This Tech Will Help Find Your Next Hike—and Can Save Your Life

The great outdoors are about getting away from your screens, but there’s some tech that you should take with you. These apps and gadgets are fantastic for navigating a walk in the wilderness. Some can even save your life.

Trail sports are growing twice as fast as other activities, according to the workout-tracking app Strava. The app’s users typically record the largest number of hikes in August, a spokeswoman said.

Google and Apple recently added more hike-friendly map features. In April, Google Maps added trail information within U.S. national parks, such as distance and elevation gain. Apple Maps will display similar data in iOS 17, now out as a public beta and widely available this fall.

Specialized smartphone apps such as AllTrails, Komoot and Strava can help you find hidden gems and provide more detailed trail information than Apple or Google. They can guide you through each turn, precisely pinpointing your location, even if you don’t have a cellular connection. 

The right app for you depends on your skill level. Deciding to pay for a premium plan depends on how much customization you’re looking for, and whether you’ll be going to places without cell service. I’ve used a combination of AllTrails, Komoot and Strava for years—here’s how their latest features compare and how to prep your gadgets before bringing them into the wild.

Blaze your trail

These apps are your new guidebook, map and compass all-in-one. You can do basic searches without subscribing. For advanced functionality, such as the ability to download routes offline, you need to pay.

For beginners: AllTrails (free to use; $3 a month for premium) 

AllTrails is the easiest to use. There are over 400,000 trails worldwide on the platform, and its users actively review routes. The reviews section is helpful for parking tips and understanding if there are areas that aren’t well maintained. You can browse trails free and use the app to follow the route, as long as there’s cell service.

My favorite premium upgrades include offline maps and wrong-turn alerts, plus compatibility with Garmin GPS watches. You can also get info for weather and mosquito activity.

Intermediate: Komoot (free to use; one-time map fees cost $4 to $30; $60 a year for premium)

Komoot has many similar features: a large database of routes and offline maps. I find the trail search on Komoot less intuitive than AllTrails, and the app doesn’t feature reviews. Its strength is the ability to reroute or add new waypoints on the fly.

The pricing structure is a little confusing but you get a lot of features by just paying a one-time fee, rather than a recurring subscription. You get one region (essentially a city) free, so pick carefully. You have to pay either $4 per additional region or $30 for the world. Once you unlock regions, you get offline maps and turn-by-turn voice navigation, which is especially useful for cycling. (There is a $60 annual subscription for live tracking and other features, but most people won’t need this.)

Advanced: Strava (free to use; $12 a month for premium)

Athlete-geared Strava is much more than a route planner and navigator. It’s part social network, part workout analyzer—and you really need a subscription to plan hikes.

Strava can suggest hikes, but the app’s route builder is excellent for creating a custom one from scratch. You can pick a start and an end, and the app will survey users’ historic data to build an ideal route. The best feature: A global heat map shows which trails are most popular. A less-trafficked line could mean the path isn’t accessible—and should be avoided.

Prep your tech before you go

No matter which app you use, you’ll want to make sure you verify the route, have a plan in case you lose cell service and bring a battery backup. 

Use multiple sources of information: “I think that these apps are great to use,” said Lindsey Terrell, a guide for Rare Earth Adventures, a wilderness tour company in Oregon. But, since many trails are crowdsourced, she warned that distance and elevation can be inaccurate. Go to the official website that presides over the hike’s jurisdiction to validate the info, Terrell advised. The National Parks and U.S. Forest Service update their websites with trail and road conditions regularly.

Download maps offline: You may lose service, so make sure you can access your route without it, Terrell said. AllTrails, Komoot and Strava require a paid upgrade to view routes without service. I like to download the area on Google Maps as a backup. Search for a place, then tap on the address. Tap the three dots icon (top right corner), then select Download offline map. Apple Maps is enabling downloading with iOS 17.

Consider a personal locator beacon: For any hike, you’ll want to let loved ones know which route you’re taking and when they should start worrying, Terrell said.

If you’re going to a really remote area, Terrell recommends a subscription-based satellite communicator, such as the Garmin InReach. iPhone 14 models have satellite functionality for contacting emergency services or updating Find My. It works in the U.S. but it isn’t available for all countries.

A new Apple Watch feature for cellular models—available in the WatchOS 10 now in public beta and expected for all compatible devices in September—shows where you were last connected to your carrier. It can also display when the device last detected any carrier’s network to make an emergency call.

Preserve battery life: GPS tracking can drain your phone’s battery. “Get in the habit of bringing a power bank on every hike,” said Scott Wilkinson, content director for the nonprofit Pacific Crest Trail Association and longtime backpacker. For longer, more remote hikes, he also suggested having a backup GPS device, such as a smartwatch.

Protect your device: “Don’t hike with a naked phone!” Wilkinson urged. If you’re relying on your phone to get you home, save it from damage with a rugged drop-resistant case.

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Write to Nicole Nguyen at [email protected]