For the purpose of this class we will be concentrating on the All Trails App.  This is the app used for most of the club rides that we have mapped.  You can find downloadable links on our website.

OTHER MAP APPS

Trail Forks – Geared toward bikers. Managed locally.

Gaia – More robust, but can be a little more complicated

Map My Ride –

Avenza – City of Prescott up-to-date apps

On X Backcountry – Paid subscription.  Good for showing property lot lines.

 

BEFORE YOU GO

-Make sure your phone is charged

-Know where you want to go and make note of roads/access for emergencies

-Safety Supplies – First Aid, Headlamp or flashlight, Clothing layers, Plenty of water (bring more than you think you’ll need- even when it’s cold out).

-Bring a paper map (in case you lose your phone or it loses charge)

-If you are using the FREE version or have not downloaded the trail map you want to follow, you MUST open up the map to follow while you have cell service.

Downloaded maps will work without cell service.  GPS will be always track your location.

-It helps to put your phone in Airplane mode to save on battery life.

 

HOME SCREEN OPTIONS:

EXPLORE – This allows you to search trails.  Note – Social trails will not be found on any of the Trail Map apps.

SAVED – This is where you find your downloaded map.

NAVIGATE – This is where you Start mapping.

ACTIVITY – This shows all of your tracked activity.  You can them and navigate to follow the trail.  But remember, you will need cell service to access this information.  It is best to download the map first before starting to follow it in case you lose cell service.

PROFILE – This shows your activity and stats.

 

Mapping a new ride – When you are ready to map your ride, just hit the Navigate option and hit START.

Following an existing map – Find the map you want to follow.  Click on the map and click on START. The Blue arrow shows where you are.  The Blue line is your activity.  The Green line is the map you are following.

Notes:   -There are tiny arrows in the green line that shows which way the person that mapped it was going.

-You will see stats for time, distance, elevation gain, mph, etc.

-You can pinch to zoom in or out to see the bigger picture.  You will also be able to see other official trails with numbers/names that are near you.  At any time you can hit the Re-center option to get the map back to where you are.

-You may see a delay in the app when you are wanting to see where you are in relation to the trail you are following.

Marking a Waypoint – If you want to make a note of something on the trail you can stop and create a waypoint.  Hit the PAUSE button and scroll down to Add Waypoint.  This allows you to name it (example: Tree down) and add a description (this can be done later when you’re not on your horse trying to type).  Then hit RESUME to continue on the trail.

This is very helpful when you are wanting to report an issue on the trail, or noting an important feature, etc.

FINISHING – Don’t forget to stop tracking when you get back to the trailer.  The stats get all out of whack when it tracks you going 50 mph home.   Lol.  Hit Finish,  It will ask you to review the trail (annoying to have to do it at that time).  You can go back later and edit the name, add pictures, etc.

EDITING – Go to your Activity. Click on the map you want to edit.  Click on the 3 dots in the corner.  Chose Edit Description.  You can rename, change it Horseback riding instead of Biking, log notes, add pictures, etc.  You can also set it to be shared with Public or followers or just make it private.

OTHER:  If you are out on the trail and haven’t been mapping or following a map, you can still see the trails around you by just opening the app and hitting navigate.

Key Features and Benefits of AllTrails + (formerly Pro)

  • Offline Maps and Navigation: Download maps to your phone before heading out to track your GPS position in real-time, even without cell service.
  • Safety Features:
    • Wrong-turn alerts: Receive notifications if you wander off the planned route.
    • Lifeline: Share your planned route and expected return time with safety contacts, who can track your progress in real-time.
  • Enhanced Mapping and Planning:
    • 3D Map Previews: Visualize terrain, peaks, and valleys in 3D to understand the difficulty before you go.
    • Advanced Map Details: Access detailed, custom, and printable maps for offline backup.
    • Trail Conditions: Get real-time updates on weather, air quality, and snow depth.
  • User Experience Enhancements:
    • Ad-Free: Experience the app without interruptions.
    • Custom Route Creation: Create your own routes to follow.
    • Community Heatmaps: See which paths are most popular and frequently used by others.

AllTrails+ currently costs around $36 per year, often featuring discounts for new subscribers, and is designed to boost confidence, safety, and planning capabilities while on the trail.

LIVE SHARE – AllTrails’ Live Share is a safety and social feature for AllTrails+ members that lets you share your real-time location, planned route, and stats with friends or family while navigating a trail. It enables invited, trusted contacts to follow your progress, check your phone’s battery/signal, and see your estimated finish time to ensure you return safely.

Key Aspects of Live Share:

  • Real-Time Tracking: Contacts can view your current location and progress along the route via a shared link.
  • Safety & Communication: If you are overdue, trusted contacts can check your last recorded location, which acts as a safety tool.
  • Encouragement: Viewers can cheer on your progress.
  • How to Use: Within the app, tap ‘Navigate,’ then select ‘Live Share’ to send a tracking link to contacts.
  • Activity Details: It shares vital info like your planned route, expected finish time, and battery life.

Live Share is designed for peace of mind, allowing loved ones to monitor your adventure without you having to send manual updates.

Social Trails….

What are Social Trails?  These are trails that have been used by outdoor enthusiasts for many years, probably starting out as a cow or wildlife pat, but while they can be fun to ride, you will NOT find them on any trail map or app.  They are also NOT approved by the Forest Service.  Actually, they frown on their use because they are not able to manage the effect these trails have on the terrain (erosion) as well as safety.   So don’t bother mentioning anything about trail maintenance to the Forest Service about any of these trails.  Some of the most common social trails are out in the Groom Creek area (Trish trails) as well as Fair Oaks and Tonto area.

How to Find GPS Coordinates on Mobile (Android/iPhone)

  • Google Maps App: Open the app and ensure the blue dot (your location) is visible. Long-press on the map to drop a red pin. The coordinates will appear in the search box at the top or in a, “Dropped Pin” information card at the bottom.
  • Apple Maps (iPhone): Open Apple Maps, tap the blue dot, and scroll down to find latitude and longitude.
  • Siri (iPhone):   Ask, “Hey Siri, what are my GPS coordinates?”.

Ensure ‘Location Accuracy” is turned on in device settings .

In remote areas with poor cell service, you may still be able to obtain your coordinates via GPS even if data services are unavailable.

Different Map Layers – Hit the layer icon on the top right. You can choose Satellite, Topo map, Roads, etc. depending on what you need.