Google Maps for Trails Tutorial
Using a Google map of a trail is a very helpful way to ensure you stay on trail, but you need to prepare in advance, especially if you are going where there is spotty cell phone reception. It is also not totally fool proof as your phone could run out of battery, be damaged, etc, so have a backup plan.
The key is, you need to have viewed the desired trail map at some point while logged into Google, and you’ll want to pull the map up again before leaving for the trail, in case there’s no reception at the trail head.
Note that the following steps may be different for your phone or app version, but it should look similar to the following:
Download the Google Maps app from Google Play or the App Store to your phone (if needed), and click on the Google Maps app
Navigate to your saved maps. This seems to be one of those things that has changed, so hopefully it will be similar to one of these methods: Click on the menu, usually 3 horizontal bars, then click on “Your Places”, and scroll over as needed to “Maps” and click on Maps. OR, if you don’t see that menu, click on “Saved” at the bottom, and then scroll down and click on “Maps”
Click on the desired map. If you have not viewed it yet, click on the map from whatever web site, facebook page or email you have for the map, then it should always show up here.
Boom, there’s your map! It should look like a familiar Google Map, with the trail highlighted on it. You can scroll around, zoom in and out, etc, though there is no turn by turn directions as you might use for driving. Use the GPS “my locator” icon to find your position on the map; it may be an arrow or a bulls-eye icon. Hopefully you’ll find yourself on trail, but if not you can find it by using the GPS locator as you move toward it.
Note: If you don’t see a locator icon, try typing in a location in the top “Search here” box, identified with the blue arrow in the 3rd picture below. The location icon should now show up.
Remember, get your map loaded while you still have a Wifi or cell signal! You can use the GPS locator without a signal, but you have to already have a map loaded.
Want to create your own map? A proven way is to export and save a .gpx file from a run on Strava. In Google Maps, map your way to Your Places>Maps (see above steps), and look for “Create Map”, then “Import Map” and import your saved GPX file. From there you can do things like drop pins for any highlights, aid stations, etc.