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20 Best Outdoor Adventure Apps

Check out these outdoor apps for camping, hiking and trekking. Here you'll find help with navigation, first aid, survival guides and more.

Take on the Great Outdoors

When you're prepping for vacations, holidays, and hiking and camping trips, remember to take your trusty smartphone with you. It's an essential piece of survival gear, if you know what apps to preload. Without these key apps, you could get lost or hurt and be unable to call for help. Check out our top picks for awesome outdoor navigation, first aid and survival guide apps. ( Credit: Wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock )

AllTrails - Hiking & Biking (Android, iOS: Free)

Out for a hike? The AllTrails app (Android, iOS ) has got you covered with more than 50,000 trail guides for hiking, biking and more. Browse through the trail list or search for trails near you, look up trail reviews and write your own. AllTrails allows you to view topographic maps, photos and reviews. From within the trail, you can upload pictures taken on the trail, and even create and upload your own tracks using your phone's GPS tracker. An AllTrails Pro subscription allows you to download offline maps, print maps from AllTrails.com, create custom maps, and access additional map layers.

ViewRanger (Android, iOS: Free)

ViewRanger ( Android ,  iOS ) is another versatile GPS trail navigation app that offers both free and premium content. Users can download free maps and trails for offline navigation, while buying premium map data including USA and USGS Topo maps. There's also a premium "Skyline" augmented reality viewer that flags peaks, hills, and points of interest when you use your camera view. The app includes more than 180,000 trails, and users can print maps, import GPX files, track routes, plot points of interest, and view other important trip navigation stats.

MapMyHike (Android, iOS: Monthly or annual subscription)

MapMyFitness has an app for every outdoor activity under the sun, including hiking. MapMyHike (Android, iOS ) uses your phone's sensors to track and log your hiking route, complete with information on pace, distance, calorie counting and route navigation. In addition to logging your own hikes, you can also search and download other nearby routes. A premium subscription, starting at $5.99 per month, unlocks other features such as customized audio training cues, and real-time location sharing to friends and family with Live Track.

BackCountry Navigator (Android: $11.99)

Another excellent resource for offroad back country maps is BackCountry Navigator , an Android app that can take map data from a variety of free and paid sources for offline use. Users can add or import GPS waypoints, record a track, and display a variety of map layers and sources. The app can take maps from a variety of sources, such as from free maps like OpenStreetMap and Open Cycle Map, various official mapping agencies for selected regions worldwide, as well as premium sources.

Spyglass (Android, Free; iOS, $5.99)

Spyglass ( Android ,  iOS ) is a multipurpose GPS navigation and augmented reality viewfinding app that serves as a heads-up display with navigation details, a smart compass, and map display all rolled up into one mobile package. Users can download offline maps, navigate toward waypoints, get coordinates and find their way to locations. You can track your GPS location data, with altitude, course, and speed, track the sun and stars, use a rangefinder feature, and take measurements with the sextant, angular calculator and inclinometer tools. The app is premium on iOS, while a free version exists on Android. (In-app purchases unlock app features.)

Maps 3D Pro (iOS: $4.99)

Not everyone has the skill or training to properly read a topographic map, so  Maps 3D Pro  is a helpful navigation tool for those planning an outdoor hike in rugged terrain. As its name suggests, Maps 3D Pro projects maps on a 3D view, allowing users to much more easily interpret terrain features such as hills, ridges, trails, paths, and more. Users can plan, save, and share routes, pre-load maps for offline viewing and navigation, and record their trip complete with coordinates and elevation data. If you are planning to use your iPhone as a navigation tool though, make sure you're well supplied with power (and a battery pack) and/or have a good backup guide.

Komoot (Android, iOS: Free)

Komoot ( Android , iOS ) is another excellent option for hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers. The app is able to help you plan routes that are perfect for you. Users can lay down routes, view surface conditions, difficulty, distance and elevation, and the app also provides turn-by-turn navigation, even on winding outdoor trails. Komoot comes with offline map support, and free users can download one detailed map region for free forever, with in-app purchases unlocking more maps and features.

MSW Surf Forecast (Android, iOS: Free)

If you're looking to get some waves rather than hit the trails, then you might want to check out Magicseaweed.com's Surf Forecast app ( Android , iOS ), which delivers long range surf forecasts for thousands of beaches globally. Forecasts include a quick star rating summary of conditions, surf size, swell size, period, wind conditions and temperature. Users have access to 7-day forecasts, wind and tide station data, and live webcams for select beaches, as well as related media. Premium subscribers get extended forecasts and reduced ads.

Ramblr (Android, iOS: Free)

Outdoors types who like to document and journal everything about their trip should check out Ramblr ( Android , iOS ), a mobile journaling app designed for hikes and mountaineering trips. Ramblr allows users to record everything from their route, statistics such as average speed, distance traveled, and highest point, as well as record geotagged audio, video, pictures or text, allowing you to easily create a blow-by-blow account or relive the trip in the future. Additional features include built-in mapping, the ability to upload and share your trips, or check out where other Ramblr users have gone to.

Yonder (Android, iOS: Free)

Yonder ( Android , iOS ) allows users to easily share their hiking, biking and camping experiences with a global network of other lovers of the outdoors. Users can search or browse through a database of more than 200,000 destinations, follow other hikers to view their activity streams, or explore nearby locations through the map. It's great for finding out about nearby trails and routes, as well as an opportunity to network with fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

Strava (Android, iOS: Free)

Fancy an early morning run, or a mountain bike excursion? Strava Running and Cycling ( Android , iOS ) is a top-notch fitness tracker with running and cycling in mind, and the app adds some pretty neat competitive and gamified features to the usual run-tracking recipe. Strava records your running speed, distance traveled, time and course taken for both useful metrics and tracking, but combines all that with leaderboards, achievements and challenges as you race against your friends. Strava supports a variety of running trackers in addition to Android Wear and Apple Watch.

UVLens (Android, iOS: Free)

The Sun's ultraviolet rays can be a cause of skin diseases and cancer, so it's important to protect your skin with sunscreen to prevent stinging sunburns and reduce the risks of overexposure to the sun. UVLens ( Android , iOS ) is a feature-packed UV index forecast app and sunscreen calculater that lets you create a personalized skin profile for more accurate estimates of their sunburn risk, including estimated time before getting a sunburn on a given day, as well as recommended precautions. A UV index forecast can help suggest the best times of the day to be out, and a sunscreen reminder notifies you when it's time to reapply your sunscreen.

Cairn (iOS: Free)

Cairn is a outdoors safety app that does two things. First, it crowdsources information about where you can receive mobile signal on a map (and also logs your location). Second, it allows you to leave a trip plan with your friends. If you are ever overdue, your contacts are alerted, and are given a map of location data where you were tracked to. It allows you to plan ahead for areas on the trail with mobile coverage.

Weather Timeline (Android: $1.49) / Dark Sky (iOS: $3.99)

The weather can make or break a hike, so having a reliable weather forecast (preferably with hyperlocal weather alerts) can be a lifesaver. Dark Sky ( iOS ) and Weather Timeline ( Android ) are both excellent premium weather forecast apps for their respective platforms, providing extended forecasts, as well as hyperlocal, almost down-to-the-minute warnings of rainfall thanks to data taken from Forecast.io. With clean, no-nonsense, ad-free interfaces, both apps are great tools for travel planning and all-around weather forecast use.

Audubon Birds Pro (Android: $3.99; iOS: $9.99)

The Audubon Field Guides are a storied name in wildlife field guides, and they've also been adapted into mobile apps. The Audubon Birds Pro app (Android, iOS ) provides an incredibly detailed illustrated field guide that identifies 821 different bird species complete with recorded bird calls. Seasonal and migratory maps give you an idea of where to find particular species, while personalized accounts let you log bird sightings, keep a checklist, and share sightings over social media. A new Bird ID feature even helps you identify sightings, allowing users to enter information like color and size of a bird to help narrow down possible species.

Geocaching (Android, iOS: Free)

A modern day version of the Letterboxing game, Geocaching is a modern day treasure hunt where players hide caches of small items and tokens and then post the cache's GPS coordinates for other players to find, with more than 2 million active geocaches ongoing worldwide. The Geocaching.com app (Android, iOS) takes advantage of your phone's GPS features and map apps to provide a searchable database of geocaches, with recommendations for beginners, listings of nearby caches and numerous other features.

GPS Essentials (Android: Free)

GPS Essentials is a free Android GPS app that is filled to the brim with options, features, and widgets. A ridiculously configurable dashboard can be set to display a wealth of navigational and route data, while route and track functions let you set and manage waypoints on a map and import or export them into a variety of formats. An augmented reality HUD feature is even available, allowing for easier orienteering with the use of your smartphone camera as a viewfinder.

Star Walk (Android, iOS: $2.99)

Vito Technologies' Star Walk 2 ( Android , iOS ) is an augmented reality star chart that displays the stars and planets in the heavens above you. In addition, the app includes detailed information on the history and mythology of the various constellations, stars and planets, as well as a coordinates viewer for easy reference. A Time Machine slider lets you view the skies of the past or the future, and you can tap on individual objects for more details. A night mode allows you to stargaze without burning out your night vision, and an augmented reality view overlays the star chart over your camera view. It's a great app to have along on a clear night or when out camping.

First Aid - American Red Cross (Android, iOS: Free)

The American Red Cross' First Aid app (Android, iOS ) is a free (and ad-free) app that provides a wealth of basic first aid information for burns, injuries, and other medical emergencies that might arise. A "Learn" mode lets you read up on a type of injury, basic first aid treatment, and a Q&A section, while an Emergency mode dispenses with the extra information while providing concise first aid instructions in a single page, sometimes accompanied by videos and diagrams, as well as a one-button shortcut to call 911. Additional links allow you to sign up for first aid courses, buy first aid kits , donate or volunteer for the American Red Cross.

SAS Survival Guide (Android, iOS: $5.99)

Based on the bestselling book by John "Lofty" Wiseman, the paid SAS Suvival Guide app (Android, iOS ) contains the full text of the book optimized for mobile formats and covers a host of basic and advanced survival topics. It also includes extensive first aid information, as well as photo galleries of edible, medicinal, and poisonous plants. In addition, the app also allows you to download 16 instructional videos by the author. A survival quiz tests your knowledge, and helpful checklists assist in preparation. Additionally, the app includes a Morse code signalling function.

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Need more apps for outdoor fun? Check out our best hiking apps for heading up the mountain. Or there's best fishing apps when you're content just sitting by the dock of the bay. The best space watching apps can help you make the most of a clear evening. Or if sandy shores are in your future the best beach apps may be what you're looking for.

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Outdooractive. Hike and Ride

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The Best Map App for Your Sport

A bevy of mapping apps exist to track and plan trips for different outdoor activities. Here’s the best one for running, cycling, hiking, backpacking, climbing, and skiing.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

It’s all too easy to find yourself in a rut when deciding where to run, ride, climb, or ski each day. Maybe you’ve never deviated from the five-mile loop around your neighborhood that you discovered when you first got into running, or you’ve only ever climbed at one crag that a friend introduced you to years ago. Whatever the case, when you want to explore more places for your favorite activity, you don’t have to wait for someone to take you there—get the directions on these apps, and head there yourself.

Best For: Running, Cycling

If you’d asked us a year ago, we would have recommended Google Maps or MapMyRun over Strava for planning basic running and biking routes. Strava, long a favorite for tracking runs and rides and comparing workouts against friends , previously didn’t offer much in the way of mapmaking. That’s changed in a big way since the company introduced a new and improved Routes feature , with an algorithm that suggests loops based on your location and preferred mileage; it also takes into account which roads other athletes frequently track activities on. (You’ll need a $5-per-month subscription to Strava to access the feature.)

Using Strava is relatively simple and intuitive, too. Find Routes in the app’s Maps tab. Choose your current location (or one elsewhere), pick your sport, and select your elevation, distance, and surface preferences. You’ll then see a list of suggested routes, which you can edit or save. Alternately, draw your own route in the app or on the website. For inspiration, overlay Strava’s “global heatmap” to view the most popular places to run and bike nearby. After saving a route, you can follow it during your activity by clicking “use route” and pressing start in the app.

MTB Project

Best for: mountain biking.

The MTB Project app is free and contains maps, pictures, reviews, and details on over 100,000 miles of mountain-biking trails around the world. The app also allows you to record your rides as you do them.

Search for individual trail segments or full rides—which MTB Project calls Recommended Routes—by scanning the map or typing in a location or trail name. The app also surfaces routes and trails based on ratings from other users. Each Recommended Route offers a short description, driving and parking directions, and notes on whether dogs or e-bikes are allowed. Other data includes how much of the trail is singletrack, its elevation gain, high points and low points, and the average and maximum grades of the trail’s terrain.

In the app, you have to download data for each state or area before you can explore the trails there, but once the map is downloaded, it’s also available offline—handy for those times when you’re navigating trails without cell service.

On the MTB Project website, users can submit photos, updates on trail conditions, and comments on each trail or route. The company, now owned by OnX , has a staff of editors who review everything posted by users to ensure accuracy.

Best For: Hiking

AllTrails is like the Yelp of hiking: it features more than 200,000 trails, each with a star rating and an extensive list of personal reviews.

AllTrails tags hikes with categories like best waterfalls, weekend worthy, and dog friendly. When searching for a hike, you can sort by popularity, distance, difficulty level, and preferred amount of elevation gain. It’s also possible to filter for details like heavy trail traffic, wheelchair friendliness, and more.

While the detailed reviews, driving directions, and photos attached to each trail in the free version of the app provide lots of information, it’s worth paying $29 a year for AllTrails Pro so you can download trail maps and view them offline. When you’re hiking without cell service, it’s extremely convenient to pull up the downloaded map of your route in the AllTrails app to see your location and make sure you haven’t veered off track.

Best For: Backpacking

Gaia GPS offers more detailed maps and GPS features than AllTrails, making it the better option for multi-day backcountry trips. If you pay $39.99 for an annual premium membership, you get access to the full line of National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps —long considered the gold standard of maps for many of the world’s most popular outdoor destinations. (Gaia GPS is owned by the same parent company as Outside , and Gaia GPS Premium is now included with an Outside+ membership .) But with 251 other map sources powering the navigation in Gaia GPS, you’ll be well served no matter how many, or few, people have trekked where you’re going. A few standout features include the ability to download satellite-image maps, to better see the terrain you’ll be tackling; cell-phone-coverage maps, so you know where you’ll have service; and U.S. Forest Service recreation-site maps, to scope out campsites.

Search for hiking routes in the app’s Search tab, or create your own routes in the Map tab by selecting the “create route” option and clicking where you want to go. All the maps download to your phone quickly for offline use. You can also create and view routes on the Gaia GPS website and sync them to your phone. When you’re using Gaia GPS’s tracking mode in the backcountry, a quick glance at the top of the screen in the app will show you how far you’ve traveled, how fast you’re hiking, and your current elevation.

Mountain Project

Best for: climbing.

This one’s a no-brainer: the Mountain Project website has long been the definitive, free crowdsourced route guide for American rock climbers. Its database currently has information on more than 245,000 climbing routes across the U.S. In the app, you can download beta to use offline—such as maps, photos, and user comments—for any crag after sorting by location, difficulty, and user rating. You can also bookmark routes for later, record your own attempts and sends, and leave comments easily.

The website’s guides to rock climbing by state include recommended crags and climbs, what each state is known for by its climbers, and tips on where to go, depending on the time of year. Mountain Project’s regional guides—to areas like the Shawangunk Mountains  in New York or the New River Gorge in West Virginia—offer more detailed info along the same vein, including where to camp and eat in certain areas. Then, of course, there are guides to individual crags, with info on parking, camping, and dangerous spots.

Best For: Backcountry Skiing

For years, CalTopo was only available online via a desktop—users would import maps they created there into Gaia GPS or another mobile app. Now you can skip that step and use the CalTopo app directly on your mobile device.

CalTopo works much like Gaia GPS, with a few key differences that make it a must-have for backcountry skiing. A slope-angle shading feature allows you to easily visualize the steepness of hills to help keep you out of avalanche terrain. There’s also a wind-plot feature that relays wind speed and direction over an area for any given period of time, which is great for determining where wind-loaded slopes will be. In addition, CalTopo compiles Snowtel data from 850 sensors all over the U.S. to give you the latest readings on snow depth, water equivalency, and air temperature at different sites.

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Outdooractive 4+

Reliable planning & navigation, outdooractive ag.

• 4.2 • 293 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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The Outdooractive App for iPhone, iPad and AppleWatch is the perfect companion for hiking, cycling and other outdoor activities. With the app you can find and plan routes around the world with ease. Latest vector maps provide accurate information about hiking and cycling trails, protected areas. Global Trail Database: Browse through countless route suggestions for hiking, cycling and ski touring. All routes come with full details, elevation profiles, photos & directions. Outdoor Route Planner: You can easily plan and create routes based on your preferences, add text and photos to these, publish them within the Community or share them privately with friends. You can also import and export GPX files as required. Recording your own Tracks: Record your own tracks to include duration, distance, altitudes and an interactive altitude profile. Data from your iPhone's motion sensors can help us give you even more accurate results. Apple Watch: Record a track or follow a route on your phone and see it on your watch. Pan and zoom maps. Apple Health: When you record a cycling, hiking, walking or running track you are able to save work outs to Apple Health. Data from HealthKit will not be used for marketing or promotional purposes. Challenges: Challenges are a fun way to motivate yourself to be more active. Earn achievement badges, win prizes, and reach your goals by using the app to record your activities. Navigation: The navigation function with speech output lets you navigate comfortably from A to B on all routes. BuddyBeacon: Safety first: Share your real-time location with friends and family. State-of-the-art map technology: Enjoy a high-resolution display of all maps and at all zoom levels thanks to our state-of-the-art vector technology. Our digital summer and winter layers are based on OpenStreetMap and Pro and Pro+ members can also benefit from many other maps. A Global Outdoor Travel Guide: Helpful filters and our powerful search functions help you not only find routes, but also sights, accommodation, events and ski resorts. A Large Directory of Mountain Huts: Opening times, availability and prices as well as further information can all be found in our mountain hut directory. Created in partnership with the German Alpine Association (DAV), the Austrian Alpine Association (ÖAV) and the Alpine Association for South Tyrol (AVS). Exclusively for Pro members Go anywhere : Outdooractive Pro works offline without mobile and data signals. Unlimited lists can also be created and the app is ad-free. In addition, you are able to view satellite imagery, the unique Outdooractive map with over 30 activity trail networks and official topographic maps from the following providers: Great Britain Ordnance Survey, Landranger, Explorer New Zealand Land Information Utah USGS Germany BKG Austria BEV Switzerland swisstopo France IGN Spain CNIG Italy Netherlands PDOK Norway Kartverket Denmark Kortforsyningen Sweden Lantmäteriet Finland National Land Survey Japan GSI Global Map Exclusively for Pro+ members Pro+ also contains official maps from Alpine Associations as well as premium maps from KOMPASS and certified Premium Routes from KOMPASS, Schall Verlag and the ADAC hiking guides. Your iTunes account will be charged to the amount of the subscription fee after your purchase has been confirmed and after the trial period has expired. The subscription renews annually unless the automatic renewal is deactivated at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing cycle or during the trial period. Costs for any unused periods of the term will not be reimbursed. The option to deactivate can be found in your iTunes account settings. Your account will be charged for the renewal amount within the 24-hour period before the end of the current billing cycle. www.outdooractive.com/en/terms-and-conditions.html If you have questions or suggestions, please visit https://www.outdooractive.com/en/helpcenter/

Version 3.16.6

In this version we fixed some bugs and made some performance improvements. Do you have any questions or suggestions? Shoot us an email to [email protected] Your Outdooractive Team

Ratings and Reviews

293 Ratings

It has it all

I was heading to hike Ben Nevis in Scotland and was looking for an app to help me, particularly at the summit where offline maps is important give the unpredictable weather. I got this app (Pro+ subscription) thinking I would use it “just” for the hike, but is was so full of useful information about Fort William itself as well. For example, it showed me footpaths that I would have never known about (eg not on google) had it not been for Outdooractive. Now I am planning hikes in and around Zurich and - once again - find myself blown away by the detail available in this app to help me plan my trip. It helped me pick the best paths on mount Rigi based upon 3D rendition so now I can tell which paths will give me best vistas at the peak. Sure I could have googled for hours and read reviews from others, but I just visualized it in this app. This one is not leaving my phone.

Love it. Please don’t change much!

I came to this app from ViewRanger, and it’s basically everything I wish that app was. Outdooractive has a clean interface, no useless social media features clogging up the user experience, and has very reliable tracking. The app is also very performant and doesn’t feel bloated. I’ve yet to encounter any bugs. So that’s why I say: please don’t change much. A dark mode option on the map would be nice. Other than that the app is great the way it is.

Doesn’t have my map I’ve used for 10 years

I’ve been with accuterra, neotreks, ViewRanger and now Outdooractive. I can’t understand where my simple topo map is that shows color coded land ownership (BLM, NF, Wilderness, state and private lands.) ViewRanger was so simple to use, zoom in on an area you are headed to while in cell range and you could rely on it anywhere offline. I understand your wanting to have a more in depth inclusive app. But it’s useless without the map I’ve used for 10 years and my waypoints. Is there a plan to fix this? Or should I move on. Also I emailed a month ago with these questions and zero response. But today I got an advertisement about a through hiker which is cool but it reminded how useless this app is to me.

Developer Response ,

Thankyou for your feedback, we always encourage our users to get in touch with us via our dedicated support channel - by emailing [email protected]. If you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. All the best, The Outdooractive team.

App Privacy

The developer, Outdooractive AG , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

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The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

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Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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• Pro Subscription $29.99
• Pro+ Subscription $61.99
• Pro subscription $29.99
• Premium Tour $0.99
• Pro+ subscription $61.99
• Premium Tour Collection $8.99
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The 7 Best GPS Apps for Tackling the Outdoors

While getting off the grid, your phone can still be a great tool to track where you've been and what's ahead.

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But, most of us also carry our phones into the backcountry. And while its good to get off the grid, if you're bringing your phone for photos, you might as well use its built-in GPS function, too. These apps aren't your average Google Maps, these GPS apps are built for outdoor adventures. They won't replace your map and compass, but they can be a great companion.

Here are 7 of our favorites:

Public lands, open to recreation, are dispersed across America, but often they abut, or are even encircled by, private lands. And the boundaries are often unclear. Knowing whether you are following the law, or trespassing, can be quite unclear. Welcome to onX .

onX shows you a map of exactly where you are, and where the boundaries are between public and private land. It will even identify what organization, Forest service, BLM, etc. owns the land. Originally intended for hunters, its great for any outdoors person who loves to explore.

It covers 121 million private properties, 985 million acres of public land, and 400,000+ miles of trails. Best of all, save a map for where you're going and access it even without cell service.

Maps 3D Pro

For those who struggle with interpreting the lines of a topographical map, Maps 3D Pro brings them to life.

Maps 3D Pro shows you the terrain you're headed by having mountains, hills and valleys rise and lower off the map with easy to understand visuals. Maps will then show you where you are on a map and you'll know your exact elevation, how far you've traveled, and how far you're going.

Download maps to use the app offline and even put in your own waypoints so you can check the map as you go to be sure you're headed the right direction, in all three dimensions. You can even search the map for points of interest, roads, and towns that you are trying to head toward.

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GAIA helps you find hiking trails, get to the trailhead, and records your progress as you go. GAIA even has suggested hikes for popular areas. The mapping function shows you where you are and where you need to head.

Of course you can download maps so that they work even when you're out of service. In addition, GAIA will sync between your computer, phone, tablet, and even smartwatches so you can plan your trip at home and track yourself with whatever device is easiest as you go.

You also have the option to look at information like private and public land, off-roading roads, and campsites.

Sometimes the most important information isn't where you want to go, but where you can sleep. Allstays uses GPS to find your location and let you know about campgrounds, RV sites, and the services you want in your area.

Allstays will let you know all of your options, from overnight parking lots to bougie hotels. Filter your map for over 30 different amenities. No service? No problem GPS will track you and saved data gives you the info you need.

Rather than an app to make your life easier, Cairn is an app that makes your loved ones lives easier. Using Cairn you can share a constantly updating map of your current location with people you select and it will notify them if you don't make it where you're supposed to by the time you're supposed to get there.

Cairn also crowdsources its users to create accurate maps of areas with cell coverage so you can make an emergency call or just check in back home. Plus, download maps for offline use.

Alltrails is packed with trails in whatever corner of the country you find yourself in. tis a great tool for visiting a new place and seeing what you can do in the area. Trails for running, biking, and hiking are laid out with length, difficulty, photos and even details like if it is pet friendly.

And then once you're out on the trial, rather than showing you in a sea of green, it will show you exactly where on the trail, or how far off the trail, you are. It also records info like time, distance, and top speed.

Map My Hike

Map My Hike works with your phone or smart device to track the metrics of your hike. It can even sync with Under Armour Smart Shoes. It can use this data to track your activity over weeks and months and help you reach goals you set in the app.

Map My Hike also has a social function that allows you to share your hikes and challenge friends to reach their own goals. It will also show you hikes in your area, although it is not as strong in non-urban environments than other apps.

James Lynch is Popular Mechanic’s Field Editor looking for stories across the U.S. about those building a better America. He’s passionate about the Erie Canal and the Apollo Space Program. 

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Five of the best online mapping apps

Plan runs, rides and walks with this selection of navigation aids – all of which allow you create, follow and share hiking and cycling routes

S prawling an unwieldy and mug-stained Ordnance Survey sheet across a kitchen table to plan a walk is one of life’s great joys. But while poring over a paper map will always have its place, today there is a large and rapidly growing array of sophisticated digital tools to help with the business of planning hikes – a good way of sating wanderlust until the lockdown lifts.

Here are some of the options. If you’ve never used an online mapping tool before, their interfaces take varying degrees of getting to grips with. All, however, share a similar system: you plot a dot-to-dot route using waypoints and the app automatically generates information on the route (distance, elevation, and sometimes duration). Many of the apps described here can also be used as navigation aids when actually on the walk, although any digital tool should only be used a supplement to – not as a replacement for – being able to navigate with a paper map and compass.

Best for general hiking and hillwalking Works with iOS, Android, web With the weight of Ordnance Survey (Britain’s national mapping agency) behind it this will be all many walkers need. The free, registered version provides access to Britain-wide basic mapping, plus the ability to create, print and share routes with other users. The app works in conjunction with a web version, so you can pore over the maps and routes on a large screen, which is a lot easier than trying to fiddle around with them on your phone. With a route ready to go, you can then follow it with your phone’s GPS (but please note the disclaimer above), with an arrow showing your location on the map. A £23.99 annual subscription unlocks Explorer and Landranger mapping, plus other gimmicky – but undeniably fun – features, such as 3D walk flythroughs and augmented reality showing local hill names and landmarks. ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Best for more challenging hillwalking and trekking overseas (but to be discontinued from February 2022) Works with iOS, Android, web, Apple Watch, Wear OS Viewranger can be seen as a beefed-up alternative to OS Maps (albeit with a clunkier interface), offering many of the same features – alongside extra ones that more “committed” walkers tend to appreciate. As well as Ordnance Survey, Viewranger offers digital versions of more specialist walking maps, such as Harvey , and it’s possible to buy and use top-quality mapping abroad (remember abroad?). A £4.99 annual subscription unlocks functions including automatic route generation – which makes plotting routes on paths easier – plus live tracking and augmented reality (including a feature that brings up virtual arrows showing your route in the real world). For £24.99 you can get Ordnance Survey map coverage across Britain. viewranger.com

Best for country rambling Works with iOS, Android, web This is a handy app if you’re looking for “off the shelf” walks in a particular area. As with other apps here, AllTrails makes it possible to create and follow your own routes. However, its main selling point is the easily browsable collection (5,889 in England alone) of curated walks. Enter a location and it provides a selection of ready-made routes nearby, each with at-a-glance information such as map, description, difficulty level, useful attributes (eg dog-friendly), even a weather forecast – plus features including Google Maps directions to the walk start. The lack of Ordnance Survey mapping is a downside, though what’s available is fine for most rambling. alltrails.com

Best for easily planning a route Works with iOS only This is a great app for creating a walking route with minimal fuss. It costs £4.99 but its streamlined interface – which is far more intuitive than any other app of its kind – makes route-plotting a breeze. It works with OpenStreetMap , a worldwide open-source map, which is less detailed than Ordnance Survey, but fine for rambling. It is also possible to import and archive gpx files (the standard file format for hiking routes). The catch is it only works with iOS. mapout.app

Best for sharing routes with other people Works with iOS, Android, web, Apple Watch, Samsung Gear, Wahoo, Garmin Komoot’s main claim is to take the effort out of planning a ride, run or hike. Enter start and finish points and it works out a route for you, along roads, paths and trails – like a car GPS. This is similar to the automatic route-finding features found in other apps, though there is also a surprisingly detailed description of the difficulty and the underfoot terrain. The app has nice community elements, such as users being able to pin “highlights”’ on the map for others to see. Ordnance Survey maps aren’t available, but the mapping provided is usable for rambling and country walking. komoot.com

This article was amended on 7 January 2022 to note that ViewRanger is being discontinued from February 2022, and to update the (lower) price of an OS Maps annual subscription.

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How one trailblazer uses Maps to explore the outdoors

Feb 23, 2021

[[read-time]] min read

Lydia Kluge is an active member of the Google Maps Local Guides community, the everyday people passionate about sharing their experiences on Maps. In 2020, she added more than 1,100 contributions on Google Maps in the form of reviews, photos, and places. Coincidentally, Lydia also hiked, ran, and biked 1,100 miles last year. All those adventures earned her the well-deserved Expert Trailblazer and Expert Fact Finder badges on Google Maps.

But Lydia’s journey has been full of adventures long before 2020. Originally from England, Lydia landed in Utah in 2005 for what was meant to be a six-month stint as a ski instructor. She’s been there ever since after falling in love with (and on) the slopes where she met her now-husband.

Over the past fifteen years, the couple traveled to over 30 countries. Along the way, Lydia used Google Maps to find hidden gems — from the best restaurants in Paris to snorkeling spots in Australia.

Lydia with her daughter by Virgin River in Zion National Park (near the trailhead of Watchman Trail )

Lydia and her daughter took a lakeside hike at  Pine Valley Reservoir , in Utah.

Lydia and her daughter stroll The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah

In 2019, Lydia and her husband welcomed their beautiful baby girl into their family and couldn’t wait to travel with her. But COVID-19 changed their international jet-setting plans. Like many of us, Lydia’s spending more time closer to home . She’s explored Utah's mountains , deserts, and national and state parks. And, just like in her international travels, Google Maps has been her companion. She’s added and reviewed dozens of nature trails, trailheads, and parks, and created lists of family-friendly activities in Utah. “One thing I've missed about working outside of the home is how I can contribute to others and my community,” Lydia said. “Adding these things to Google Maps is a way I can give back.”

Here are Lydia’s tips on how to use Google Maps to explore natural attractions near you:

Find parks and hiking trails on Google Maps

Use the search bar in Google Maps to find things to do, like hiking trails nearby or in a specific town or city

Quickly sort through reviews to find popular topics or search for specific words

You can see what the popular topics are for hikes and places by seeing the most common keywords. Tap a topic to see what people are saying.

Preview your trek with photos

A photo of the castle-like rock formations at Turret Arch in Moab, Utah.

Add and update hiking areas yourself

Lydia added Limber Pine Nature Trail to Google Maps

To follow Lydia’s adventures, check out and follow her Google Maps profile .

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10 Best Navigation Apps for Hikers and Backcountry Explorers

This article on the best navigation apps for hikers is brought to you by Liquid IV. Liquid IV’s electrolyte powder hydrates 2-3 times faster than water alone. Don’t forget to pack some for your next backpacking trip!

Ever wondered when technology would reach the backcountry? The good news: it already has. There are a plethora of apps and hiking companions that offer navigation and guidance without the need to be connected to wifi. With pre-downloadable maps and an array of new features, these apps are some of our favorites when it comes to finding your way through the wilderness.

The Best Navigation Apps for Hikers & Backpackers

For years, directionally-challenged backpackers have had to rely on old-school maps and compasses to make their way to the wilderness. Luckily for those that are prone to mis-reading their own coordinates, these apps have made it that much easier to find your way back to the trail. Whether you’re looking for that lake you should’ve hit by now, or you’re just double checking your trajectory, these apps are must-haves for your next backcountry adventure.

1.  AllTrails

Perhaps the most well-known of the best navigation apps on the market, AllTrails offers its massive database to users so that they never get lost on the trail again. With over 50,000 trails between the U.S. and Canada, AllTrails is the gold standard when it comes to honest, updated information on hiking trails short and long. Users can create their own trails and save or share them with others, and the advanced version of the app (available for purchase) gives users the ability to download and save trail information and maps for use during their trips.

Available on iOS and Android (free or $29.99 / year).

2.  Gaia GPS Hiking Maps

With a Gaia GPS membership, this app offers downloadable maps and the ability to record your adventures so you never take a wrong turn again. Gaia GPS is already used by thousands of guides and avid hikers all over the world, and their recently released hiking app offers maps complete contour lines and hill shading. Although $19.99 might seem like a lot for a navigation tool, the year-long subscription offers features and improvements that make it one of the best navigation apps on the market for casual hikers and backcountry explorers alike.

Available on iPhone or Android ($19.99 per year).

3.  Hiking Project

This app from REI is a living database that offers over 35,000 trails to the eager hiker or backpacker looking to hit the dirt as soon as possible. Each hike profile includes a detailed map, data, and key waypoints so you can know exactly what to look for and when. In addition to its pre-hike features, the app is equipped with on-trail navigation so that you never lose your way on a hike, no matter how long or short your adventure is. The app is updated regularly with trail conditions and driving directions as well, so that you can know exactly how to get to your next favorite backcountry destination.

Available on iPhone or Android (free).

4.  PeakVisor

Image from peakvisor.com

This remarkable app makes it easy to tell where you are by providing instant recognition of any peak in your immediate vicinity. Simply hold your phone up to the expanse in front of you, and watch PeakVisor work its magic as it perfectly labels all the peaks around you! The app itself uses your phone’s camera, location, and a 3D mountain panorama to accurately fill you in on your exact alpine location. In addition to its identification feature, this app offers a 3D compass and altimeter that makes PeakVisor a must have when it comes to the best navigation apps on the market.

Available on iOS and Android ($5.99).

5.  Maps 3D Pro

The ultimate digital tool for map-challenged hikers, Maps 3D Pro has quickly established itself as one of the best navigation apps on the market. It offers 3D mapping so that you can successfully visualize your endpoint without being caught off guard. The technology within the app brings contour lines and hard-to-picture hills and peaks to life so that you know exactly what to expect around the bend. Users of Maps 3D Pro have the option to save and share popular hiking routes as well as download maps to be accessible for offline navigation.

Available on iOS ($3.99 or $13.99).

6.  Spyglass

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One of the most innovative apps on the market, Spyglass utilizes augmented reality technology to make it one of the best navigation apps available to users today. The technology allows users to track exactly where they are using their surroundings as well as the data from their device.

The impeccably designed interface includes a compass, a map overlay, a gyrocompass, speedometer, altimeter, a sextant, inclinometer, and an angular calculator, all of which can be used to tell exactly where you are at any given moment. Ever wanted to navigate by the stars? Spyglass is here to help you do that!

Available on iOS and Android ($7.99).

7.  ViewRanger

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ViewRanger is easily one of the best navigation apps simply for its advanced GPS system that serves as the platform of the app. This hiking and route navigation app is as close to a heavy-duty satellite GPS device as you’ll get, and it’s been used by search and rescue teams all around the world to navigate and find tough-to-reach spots in the outdoors.

Basic users can use it as both a hiking tracker and outdoor navigator, with the option to download maps for use offline. ViewRanger is used worldwide, making it a premium database of hiking routes in nearly every corner of the world.

Available on iOS and Android (free).

8.  MapMyHike

Recent improvements to MapMyHike GPS have officially established it as an asset whether you’re deep in the backcountry or going out for a simple afternoon jaunt. The app allows users to track their location and hike progress, with the ability to track peripheral data such as speed, distance, and even nutritional information like calories burned and your food intake.

The app enjoys a fairly large community of users that can share and save popular hikes as well as connect via the app to complete challenging hikes together.

Available on iOS and Android (free – offers in-app purchases).

9.  Google Maps Offline

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Although not technically a hiking navigation app, Google Maps has proven itself to be one of the best navigation apps in the world — and one of the most ubiquitous. It’s mapping system and ability to search without internet connection make it an easy choice for hikers and backcountry enthusiasts needing a searchable database at the click of a button.

With route planning features and the ability to access 360-degree panoramic views of important landmarks, Google Maps should be a staple amongst your hiking and backpacking navigation app collection.

10.  Ramblr

This unique app is part outdoors journal, part premium navigation app. Its features allow users to share hikes and adventures online with friends and family, all the while using the app to also navigate and track their progress against live maps. With live status tracking, hikers can see exactly where they are on the map as well as key data including altitude, speed, and distance traveled. Ramblr’s downloadable maps make it optimal for WiFi-free travel as well, so you can ensure you’re keeping tabs on your trek without making a wrong turn.

This article was brought to you by Liquid IV

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Tyler Wildeck

Tyler Wildeck is a writer with a passion for all things outdoors. His favorite place he's ever visited is Alaska, and his favorite activity might be fishing or reading, depending on the day. In his free time, Tyler can be found searching Portland for the next great food establishment or perusing the many bookshelves of Powell's.

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Our small but well-stocked retail store is located on the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112) in Lincoln, NH, close to many White Mountain trails and attractions. Look for us on the north side of the road next to the Kancamagus Country Store/Citgo Gas. We’re just 0.3 mile east of I-93 at Exit 32.

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12 Google Maps Secrets All Travelers Should Know

If you’re only opening google maps for driving directions, you’re not leveraging the app’s full potential. here are 12 other ways travelers can use it to improve their trips, in advance and on the fly..

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As a travel editor, I use Google Maps daily. These are some of the most useful features for trip planning I’ve found.

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I’m a nerd for maps. As a kid, they inspired me to want to travel, and as an adult they’re my comfort reading. My colleagues at Afar even let me make a podcast episode about them . But of all the maps I love (Middle-earth included), the one I spend the most time with these days is Google Maps. I’m betting most of you can say the same thing. I’m on that app every single day. I use it for work (for the research I need to do in my job here as an editor and writer), I use it for fun (I can spend hours armchair exploring remote islands in the middle of oceans), and I use it, most invaluably, for trip planning. If you’re only using Google Maps for directions, you’re missing out. Here are a dozen ways I use Google Maps for smarter travel.

Collaborate an itinerary with friends

I make Google Maps lists of everything: I have one for vegetarian restaurants, another for ice cream shops—I even have one that’s a cocktails and cookies trail. (I created that last one with my cousin when we celebrated her 21st birthday.) More often, I use lists as a trip-planning tool. As I’m researching things to do in whatever destination I’m headed to (recently Argentina, Nairobi, and Manchester ), I create a list, add places of interest (museums, restaurants, shops, libraries, etc.) and share it with my travel crew so that they can weigh in on my picks and add their recommendations. While that’s useful, it’s only 101.

In the past year, lists have leveled up: Now, for each place listing, your friends can react with an emoji (heart, smile, fire, thumbs down, or flying money) and add their tips and suggestions into a comments field (e.g., “I read that dulce de leche is the flavor to get!” or “Let’s go here after our street-art tour on Monday.”). I especially like that I can customize the order of the items on the list; for example, I could make them match the path of cookies I plan to follow, or I could arrange our collective Argentina picks chronologically so that the list doubles as our itinerary. A fun bonus is that you can assign any emoji to the whole list so that all of the places show up in map view with that themed icon—say, the Argentina flag or an ice cream cone.

Walk like you know where you’re going with navigation

The Glanceable Directions feature puts a minimap on your lock screen.

Photo by Billie Cohen

Turn-by-turn navigation isn’t just for drivers. Google Maps offers it for walkers and bikers too. Once you type in your destination, select “directions,” then “walking,” then “start navigation,” and the app will speak out loud to guide you, the same as if you were in a car. When I’m in a new city, I use this with one earbud in so I don’t have to keep looking at my phone (because I will inevitably trip and fall over).

If you prefer to look at your phone, you can follow your route in both 2D (that little blue arrow moving on the map) or in 3D Live View. In this mode, you point your camera at the real world to get the app situated and then follow arrows and directions overlaid on the IRL view of the streets that you see through your phone. (Another settings option allows you to tilt your phone to enter Live View rather than tap.) Even more helpful, the recently released Glanceable Directions feature shows a minimap and navigation on your lock screen, so you don’t have to open the app and turn on comprehensive navigation mode to get the benefits (toggle this feature on in settings). Conveniently, it’ll automatically reroute if you take a different path.

Use augmented-reality Lens to find what’s nearby: shops, restaurants, ATMs, and more

When in the Lens function, Google Maps puts street names and building information on the view around you.

In addition to navigating with augmented-reality Live View, you can also use an augmented-reality (AR) function called Lens in Maps to see what’s around you, including restaurants, public transportation stops, and landmarks. When in Maps, tap the little camera icon in the search bar, then point your phone at the street, and you’ll start to see icons on the buildings. Note that this feature works only for select locations, but new cities are consistently rolling out. In the meantime, all of this information is still easily available in the app: Right under the search bar, you’ll see popular search categories, including gas, restaurants, hotels, and groceries—and be sure to scroll all the way over to the “More” button. Tap that to see a couple dozen additional, and very specific, categories, including ATMs, libraries, live music, hospitals, pharmacies, and even EV charging stations.

Plan your EV charging route

Speaking of EV charging stations, Maps has expanded the info it provides on electricity pumps. To find them while you’re on an EV road trip , type or speak “charging stations” into the search field or tap the “More” category button directly under the search bar. You’ll immediately see red pins with a little lightning bolt inside them populate the map. In the information card below, the app will tell you which kind of chargers a station has (fast, medium, slow), how many are available, and whether they’re compatible with your car.

Check what’s open right now

When I was in Manchester last year, my friends and I went to a concert that let out late, and instead of heading directly to bed, we wanted to go out for a drink and a bite to eat. That’s when I pulled out Maps to check what places were still open around us. In the app, look for “open now”—it’s one of the options right under the search bar.

Use photos to get a sense of a place before you go

Nearly every listing in Google Maps has photos now, culled from public reviews and the establishments’ owners. Admittedly, this isn’t so much of a secret—but it is a secret weapon. You can use those photos to evaluate hotels, to check if a coffee shop is comfortable for laptop working, to see if a restaurant is likely to fit your big group or your mood, and to view images of menus. A recent AI-powered update uses those photos to give more travel inspiration. Try typing something like “cherry blossoms,” “public art,” or “swimming holes” into the search bar, and the results will include a carousel of photos and videos culled from public uploads, under the headline “Discover through photos.”

See the future, and plan for it

Immersive View uses AI to compile video clips of certain sites, like the Brooklyn Bridge, and show what they’ll look like a few days into the future.

Google Maps’ Immersive View is photos on steroids. Well, on AI. For more than 500 landmarks around the world (including the London Eye, the Empire State Building, and Tokyo Tower), the search results include what looks like a video labeled “Immersive view.” What you’re seeing is actually a ton of photos that the app stitched together to create not just an image but a whole knowledge roundup of a particular destination. Want to see what traffic will be like on the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow morning? Want to see the view from the Eiffel Tower as the sun sets tonight? You can do it now, through Immersive View. A small icon in the bottom right corner shows the weather and a clock—tap it to change the time of day, up to four or five days into the future, and the view will change too: the number of cars on the bridge, the clouds over Paris.

Share your real-time location to stay safe

When I am traveling solo , I always keep my location services turned on for safety (and also to ensure that my 7,000 photos of street art, grocery-store finds, and random architectural details are geotagged for later reference). But even if I’m traveling with friends or family, I use real-time location sharing when I head off on my own so that people know where I am. This is especially helpful if I’m running late, because they can see my arrival time and use that to make important decisions, like whether to order appetizers without me. On the map, you can tap your blue dot to see sharing options or go to your account icon in Maps and open location sharing to choose who and what you want to share. Bonus hint: Tapping the blue dot is also how you get to the option to save your parking location.

Download an offline map

If you’re concerned about eating up mobile data—or if you’re going to be in a location where you won’t have good internet service, Google Maps has you covered. Tap your circular account icon at the top right of the app and go to Offline Maps to select the region you want to download; it will work the same as the live version. Whenever I travel, I download a big swath of the area I’m going to, even if I think I’ll have plenty of internet access. You never know when you’ll be in a dead spot.

Use overlays to get more information out of your map

Maps are like ogres and onions—they have layers. To find those layers, go into the app on your phone or desktop and click the icon that looks like a stack of tiny squares. You may already know that Maps can show you a satellite view layer, a terrain view layer, and the default cartoonish view layer. (The local weather forecast is always available too—look for the small icon on the left side of the screen just under the search bar.) But did you know that it can also overlay public transit routes, traffic statuses, bike paths, wildfires, and air quality? The public transit overlay is one of my favorites, whether I’m traveling or at home in NYC—the subway lines are even correctly color-coded.

Discover the Easter eggs

You’ve seen Google Maps’ little orange Pegman, right? He’s the icon that lives at the bottom right of the screen in the desktop app. Drag him into the map and you’ll see a street view of almost any location. But in some spots around the world, he hides an Easter egg. Navigate to Loch Ness in Scotland, and when you pick him up, he’s wearing a Nessie costume. At Area 51, he turns into a UFO. And in the Galapagos Islands, he has a mermaid tail. Can you find any others?

Stay tuned for more AI-powered features in the future

Google is working on bringing generative AI into its maps , and one project that’s underway is a feature that will allow users to ask questions like “What are rainy-day activities I can do with kids?” When the feature is available (expected later this year), the map will show indoor suggestions such as bowling alleys and movie theaters. Google’s community of more than 300 million “local guides,” as they call their contributors, are working to test this now, and I’m already lining up my questions: Hey Google, what are some places that cartography nerds would like?

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission