There are so many fitness, activity, and hiking apps on the market, it’s hard to know which are the best. For this article, we didn’t focus on creating an exhaustive list – we focused on what we consider to be the best apps on the market for planning, weather, and tracking. They’re all cross-platform (Android and iOS), and work almost flawlessly. Without further ado, here’s our list of the best hiking apps.
AllTrails, best hiking app for trail discovery and planning
Before I set out on a hike, and often before I visit a new city, I use AllTrails to plan what hikes I’ll do. The app is easy to use, has a desktop and mobile version, and allows you to save your favorite trails. It has been around a while, so there are many people that have left their trail experiences in the app for others to benefit from. The premium version adds the ability to download and print trail maps which is pretty compelling, especially in spots where there’s weak cellular service.
MyRadar, best hiking app for weather conditions and radar
This is a simple yet powerful app. MyRadar makes it easy to quickly see the forecast and radar for a particular area, as long as you have cellular coverage. Why does that matter? Weather conditions can change quickly, especially in certain mountainous areas. Seeing menacing clouds on the horizon, and being able to view the current radar conditions can inform vital decisions that can keep you safe in the event of inclement weather. MyRadar also provides the option to allow push notifications with weather warnings and watches for your current area along with wind, cloud, temp, earthquake, and aviation overlays.
Strava, best hiking app for fitness tracking and sharing
If you’re a fitness hiker, or if you just like to show off where you’ve been, Strava is a popular and solid app. The thing I love best about Strava is that it isn’t just for hiking. it can be used to track rides, skiing, and many other activities. It also includes a pretty cool featured called ‘beacon’. The beacon feature allows you to share your location with up to 3 safety contacts. It’s great for piece-of-mind, especially on solo hikes.
Check out these apps, and if there’s a new one that’s worthy of the home screen in the future, we’ll keep this post updated. In the meantime, post your favorite apps in the comments, and maybe we’ll add a ‘community favorites’ section!