Apps – Android Authority
Walking through the wilderness is a lot of fun. You get some fresh air, exercise, and some time away from things like the Internet. Technology can’t really help all that much out there. However, there are some apps that you can take along that might help. Many of them are even usable offline in case you’re going way out into the middle of nowhere. These are also mostly good for camping, although we do have a separate list of camping apps linked here if you need it. Here are the best hiking apps for Android.
The best hiking apps for Android
1Weather
Price: Free / $1.99
1Weather is helpful for planning hikes. It has all of the usual weather features. That includes a weather widget, forecasts, current weather, and a weather radar. It also has a 12-week forecast. That can be very helpful for planning excursions further into the future. All of the features are available for free. The $1.99 just removes ads. It’s not what you’d typically think of when it comes to hiking apps. However, many people don’t enjoy hiking in inclement weather. Or maybe you want to plan a trip during inclement weather. Whatever floats your boat. We also recommend MyRader for its excellent radar capabilities if you need something better than 1Weather’s radar.
See also: The best weather apps and weather widgets for Android
BackCountry Navigator
Price: Free / $11.99 with in-app purchases
BackCountry Nav is one of the better hiking apps. It features a selection of offline topographical maps. You can use these to brave the great outdoors. It sources its maps from a variety of places. That includes USGS color aerial photography, OpenStreetMaps, NASA landsat data, and more. It supports a variety of countries, including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, and others. You’ll want to try the free version before you buy anything. This one is rather expensive.
See also: The best GPS apps and navigation apps for Android
Compass (No Ads)
Price: Free
Compass is kind of a no brainer when it comes to hiking apps. You should always have a compass on you. This app does the trick. It’s a simple app because it really is just a compass. It’ll show you the direction visually. There is also a degrees measurement for more precise navigation. That’s about all this app has to it. There are no ads and thus, no Internet connections. There is a premium version as a single in-app purchase for $3.49. It’s also easy to calibrate. This one is about as simple and as good as it gets.
See also: The best compass apps for Android
Icon Torch
Price: Free
Most smartphones come with a flashlight function already. However, some still don’t and Icon Torch fixes that problem. It has no settings, no UI, and no ads. You tap the icon to turn the light on and then tap it again to turn it off. That’s it. It fits easily on your home screen or launcher dock. Additionally, the app is entirely free with no in-app purchases. That’s really about it. It’s simple, it works, and it gets your light on when you’re hiking in the dark.
See also: The best Android flashlight apps with no extra permissions
Komoot
Price: Free / $3.99 / $8.99 / $34.20
Komoot is a planning app. It’s for hikers, bikers, and other outdoorsy types. You can check out trails and plan your route through them. It even features turn-by-turn voice instructions. There are offline maps that you can download as well. The app itself is fairly easy to use. You can get your first region for offline use for free just for downloading the app. You can get additional regions for $3.99. They also have an $8.99 region bundle. You can also just purchase everything for about $34.20 as well. It’s one of the few hiking apps that plan routes and also don’t come with a subscription.
Offline Survival Manual
Price: Free
Offline Survival Manual is exactly what the title infers. It’s a manual for surviving while lost in the wilderness. However, should that unfortunate event occur, this app is actually amazing. It has info on a bunch of things. That includes basic stuff like tying knots, building a fire, and avoiding poisonous plants. It also has deeper things like psychology tips for stress, procuring food, and surviving various environments and weather conditions. It’s free with no ads or in-app purchases. The app is also open source. It’s definitely one of the must-have hiking apps. Just in case.
See also: The best Android survival games
Runkeeper
Price: Free / $9.99 per month / $39.99 per year
Runkeeper is generally for fitness. However, it can also be one of the more useful hiking apps. One of its many features is the ability to track how far you’ve gone. You can use this to track your hikes. After all, hiking is excellent exercise. You can also set goals and see your progress. The free version of the app covers the features we’ve talked about. You can also get a subscription that includes more features like weather insights, workout plans, and other stuff. Either way, it’s good to have along.
See also: The best running apps for Android
Knots 3D
Price: $4.99
Knots 3D is an app for tying all kinds of knots. You never know what you’ll need to tie and when, right? This one has a variety of knots that you can learn to tie. Additionally, it includes 3D video tutorials for tying those knots. You can watch them, rotate the video to see better, and more. The app also comes with a seven-day return policy. That’s a bit longer than Google’s. There are a bunch of knot tying apps out there. We liked this one for its video tutorials. It’s one of the more useful hiking apps you can take with you.
Water Drink Reminder
Price: Free / $1.99
Water Drink Reminder is an app that tells you to drink water. Realistically, any reminder app can work. It can be Google Assistant or your favorite to-do list app. However, this one is for water drinking especially. We can’t imagine what other reminders you’d need while hiking. This app graphs how much water you drink. Additionally, you get alarms periodically reminding you to drink more. It’ll sync data with Google Fit and S Health as well. It’s all totally free to use with advertising. The $1.99 removes the ads. Staying hydrated is important. That makes this one of the better hiking apps.
See also: The best water reminder apps for Android
WikiCamps USA
Price: Free / $1.99
WikiCamps is a directory for campgrounds and RV parks. A lot of hikers like to have a camp nearby. This app can help you find ones in your area. You can then set up camp and go hiking all day long. Each app in the WikiCamps lineup is for a different region. There are apps currently for the U.S., Canada, U.K., New Zealand, and Australia. It’ll even show you if it has RV hookups for sewage, water, electricity, etc. These are good for planning your next outdoor adventure. However, they’re practically useless while actually hiking. Good luck!
If we missed any great camping apps, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists!
Thank you for reading! Check these out too:
The best travel apps for Android
The best camping apps for Android
