Technology meets hiking

When I go on nature trails, I want to leave technology and distractions behind and just enjoy the outdoors, as much as possible. But technology can be a great help sometimes. Recently, I started using a feature that exists for long, but never got to dwelve into it in this particular setting: our friend GPS, or more specifically in this case... GPX files!

We all used GPS before, right? But this is a format I hadn't come across before, and as I researched a little bit more... I realised it's everywhere!

So, what are GPX files?

GPX files have stored GPS data, and can be read by different programs or apps: they can contain entire routes, waypoints, all that's needed to map a full hiking trail! They can be done and shared by anyone, and you can easily find a ton of apps that can read them, entirely free; and you don't even need an internet connection!

If you're in a well maintained park, with good trail description, true: you probably don't need this. You'll probably find signs like this, at the beginning, explaining everything about the trails, the sights, the wildlife.

As as you venture into the trail, you just follow the path, and be alert to the signs along the way:

Two parallel lines, red and yellow? You're on the right track!

But... what if the signs are nowhere to be seen? Just picture the setting above if the sign wasn't there; does it look like a clear path to you? Not really!

And the first photo of this post is a screenshot from a GPX file of one of the trails I've enjoyed the most on my last vacations... that I wouldn't have done if I hadn't found it on a travel blog, since it wasn't one of the official hiking trails of the park.

Another example:

This one on the left seems wider.... but there seems to be another one on the right. Marks? Nowhere to be found. Solution? A peak at the GPX file.

That explains it, they're both correct!

Another good reason to have a GPX file of the trail you're doing, especially if it's a longer or more difficult trail: security.

If yuo ever hiked in mountain trails, you know conditions can change... and fast. Imagine heavy rain, or fog, in the middle of your trail; if the trail is not that apparent, it's easy to go off course. Having the file in your phone can be the difference between no problem at all and a ton of complications.

So... how do we get our hands on those?

Simple. Just go to an app store and search for GPX viewer; you'll find a ton of different options. In my case, I opted for OsmAnd, since it had some of the best reviews, and it is free; it's based on Open Street Maps.

After you download and install the app, you can download for free the map of your current location (or even the entire country); this will allow you to see the GPX files without needing an internet connection, you just need the GPS signal.

With the map on your phone, you're good to go! You just have to download of the GPX files of the trails you want to do, and that's it; it's easy to get the hang of it.

Where to download them? You have several options here. In my case, it was even possible to get them right before starting the trails.

This was one of the signs at the beginning of one of the trails; it had handy QR codes:

One directed you to the park's website, and the other one was the GPX file of the trail. It was actually thanks to these signs that I decided to investigate this further, and realised there were official GPX files for all the official trails in the park's website.

Online you'll find countless sources for the GPX files, and it's likely that for a specific area or natural park that you want to visit, you will find more than enough options. If you travel through Portugal, I'll leave here one of my favourite travel blogs, Vagamundos, that has GPX files of all the trails the bloggers do.

This is how GPX files looks on the phone, through OsmAnd:

Some will be more complete, with several points along the route, while other show just the basic route; nevertheless, they are all handy.

Hope this info helps you exploring the great outdoors! 😉

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