Maps and Resources

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Cousin_Eddie

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 4, 2020
Messages
45
Reaction score
25
Hope eveyone is doing well. Just wanted to share a few links for those looking for good or new resources. I like to research then download most everything and save it to my devices before I travel. Its nice to have a hard copy of the basics without phone service in remote areas.

Main destination and camping research sites are:

https://www.fs.fed.us/ivm/

https://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

https://www.blm.gov

https://publiclands.org/pages/recreationmap

https://www.campendium.com/free-camping

https://freecampsites.net



Hiking and Biking Resources

Pretty cool weather map with layers. Here is a trail layer just scroll closer to your target area the trail will appear in red.

https://www.windy.com/-Show---add-more-layers/overlays?map,40.299,-105.704,13

REI Hiking Projects

https://www.hikingproject.com


REI Biking Projects

https://www.mtbproject.com


Ride With GPS

https://ridewithgps.com/features


Downloadable Maps

https://www.nps.gov/carto/app/#!/parks

https://www.usgs.gov/search?keywords=downloadable maps

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b4e8785f0f75464b9e08547ccf0b18d7

https://www.blm.gov/maps/georeferenced-PDFs
 
Thanks, have found out the hard way to download a map and figure out directions before heading into remote areas and expecting my phone gps to be of any help.
 
Thanks, have found out the hard way to download a map and figure out directions before heading into remote areas and expecting my phone gps to be of any help.
I still use an atlas and paper maps. Most rest areas have free maps of the state it is located in. Recently I bought a National Geographic atlas, because it is supposed to have more coverage of our national parks.
 
For long distance highway travel I use:
- State highway map refolded and marked to show days route.
- Maps (iPhone) for audible directions through congested areas.

When highway maps don't give good enough resolution:
- Benchmark and Delorme Atlas for state.
- Motor Vehicle Use Maps for National Forests (no terrain detail).
- I have obtained a few BLM area maps.
- USGS maps for terrain detail (these can be way out of date for roads).

For armchair planning:
- National Geographic atlas'.
- State maps (I have lots) and am constantly replenishing.
- Forest Service MVUMs.
- Benchmark and Delorme atlas'.
- USGS Topo maps.
- NP/NF/CofEng/State Park/State Forest web sites.
- Google Earth.
- Lots of camping web sites, including a number of those listed by Cousin_Eddie.
- a number of lists generated over the years.

I keep two North America highway atlas':
- a current one for planing and driving (updated every few years).
- a 2002 Rand-McNally that marks my wanderings and campsites.

Probably forgotten some.
 
I have relied almost exclusively on the Pocket Earth app for 8 years or so, which has downloadable maps for use offline but it’s most important feature is that it tracks your location in absolute real time, with or without internet access.

I have used it all over the country, and it hasn’t failed me yet.

You can drop little bullets to mark your route or for any other reason, then remove them when you no longer want or need them.

I also carry an atlas, just in case the *** hits the fan. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
Avenza app has a lot of maps, many free, for an area, examples are NF MVUMs, USGS quads, state road maps, BLM, trail coalition maps, etc.

Tracking in real time and allows dropping pins for waypoints.

Waypoints are very helpful in places like Inyo NF north of Mammoth Lakes, where some areas are a spaghetti bowl of crossing trails.
 
I use Avenza for exploring national forest and blm land largely because it can display the official motor vehicle use maps (free). For roads I use OSMAND+ because all the maps can be stored on your phone so no cell connection is required.
 
Top