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Hiking guideRead the trail beyond the route line
On a trail, the line on the screen is the least interesting part of the map. Contours, path types, water, escape routes and the time left before dark matter more. This guide compares hiking apps by how well they show those details when there is no signal.
Start with the ground, not the gadget
A walk like the Pennine Way, a day on the Tour du Mont Blanc or a circuit of Helvellyn’s Striding Edge asks different things of a map. In upland Britain, Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping shows field boundaries, crags and rights of way that many global maps omit. Across the Alps, OpenStreetMap often carries excellent path detail thanks to active local mappers. In United States national parks, AllTrails and Gaia GPS have deep trail libraries and public-land layers.
Whatever you choose, assume the phone can fail. Mountain Rescue teams in England and Wales repeatedly advise carrying a paper map and compass, and knowing how to use them. A phone app is an excellent primary tool and a poor only tool.
Hiking apps compared
| App | Base map | Offline | Elevation profile | GPX | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS Maps | Ordnance Survey (Great Britain) | Paid | Yes | Import and export | Detailed only within Great Britain |
| Komoot | OpenStreetMap-based | Paid regions or premium | Yes, plus surface data | Import and export | Route suggestions can favour popular paths |
| Gaia GPS | Multiple layers, incl. topo and satellite | Paid | Yes | Import and export | Interface is dense for beginners |
| AllTrails | Trail database with topo layers | Paid | Yes | Export on paid plans | User-submitted trail notes vary in quality |
| OsmAnd | OpenStreetMap | Yes; extras paid | Yes; contours via plugin | Full editing | Steep learning curve |
| Organic Maps | OpenStreetMap | Free | Basic altitude chart | Import and export | No topo shading by default |
What the trail asks of the map
Contours you can read
Closely spaced contours mean steep ground. A route line alone cannot warn you about a scree slope.
Documented featureEscape routes as waypoints
Mark the path down to a road or hut at each stage, not only the summit. Decisions are easier when options are already on the map.
Documented featureTime against daylight
Use Naismith’s rule: about 5 km per hour plus one hour per 600 m of ascent. Compare with sunset, then leave a margin.
Established guidanceOffline trail checks
Download the right layer
Some apps save the street map but not the topographic layer. Open the saved map in airplane mode and zoom in on the summit to confirm contours appear.
Record a track, not just a plan
A recorded track lets you retrace your steps in poor visibility, even if the planned route is lost.
Protect the battery
Lower brightness, close other apps and carry a power bank. Keep the phone in an inside pocket in cold weather.
Share the plan before leaving
Leave a written route and expected return time with someone at home. Live sharing stops working where signal stops.
Elevation and effort
Elevation profiles are built from terrain models. Coarse data can flatten a short scramble or invent a dip where a bridge crosses a gorge. Treat total ascent as a guide and look at the shape: one long climb is very different from repeated short ones.
App time estimates tend to be optimistic for hiking because they assume steady movement. Navigation pauses, river crossings and photographs all add time. Plan stages that you could still finish if conditions slow you down.
Our planning estimate
On rough mountain ground, we add 20–30% to app estimates, and more in snow, heavy rain or with a full overnight pack.
Estimate
Our practical pick
In Great Britain, OS Maps for its detail. For Europe and multi-day planning, Komoot or OsmAnd. For North American backcountry, Gaia GPS. Keep Organic Maps as a free offline backup on every trip, and always carry paper.