Smartphone Apps

Mobile phones and associated apps are ubiquitous among hikers and backpackers, regardless of the user’s generation. Truly, I think the number of serious hikers that do not use smartphone apps during their treks is extremely small. Old-school hikers, bushcrafters, and survivalists likely would disagree. I admit, it is a rewarding experience sometimes to be able to do things the old-fashioned way and off-the-grid. But frankly, I believe it’s unwise to not take advantage of existing technology to enhance your outdoor experience according to your own needs and desires, as well as to keep yourself safe during your outdoor adventures. I am an old artilleryman who learned to manually compute gunnery data with a slide rule and a tabular book of ballistic factors, topographic map reading, land navigation with a compass and terrain association, sometimes while riding in a tracked armored vehicle at high-speed over desert dunes. But I haven’t carried a topographic map nor a lensatic compass in my rucksack since 1998. I use, and rely upon, several smartphone apps, including GPS-enhanced apps, while both day hiking and section hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  So, the essential question is not do you use apps for hiking and backpacking, but rather, what hiking apps can you not live without installed on your mobile phone? Starting from that assumption, Danielle Krolewicz wrote an informative article in February 2024 for The Trek, “13 Useful Smartphone Apps for Your Next Thru-Hike”. Obviously, there is a good deal of personal preference involved in deciding which smartphone apps are truly essential. Danielle’s categories help focus the discussion. I have reordered the categories into what I see as priorities (need versus want) because we must consider power management and energy conservation when it comes to our smartphone and any other electronic devices we may have in our pack.

I believe Communication is the number one priority for carrying a smartphone while hiking or backpacking. Of course, if you have been using a smartphone for any amount of time, you have both a phone call and a text messaging app already installed. A useful reminder here is to make sure you have all the relevant contact numbers up to date. If you know you will be staying at a particular hostel or motel, add their local phone numbers to your contacts. Are you sending a resupply box someplace or using a particular shuttle driver; add their local phone number to your contacts. The point is you will use less power if you do not have to use mobile data on trail to find a number you know ahead of time you might need. Of course, this all presumes you have mobile service. I also carry a Garmin inReach Mini, primarily as a SOS device and backup satellite communications with my wife when I do not have mobile service. The Garmin specific Earthmate app connects my inReach by Bluetooth to my smartphone and makes messaging easier than using the inReach’s internal T9 style interface. I also recommend updating your Emergency Contacts, Address, and Medical Info in your phone’s settings; this will be available on your lock screen for first responders in an emergency when you may not be responsive. A popular messaging app that works over Wi-Fi, as well as internationally for free, is WhatsApp. I keep WhatsApp on my phone, along with the included phone and messaging communications apps. And of course, email; I am a Gmail user, easy and reliable. Communications apps are essential and you should maintain sufficient power in your smartphone to send out messages when it truly matters.

A “must have” category is Navigation. I do not carry paper maps while section hiking; they are outdated and if you truly do not know what you are doing, useless. For thru hikers and section hikers of long trails, FarOut is the standard. Yes, you must pay for access; but the cost is more than worth the amount of information available. FarOut works off your phone’s GPS and does not need mobile service; plus you can download maps for offline use. For section hiking the AT, I also use AWOL’s AT Guide downloaded as a PDF file directly to my smartphone’s memory. Earthmate is an app that synchs with my Garmin inReach Mini to aid navigation. The app makes it easier to input navigation aids like waypoints and routes rather than the T9 type interface on the inReach. For day hiking, I use Gaia GPS, mainly because I like to record my track for each day hike. There is a free and subscription version of Gaia GPS; the paid version lets you download map sections. I frequently download trail maps as PDF files available from national, state or local parks websites. I also admit to sometimes picking up paper copies from trailheads when available. Google Maps also is worth a mention despite recent news stories about people getting into trouble using Google Maps as their hiking navigation. Google Maps is useful primarily because it provides information about businesses close to the trail and navigating in trail towns. I also send screenshots of Google Maps for location to my wife because this is a map source she can use and understand.

Planning hikes and treks with smartphone apps is quite easy. The FarOut app and the PDF file of the AT Guide also apply to planning hikes on the AT, both for thru hikers and section hikers. While I use a Gaia GPS subscription for navigating and recording my day hikes, I prefer the free version of AllTrails for researching potential day hikes. AllTrails search function, maps, reviews, photos, and ability to save favorite hikes all give a comprehensive overview of hiking trails. AllTrails is nationwide; but many local trail organizations have their own similar app. We are planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest in September; so, right now, I have the trails app from the Washington Trails Association on my phone. I also rely on the National Park Service app for planning hikes and trail alerts in national parks. Many national parks now require day-use or backcountry permits for hiking and backpacking; therefore, Recreation.gov app is helpful for making those reservations. Weather is a particularly important planning factor, both before the trailhead and while on the trail. I use the Weather.com app for my weather forecasts; I find this app to be the most consistent and accurate available. I also use RadarX weather app. I use this app a lot on my boat for tracking storms and found that it also is useful over land. The radar tracks of storms are extremely accurate to within less than a mile. Unfortunately, both these apps require either WIFI or mobile data.

Information is a catch-all category and open to personal preference. My most used apps for information are iNaturalist (flora and fauna) and Merlin (birds). I really enjoy learning about the various plants and wildlife I encounter on the trail. Birds are always difficult to photograph; so, using their songs to identify them on Merlin is interesting. I also keep Google shortcuts for The Trek and for Outside+ on my hiking home screen, but rarely read these websites from the trail. There is no substitute for actual first aid or CPR training/certification. I have always wanted to complete the NOLS Wilderness First Aid course, but haven’t yet found the opportunity. The Red Cross’s First Aid app works offline and is a useful guide for almost all situations. There is also a GPS-based Hospital Locator within the app, but this requires either WIFI or mobile data.

Social Media. I enjoy using the included Camera app on my smartphone for taking photos of both the micro flora and fauna I find on trail and the macro landscapes and vistas. Obviously, I use a lot of those photos for Instagram! For section hikes, I might post one or two stories from the trail, but clearly, posting to social media uses power somewhat unnecessarily. On day hikes, however, I will frequently post stories. For both section hikes and day hikes, I wait until I get back home (usually with a cold beer) to post threads with photos and details of my hikes. I also blog my section hikes for The Trek. During my last section hike, I found that blogging from the trail is quite time consuming and even more power consuming. For thru hikers this has to be a constant challenge. I would think waiting for zero days would be the most economical in terms of time and power. This is exactly what I will do for my section hikes going forward; waiting until I get back home and use my down time between section hikes to update “Quiet Man, Author at The Trek” and this website.

My only Entertainment app: Pandora. There is a good deal of personal preference involved in this list. I personally do not need a lot of digital entertainment on trail. I do not watch much television nor stream movies at home; so, I have no need for these on trail. I do not like audio books and have not gotten hooked on any podcasts. Music is another situation altogether. I am constantly listening to music. I evolved from a 45rpm record only turntable (played one at a time) to classic vinyl album direct-drive turntable to cassette tape recorder to the boom box to the Sony Walkman to the Sony Discman to the Apple iPod. Streaming music services are simply awesome. Which music app you choose is completely dependent upon your own circumstances. I use Pandora because they have a decent yearly subscription price for veterans. On Pandora, I have an Appalachian Trail playlist comprising over 400 songs. However, I will only listen to music in camp because this is one area where power management and energy conservation comes immediately into play (pun intended). I love music, but on trail it is not a priority over communication, navigation, or weather info.