Awesome Web Site For Planning Hikes

[DavidR]

I found this site a while back but used it for the first time tonight to plan my Capsey Creek Kemp Branch 4 day hike. It's really useful as it marks each mile you will hike as true miles, not "as a crow flies." You just click a starting place and keep clicking the path you plan to take. What's even cooler is you can convert to a gpx and download your route to your GPS unit. I know other software does this, but my Garmin didn't come with that and I'm not paying another $100 to upgrade. Here's the link: http://www.mapmyhike.com/

[SmokeDiver]

Excellent. I've used http://www.mapmyride.com for bicycling but didn't realize there was a hiking version. Thanks for sharing!

[SmokeDiver]

I was just snooping around the Bankhead area of the map and it looks like some fella named "LostSheep" has already mapped out a few routes there.

[JC785]

Thanks neat tool!

[Lostsheep]

I've been using it for most of my swim/bike/run stuff and it's just an added bonus that it works so well on the hike too!

The best feature is the freeness of plotting it, then sending it to your gps. Plus you can send it to google earth, add photos, and make a full story out of your hike!

[MobileBackpacker]

thats awesome, lets you guestimate mileage. very handy when planning off trails trips.

i will definetly be using this in the future, thanks!

[wildkat]

another cool site specifically for garmin users that use mapsource.
I have Garmin topo 2008 which sucks.

But if you download the regions at this site http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/  it will load some nifty usgs maps into mapsource for you.
Which can be loaded onto your GPS unit.

and here is the link to the southeast installer http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/101/
Just install it, open mapsource and voila.

[montysano]

Very cool site.  I signed up for the free deal, but might upgrade.

Not to hijack the thread, but: I consider myself very tech savvy, but I've had a hard time sorting out my GPS unit.  It's a Garmin Etrex Venture HC; has 24 MB of internal memory, but no card slot.  I think I have Map Source, but have not shelled out the extra $100.00 for the topo map set.  I hate to pay that much when I only need a couple of quadrants.

So, with Map My Hike, I should be able to upload a hike to my GPS?  Will I see the Google Earth topo?  Is GPS File Depot a place where I can buy only select topo quads?

Again, I don't want to threadjack, so if I need to, I'll start a new thread.

[wildkat]

If you got mapsource, go grab the southeast region maps from gps file depot. FREE

[DavidR]

Montysano, I had the same problem of learning my GPS (Garmin Colorado 400t). I've got it to a science now, but only after loooots of searching the internet and just playing with the device. You probably do have the Mapsource software since you have a Garmin. That really stinks how they have designed their system to be a money pit for their clients. My GPS retails for almost $700 and then I'm expected to pay an additional $100 just so I can see the same topo map on my PC that my GPS already has!!!! Anyhow, I hear ya bro.

Yes, with the MMH site you can plot out your route, download the tracks to your pc, & use your Mapsource software to load it to your GPS. File > Open > Locate the GPX document and double click > Send to device and that's it. Best of all....it's free. As far as how the tracks are displayed on your GPS, I'm sure it depends on what maps you have on it.

Thanks for the questions and input.


Wildcat, you rock! Thanks for the help and very useful info....again!

[wildkat]

When learning the gps you have to just "play with it".

Go geocaching...hec k go driving to get some tracks to load up.
But..all the fun begins when you start utilizing maps and other online resources.


And don't waste your money on Garmins TOPO...its junk. Units good, software crap.
Heck we have a road garmin too...maps are outdated..they want like 80 bucks for a freaking update. get outta here!

[ednotmilkman]

DeLorme Topo software with the PN-20,30,40  GPS recievers allows you to do all this plotting of trail without downloading anything or getting on the internet.   

And a big % of maintained trails all over the country are already shown and "routable".  The only drawback I've found is you can not combine a "routable trail" with a bushwhack, or with a road, into one long route.

[montysano]

I can already see that I'm going to waste a huge amount of time on mapmyhike.com