How to use a GPS for Hiking (Dedicated Device or Phone App)

How to use a GPS Device or GPS App for Hiking & Backpacking Trips using Caltopo and free Garmin Basecamp GPS Software for route planning, point of interest waypoints, elevation profiles and more.

Whether you use a dedicated GPS device or a GPS phone app, the free tools and software I share in this tutorial can help you take your pre-trip planning to the next level.

Links to GPS Tools that I go over

  • Garmin Basecamp
    • This is the current version, but for the reasons discussed in the video, I would recommend that Garmin device users install the previous version 4.6.2 until they fix the map install issues on 4.7.0. If you’re using a GPS phone app, you’ll be fine with 4.7.0.
  • Basecamp Previous Version Archive
    • You can get version 4.6.2 here.
  • Forum thread with more info on the problems with Basecamp 4.7.0.
  • GPS File Depot
    • Great resource for free GPS maps.
  • Caltopo
    • Awesome web based GPS tool. You can use it as a standalone tool, but I prefer to use it as a supplement to Basecamp.  I pretty much just use it for the routable trails feature. Between the two, there’s not much you can’t do.
  • GPS Visualizer
    • Free tool for adding elevation data to GPS tracks. Simply export the track as a GPX file, run it through here, and re-import into Basecamp or directly into your GPS device.

Suggested maps to start with on GPS File Depot

  • Editor’s Choice map for the state you’ll be hiking or backpacking in.
  • My Trails
  • Trails 100

My GPS, seen on the video