The Top 10 Best Hiking Apps for Every Hiker

You know how important it is to have the right tools and information to plan trips. With hiking, whether you want to find new trails, track your progress, or stay safe in the outdoors, there are plenty of apps that can help you. Read on as I will share my top 10 best hiking apps.

1. AllTrails

One of the most popular and comprehensive hiking apps out there. It has over 200,000 trails worldwide, with detailed maps, photos, reviews, and difficulty ratings. You can filter your search by length, elevation, rating, and more. You can also download offline maps, record your hikes, and share your adventures with other hikers. AllTrails is free to use, but you can upgrade to a Pro subscription for more features and offline access. Link: https://www.alltrails.com/

2. Gaia GPS

This is a powerful navigation tool for hikers who want to explore off the beaten path. It has topographic maps, satellite imagery, and road maps for over 200 countries. You can also access layers such as public land boundaries, weather forecasts, and fire history. You can create custom routes, waypoints, and tracks, and sync them across your devices. Gaia GPS is free to download, but you need a membership to access premium maps and features. Link: https://www.gaiagps.com/

3. Hiking Project

A community-driven platform that features over 40,000 trails in the US and Canada. You can browse trails by location, difficulty, distance, and rating. You can also see photos, descriptions, elevation profiles, and interactive maps. You can download offline maps, record your hikes, and contribute your own trail information and reviews. Hiking Project is free to use and is supported by REI Co-op. Link: https://www.hikingproject.com/

4. PeakFinder

A fun and educational app that helps you identify the mountains around you. It has a database of over 650,000 peaks worldwide, with names, elevations, and distances. You can use your camera or compass to scan the horizon and see a 360-degree panorama of the peaks. You can also learn more about the history and geography of the mountains. PeakFinder works offline and does not require GPS or internet connection. Link: https://www.peakfinder.org/

5. Cairn

A safety app that helps you stay connected and prepared in the wilderness. It lets you share your location and itinerary with your emergency contacts, who can track your progress and get alerted if you are overdue. It also shows you where you can find cell coverage on the trail, and provides stats such as distance, speed, elevation, and battery life. Cairn is free to download, but you can upgrade to a premium subscription for more features and coverage areas. Link: https://www.cairnme.com/

6. ViewRanger

This is a versatile hiking app that offers thousands of trails in over 20 countries. You can discover new routes by activity, location, difficulty, or length. You can also access detailed maps from top publishers such as Ordnance Survey, IGN, and USGS. You can download offline maps, record your hikes, and use the Skyline feature to identify landmarks using augmented reality. ViewRanger is free to use, but you can purchase premium maps and features as needed. Link: https://www.viewranger.com/

7. Komoot

A planning and navigation app that helps you create custom routes for hiking, biking, running, and more. You can choose your starting point, destination, waypoints, and preferences such as difficulty, surface type, and scenery. The app will generate a route with turn-by-turn directions, elevation profile, and highlights along the way. You can also browse routes created by other users and share your own experiences. Komoot is free to download, but you need to purchase regions to access offline maps and voice navigation. Link: https://www.komoot.com/

8. iNaturalist

A citizen science app that helps you learn more about the plants and animals you encounter on your hikes. You can take photos of any living thing and upload them to the app, where experts and other users can help you identify them. Join projects and challenges to contribute to biodiversity research and conservation efforts. iNaturalist is free to use and is supported by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society. Link: https://www.inaturalist.org/

9. Relive

Relieve is a storytelling app that helps you capture and share your hiking adventures. It creates 3D videos of your hikes with maps, photos, stats, and music. You can customize your videos with filters, stickers, text, and emojis. You can also follow other users and explore their videos. Relive is free to download, but you can upgrade to a Club membership for more features and options.
Link: https://www.relive.cc/

10. First Aid by American Red Cross

A lifesaving app that helps you deal with any medical emergencies that may occur on your hikes. It has step-by-step instructions for common first aid scenarios such as cuts, burns, sprains, and bites. Also, it has videos, quizzes, and safety tips to help you prepare and prevent accidents. The app works offline and is available in multiple languages. Link: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps.html

Next check out: Amazing hiking trails near Las Vegas you can do in a weekend (gotravelhiking.com)