports offline mode, which allows you to use the maps without an Internet connection. Be sure to download the maps before you head out and it will work just fine for navigating your outdoor adventure.
5. AllTrails
AllTrails is a hiking app that has a wide variety of routes, which you can download and follow.
With AllTrails, you can explore over 200,000 mountain bike trails and hiking trails. It has an extensive collection of trail maps and downloadable maps for offline use. Whether you like running, hiking or mountain biking, you will find AllTrails the best hiking app to install.
If you want to invite your minor child or dog, this app has a filter feature that allows you to sort the trails for children or dogs. Save your favorite trails to make it easier to visit the same trail in the future.
6. TrailLink
TrailLink is a versatile app to discover the great outdoors in a better way. With over 40,000 miles of trails, you can enjoy detailed trail descriptions, photos, reviews, and trail maps. Whether you plan on walking, jogging, or hiking, this app offers amazing trails to try.
TrailLink is armed with an RTC trail database that comes with a unique trail finder. On top of that, it allows you to find hiking trails that come with exercise stations and other trails with great views. You can enjoy the adventure and get fit at the same time.
7. PeakFinder
PeakFinder is a useful app for beginners and advanced climbers. It provides detailed information on more than 800,000 mountains around the world, from the highest peak to the smallest hill in your area. All you needed is to point the camera at the area and the app automatically provides detailed data about the mountain.
8. National Park Trail Guide
Do you have a plan for hiking in the National Parks? This is a versatile app to get a complete guide to tourism and hiking in the parks. It comes with hike descriptions and trail data for national parks like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and more.
If you want to enjoy the best hiking experience, use the search filter “best of” which will give you a list of selected destinations. You can also choose a route with friendly elevation profiles or a kid-friendly hiking trail. Plus, it provides additional information on family destinations, including camping, lodging, and more.
With satellite maps and vertical profile, there is no need to worry about getting lost even if you are not connected to the Internet.
9. Relive
Relive is a hiking app with a very interesting feature: with it you can record your routes and share them and even convert them into a 3D video. It is very attractive because it gives you the possibility to create videos in augmented reality of the track that you record during your route. You can add photos to that video and then you can share the result with whoever you want. Thus, in addition to a good sports experience, you will take home a souvenir of the day.
10. Strava
Everyone who likes hiking loves Strava too, so you can put this app on your list of the best for hiking. It allows you to trace routes, record your activity and share it. And you will also get a summary of your training and statistics with your evolution so you can see how you are progressing. To motivate you, it includes a function of monthly distance and elevation challenges.
The standout point that makes this app useful is that it offers you a social network in which users share their experiences and, of course, their routes. Thus, you will be able to collect all the information on your routes or know in detail what other users have done to follow them step by step without getting lost.
11. First Aid – IFRC
First Aid is a completely different hiking app from the previous ones. We know that it is important to have an app for your routes, but it is no less important to be prepared for any unforeseen event. This app is supported by the Red Cross and with it you will get complete information on first aid, step-by-step instructions for emergencies, and guides for extreme situations such as earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. In addition, you will have emergency telephone numbers at hand.
Hopefully you don’t need it, but this app can save lives.
12. SAS Survival Guide
Along the same lines as the previous app, another very useful app for your hiking days is the SAS Survival Guide. It is a paid app -although there is a free LITE version in which you will find basic survival questions.
If you ever find yourself lost in the wild, the SAS Survival Guide app will help you survive in the mud until you find a way out. The app is written by John “Lofty” Wise, a former SAS soldier and survivor. It included all the basic and advanced survival information one needs to know before going outdoors. SAS Survival Guide contains downloadable Lofty videos, photo galleries of edible, medicinal, and poisonous plants, as well as Morse code and first aid tips.
Conclusion
From simple hiking navigation apps to ones with bells and whistles, this list of the best hiking apps is sure to do the trick of helping you as you get ready for your big adventure.
Find your boots, backpack, water! Don’t forget the water… Open any of the above apps on your smartphone and let yourself be carried away by the dozens of trails that are sure to be near your home. You’ll love it!
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