Gaia GPS includes a wide variety of map sources to customize the map for different activities.
This article will show you how to:
- Change map sources
- Layer multiple sources
- Add new sources that are not in the default list
- Delete map sources
Note: You need a Premium Membership to view map sources other than Gaia Topo. A Premium Membership also allows you to layer maps together to create a custom view.
Change the map source (Layered Maps toggled on)
The map menu will look different depending on whether Layered Maps is toggled on or off. For the best map experience, we recommend turning on Layered Maps.
If you don't have a Premium Membership or if you want to use the app with layered maps off, see Change the map source (Layered Maps toggled off).
1. Turn on Layered Maps:
- Tap the layers icon in the lower left.
- Tap Map Overlays.
- Scroll to the bottom of the list and toggle on Layered Maps.
2. You can customize the map in several ways:
- Tap the green up arrow on a source from the Inactive list to make it Active on the map
- Tap the red x on an Active source to make it Inactive
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Tap green up arrow to make source visible |
Tap red x to make source inactive |
- Adjust the opacity of a source by dragging the slider
- Drag and drop Active sources to change the order in which they appear on the map
Add new map sources
Gaia GPS has an extensive library of map sources. Popular sources include National Geographic Trails Illustrated, Private Land, Public Land, Slope Angle, and USGS Topo.
Tap the Add Layers button to explore the map library. You can search by name, view recommended map sources, or browse the categories.
When you find the source you want, tap on the source and then tap on the Add button in the upper right corner. The source will then be added to your Inactive list.
Then, tap the back arrow twice and make the source Active on the map by tapping the green up arrow.
Adding a map source by searching a name
If you know the name of the source you want to add, you can search for it with these steps:
1. Tap the layers icon
2. Scroll to the bottom of the drawer and tap Add Map Layers
3. Tap in the search box and search for a term
4. Tap on a result
5. Tap the Add button in the upper right corner of the map description view
6. Tap back twice to get to the Map Sources menu
7. Tap the green up arrow to make the layer active on the map
Adding a map source by browsing the categories
You can also add sources by browsing the categories in the map menu. Here's how:
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1. Tap the layers icon
2. Scroll to the bottom of the drawer and tap Add Map Layers
3. Scroll down the list and choose a category
4. Tap on a map
5. Tap the Add button in the upper right corner of the map description view
6. Tap back three times to get back to the Map Sources menu
7. Tap the green up arrow to make the layer active on the map
Change the map source (Layered Maps toggled off)
Tap the layers icon in the lower-left corner of the map. The active source will be highlighted in gray. Tap another source to make it active. Close the map source drawer by tapping the 'x' at the top of the maps menu.
Remove a map source from your Active or Inactive list
- Turn Layered Maps off with the steps above
- Swipe left on a layer and then tap Delete
- Alternatively, you can tap the Add Map Layers button, find the source, and tap Remove.
Map Packs
Map packs are a powerful and flexible way of managing map sources. You can save combinations of layers and opacities to make them easy to load on the map for specific activities.
This feature is in beta, meaning that we are still collecting feedback on the design. As a result, it's not yet possible to sync Map Packs to the website. If you log out of or delete the app, your Map Packs will not be saved.
Turn Map Packs on or off
If Map Packs are not enabled, you will see the Standard Map Menu. To enable map packs, tap Settings > Map Controls > toggle on Map Packs (beta).
When you turn Map Packs on, your current combination of active layers is automatically turned into a map pack. The default name will look something like "Layered Map 4/5/22, 11:00 AM"
Using Map Packs
1. Tap the layers icon in the bottom left corner to open the Map Packs menu
2. From the Map Packs menu, you can:
- Make an existing Map Pack active on the map
- Make an overlay active on the map
- Browse and add curated Map Packs
- Create your own custom Map Packs
- Edit or delete Map Packs
Make an existing Map Pack active on the map
Tap a map pack to make it active on the map. The active Map Pack will be highlighted in gray.
Make an overlay active on the map
You can put a transparent overlay like Air Quality, Wildfires, Slope Angle, or Private Land on top of the active Map Pack. This is particularly useful if your Map Packs only one base map, like Gaia Topo or Satellite.
1. Tap an overlay to make it active on the map.
2. It's possible to have multiple overlays active. All active overlays will be highlighted in gray.
3. Tap an overlay again to deactivate it.
Overlays display at a default opacity of 30%. If you'd like to customize the opacity, you can create your own map pack with the steps below.
Browse and add curated Map Packs
The Gaia GPS cartography team curated several popular map combinations. You can add one of these Map Packs with these steps:
1. Tap the Map Layers icon > View All (next to Map Packs) > Add New to browse the list of curated map packs.
2. Search or scroll the list to see the available Map Packs. Tap on a Map Pack to get more information about it.
3. Tap Add (upper right corner) to add the Map Pack to your Map Packs Menu. Before tapping Add, you can optionally adjust the opacity and order of the layers. After you tap Add, the Map Pack will automatically be made active on the map.
4. Tap back and swipe the drawer down to see the Map Pack active on the map.
Create your own custom Map Packs
You can create your own Map Pack with any combination of sources. Here's how:
1. Tap Map Layers icon > View All (next to Map Packs) > Add New > Build a New Map Pack
2. Tap Add Layers. You can find sources by searching, looking in the Recommended menu, or browsing the All Map Sources categories. You'll find popular overlays like Private Land and Slope angle in the Feature/Weather Overlays category.
3. When you find a source you want to include in the Map Pack, tap on it. This takes you to an information page about the source. Tap Add in the upper right corner. Tap the back button to go back to the add sources view. Add more sources if desired.
4. Tap the back arrow until you are on the edit view. If desired, adjust the sliders and drag and drop the sources to change the order. Drag the drawer down to see a preview on the map. Tap the Edit Info button to give your Map Pack a name and description.
5. Tap Done. This will take you back to the Search Map Packs view.
6. Tap the back arrow. This will take you to the initial Map Packs view, where you'll see that your new Map Pack is active on the Map. Swipe the drawer all the way down to return to the main map.
Edit or delete Map Packs
With Map Packs enabled, you need to edit the Map Pack to adjust the opacity of the sources in the Map Pack. Follow these steps to edit the sources, opacities, name, or description of a Map Pack:
1. Tap Map Layers icon > View All (next to Map Packs) > Edit > Choose a Map Pack to Edit
2. Adjust the opacity of sources by dragging the slider.
3. Change the order of sources by dragging and dropping them.
4. Remove a source from the Map Pack by clicking the red minus icon on the left side.
5. Add more sources from the Add Layers button.
6. Tap Edit Info to update the name or description.
7. Tap Save a Copy to make a copy of the current Map Pack. The copy will be loaded in the current edit view, and any edits you make will be saved to the copied Map Pack.
8. Tap Delete to permanently delete the map pack.
Troubleshooting and Common Questions
Map sources are blurry when offline
If the map source is blurry when you are offline, you may not have downloaded the map for offline use.
Map sources are blurry when online, don't show on the map, or partially show on the map
Try removing the map source that isn't working properly and then re-adding it.
1. If Map Packs is enabled, turn it off. Settings > Map Controls > Toggle off Map Packs (beta).
What's the difference between a layer and a source?
There's no difference. The map layer and map source are used interchangeably in the Gaia GPS app.