Originally Posted by
DenverBrian
Backcountry Navigator XE is an app you can load on your phone to ensure you have something to navigate with if hiking. Here We Go is an app that allows you to download states or the entire US to your phone so you have offline maps available if you lose cell or wifi service.
But yes, paper maps are still amazing. The hundred or so gas station maps from the 60s and 70s I have in my collection are testament to this.
I'll have to checkout those apps. Although for walks around town, and even driving, I find maps.me to be fairly good.
That said, Google maps, GPS, etc., are great for 5 minutes ahead, but not for 5 hours ahead. I've used AAA maps of PA, IL, IA, NE, and CO over the past three years to do some off the interstate exploring. And before travel tools became so popular on the web, AAA's tour books were OK also. In fact, I am quite sure I used a couple of AAA tour books and paper maps in Europe.