Trail App?

[Catalyzt]

For finding and navigating "real" MTB trails with my phone, I'm partial to Trailforks (link to website version of their map). In my experience - albeit mostly in my region (New England) - the app is easy to learn and use, and trail systems are accurately laid out. Its GPS tracking works well on my Android, and because it's a volunteer-run outfit that (kind of) supports eMTB access to MTB trails, I purchased the premium version.

Trailforks tends to focus on singletrack, however, and sometimes my explorations take me to ATV trails, fire/logging roads, etc. that aren't shown on that app. For those, I've found that apps with maps that use Open Street Maps and/or Open Cycle Maps as their basis are the most comprehensive. OSM/OCM are somewhat akin to Wikipedia in that they're "...created by people like you and free to use under an open license." I've actually made some edits when I saw inaccuracies. There is an app called "OsmAnd" that allows for offline use, but the free version seems clunky to me, and its base map layer is difficult to decipher.

I've never tried OsmAnd's paid version because the free version of the MyTrails app, which seems to only be available for Android phones, works well enough for my purposes. It has multiple map layers available - I find the 4UMaps option, which is based on OSM/OCM, to be the easiest to read by far, with thick red lines on white and light green backgrounds. Pasted below is a wide screenshot showing its depiction of systems surrounding me - when you zoom in, it shows most trails' names, as well (second screenshot). The MyTrails app also does a good job of tracking my rides, though I still prefer using Trailforks' tracking, even when riding trails they don't show.

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Do these apps show where you are at any particular moment, and is mileage available? If they indicate how steep or navigable the trail is, that would be awesome.

I ask because in the early summer, I did some riding in the Verdugos, I want to go back, and I was getting pretty close to the outside of my range. My biggest concern is making a wrong turn that commits me to too many miles with 1,500 feet of vertical, I could run short of electrons on the way home!

There's one larger loop I really wanted to do near Mount Verdugo... but the way down turns out to be so steep that even hikers say it's very difficult even with trekking poles. This was NOT easy to figure out... I think I had to dig into the "comments" section on the AllTrails website. At some hours and times of year, these trails are nearly deserted, so I can't count on running into another biker or hiker and asking, "How is that route down?"

 

[dodgeman]

I downloaded the “Ride with GPS” app and when you look at a trail it shows a profile of the elevation changes. I haven’t used it on a ride yet so I don’t know what it displays as you ride.

 

[Explorer-1]

I use GPS Tracks for tracking my rides, but it just a bit too buggy for me and got worse recently as they tried to add some features, and the Mac interface is pretty bad, and has lots of bugs. SO I'm thinking about switching to GaiaGPS, it's more complicated and powerful than I need, but I think I can count on it being more reliable. I'll decide over winter if I will start my next season with it.

For Trail Map info I use dozens of sources as they are all limited and have incorrect information. The main ones I use are AllTrails and TrailLink, on top of Google Maps, Gravelmap.com, various Government Maps, etc.

I've actually made finding trails part of the fun and finding maps that are not on-line. Keeps me busy and keeps the adventures interesting. I've found several before they were in google maps.

 

[webcurl]

I've never tried OsmAnd's paid version because the free version of the MyTrails app, which seems to only be available for Android phones, works well enough for my purposes.

Also on Android, try "AlpineQuest Off-Road Explorer" by "Psyberia".

 

[6zfshdb]

For Trail Map info I use dozens of sources as they are all limited and have incorrect information. The main ones I use are AllTrails and TrailLink, on top of Google Maps, Gravelmap.com, various Government Maps, etc.

I've actually made finding trails part of the fun and finding maps that are not on-line. Keeps me busy and keeps the adventures interesting. I've found several before they were in google maps.

I use these sources as well when creating maps. I find the process enjoyable when the weather isn't suitable for riding.

In some areas, there are no maps available that have the information you need. When that happens, I'll ride an unknown trail and make my own using a quality topo map and track data imported from a GPS.

 

[SwissJetPilot]

Here in Europe I've found Google maps for bike and walking trails are more often than not completely wrong. On more than one occasion Google maps has sent me off on wild goose chase, including a non-existing crossing for a railway line. So now I'm using two on my Android smartphone; Komoot (https://www.komoot.com/) and OsmAnd (https://osmand.net/). Both of these two Apps work really well.

Komoot is nice because I can share my route in real time with friends and family for those times I'm riding solo. OsmAnd has a very nice overlay to show distance and direction as well as a multitude of screen display options.