Hiking Resources
Hiking requires planning. While no amount of planning can account for unforeseen circumstances, below are some resources that I’ve found helpful for planning a safe and fun hiking trip. I’ll keep adding to this page as I come across more useful resources.
Hope this helps!
Helpful Apps & Websites:
WEB CAMS
Below are some apps and websites that I use often. GHC is not affiliated with any of these sites, and I get no kickbacks from them, just my personal recommendations.
CO Trex is the most useful app for hiking in Colorado that I’ve ever come across. Developed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Natural Atlas, this app has just about every trail in entire state. Key features include a measurement tool, elevation profiles, and trail closure notifications. It also has a built in GPS function that will track your progress in real time, even when out of cell phone range. CO Trex is invaluable for those times where you find yourself off the obvious path. Use the website on your desktop for planning and download the app for your phone while in the backcountry.
Most of you are probably familiar with All Trails, it’s just about the most popular hiking app out there. If not, All Trails uses crowd sourced data to provide guides, photos, maps, and reviews of hiking and recreation trails all across the planet. While you sometimes need to take the reviews and data with a grain of salt, it’s based on subjective experiences, All Trails is a wonderful way to find new hikes and get real time data on trail conditions. With subscription and free services, All Trails is an indispensable resource for all hikers.
Link: AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping, and Running | AllTrails
I use Gaia every time I go hiking. Not only does Gaia (even the free version) provide maps, layers, and GPS tracking, but it can also be used to track, record, and store your hike, great for keeping track of distance and location and also for getting you back on track if you wander too far afield. Be sure to synch the mobile app to the website to ensure that you backup your hike data.
Link: Hiking Trail Maps, Ski Touring, 4x4 Offroad App | Gaia GPS
Colorado Webcams - This is a great site with a huge variety of webcams from all over the state. Webcams can be very useful to get an idea of the current weather or conditions (such as fall colors) in the general vicinity of where you want to hike.