Search for hikes, parks, trails, and places in the iOS app

This article will show you how to search for hikes, parks, trails, and places (places of interest or POIs) in the Gaia GPS app.

• Tap icons on the map to get detailed information.
• Search using the search box on the main map.  The names come from OpenStreetMap.
• Use the Discover tab to browse and search for known Hikes.

Tap Icons on the Main Map

You can tap on the map to get information about trails, parks, and places.

Tapping icons on the map work best with OpenStreetMap based map sources, like Gaia Topo, Outdoors, or OpenCycleMap HD.

1. Move the map to an area of interest.

2. Tap on the map.  This will bring up the tap drawer. Swipe up on the drawer to see the items in the area.

3. The drawer will show different items in the area, such as parks, places, and trails.

4. Tap an item in the drawer to get more information about it.

For example, if you tap "Yosemite National Park" in the drawer in the above example, it will take you to a page with more information about Yosemite National Park.

5. The information page will also list nearby hikes. 

6. Tap on a Hike to get more information like distance, elevation, and difficulty.  You can save the Hike for offline use and also view reports and ratings.  When you save a hike for offline use, the app will automatically download maps for the hike.  You can view the hike and saved maps in the Saved menu.

Search Box on the Main Map

1. Tap the search icon in the top menu bar and start entering your search term.
2. As the list populates, you can tap an item to go there.
3. Icons to the left indicate whether it is a park, trail, peak, etc.  In the iOS app, you can filter the results by All, Hikes, Parks, Trails, and Places by tapping the heading above the results.

Using the Discover tab

1. Tap the Discover tab to find hikes and other items like parks, trails, and places. The page will automatically show popular hikes near your current location.

2. Tap the filter button to narrow these results by length or difficulty.

3. Tap the Search Bar to search by name.

4. Tap a result to see a details page for that item.

5. Scroll down the area page to find hikes in the area and select the hike you want; from here you can find details for the hike, read reviews, and view pictures. 

6. Tap the Save Offline button to save this hike to your account. When you save a hike for offline use, the app will automatically download maps for the hike.  You can view the hike and saved maps in the Saved menu. Tap the More button (three dots) to view other options such as Guide Me and "Google This."

"Hikes" versus "Trails"

• A "Trail" is a dashed line on the map that represents a footpath or road. When you tap to show a trail on the map, it will highlight the trail as a red line.
• A "Hike" is a specific known route that people frequently travel along as an activity. A hike might be one single trail, or it might be a combination of several different trails.  When you tap to show a hike on the map, it will show as a purple line.  The name of a hike may include the word "trail."