Whether you’re a new hiker or a veteran, a good hike takes time to plan out thoroughly. Thanks to the advent of smartphones, planning hikes is now much easier, as apps are more than capable of assisting users in every step of their trip. If you’re a smartphone user, here are three apps that you might want to carry around on your next big adventure.  

AllTrails As previously mentioned, you have to plan before you take a hike. That being said, it’s quite handy to plan your trip with this handy assistant that is able to tell you where the best places to take a hike are based on your location. In it, you can search for photos of scenic places, obstacles, and decide whether or not you want to conquer that place on your next outdoor trip. What’s great about this app is that it has so many active users that they’re able to update you whether there are downed trees on a particular road or new regulations when hiking a certain mountain. Normal maps can’t do that, so this makes AllTrails a very useful guide for anyone who downloads the app.  

Google Treks Google is one of the best companies in the world and when they do something, it’s almost certainly done superbly. Google Treks isn’t exactly an app but it’s a great piece of program that helps hikers decide where they want to go next with its beautiful, panoramic pictures of hard-to-reach destinations. Thinking about going to the Amazon? There are long forest trails there that you can visit, which aren’t exactly known to a lot of people. While browsing Google Treks, watch out for your battery. Browsing high-definition photos and making them run in the background drains battery fast. When it comes to using an Internet connection, Kim, a writer for the entertainment medium Pocket Fruity, suggests relying on WiFi instead of Data, as the latter is mostly responsible for draining batteries.  

PeakFinder PeakFinder is one of the best hiking apps out there that can help people find their way. It’s extremely useful as it uses a smartphone’s GPS and camera features to find out where exactly the user is and what he or she is looking at. All users need to do is to activate the GPS, hold up the camera and point it forward, and they will get information on the peak they’re currently viewing. It’s better to see how the app functions through video so below is a sample video on how the app works. 

Hiking is great and planning them is made easier thanks to apps. Now put down that game controller, set aside the remote, and go out there and have some fun!