When hiking or backpacking, having the right type of map can prevent you from getting lost, help you spot other trails and even save your life. As a hiker or backpacker it is always best to know where you are, where you are heading and what the terrain between those points will be like. So you may be asking yourself, what kind of map do I need and where can I get one? The two most common types of trail hiking maps are general reference maps and topographic maps. Navigational Apps are also very popular and can be a mix of both types of maps.
General Reference Maps
Most of us are familiar with a traditional street style map with roads and names of places on them. These are general reference maps and are perfect for an easy to moderate local hike in a regional park because they give you a nice overview of where you are and where you need to go. You can usually download these maps from the parks website and the trails are marked with lines and names similar to a street map. Here is a link to this type of map for Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve in San Diego CA. These maps usually have a legend, park rules and distance. Did you know that horses have the right of way on trails? That is because they are bigger and more unpredictable. Always give horses a lot of space.
Topographic Hiking Maps
Topographic maps are drawn to show the three dimensional shape of things like mountains, valleys and rivers at a specific area. This type of map is common for wilderness areas and they are the maps that have a lot of squiggly contour lines and color that show different elevations above and below sea level. Hikers and Backpackers use topographic maps to plan hikes, estimate travel times, find water and more. Here is a link to free downloadable topographic maps from National Geographic. If you have never used a topographical map or are not very experienced using them, I strongly recommend that you take a class. Books and videos are great but nothing replaces your real experience reading a topographic map out on the trail. Finally, practice using these skills on easy to moderate local hikes you are familiar with before you venture too far into the wilderness.
Hiking Navigation with a Phone App
There are some great phone apps such as Alltrails that make hiking navigation a little easier, but they are not perfect so always have a plan before you use an app. If you decide to use a phone app to navigate you will want to start with a fully charged phone and minimize your battery usage. Set your phone to airplane mode, turn off all background apps and only use the phone when you need it for navigation.
Don’t Forget a Compass
If you are going into a wilderness area even on well marked trails, bring a compass to help you read the map and go in the right directions. If you are going off trail, a compass is an essential safety tool that will help you orient your map and locate your position. Using a compass is not hard but it does take a little practice. Here is a good source on How to Use a Compass from REI. A good map and a compass are essential tools and I don’t recommend hiking without them. If you are new to using a topographical map and compass, bring along a friend that is experienced hiking with them to help you learn more about safe hiking and backpacking navigation.