I like to have GPS backed maps to play around with and as backup to paper maps and compass.

On trips elsewhere I have used Avenza and its been good for me.

Am I correct that there aren't many Avenza supported maps for the BWCA? I don't see any USGS maps for free or for a fee. I see a National Geographic Trails Illustrated map set for $19.99 but I have heard the scale is pretty small and may not be the best. I have used their paper maps before on Isle Royale and they are nice.

I see lots of other options out there but haven't used most of them. I have downloaded Google Maps for the area we'll be in while in the BWCA but they don't have any info on portage trails or campsites.

Anyone use OnX? I use it for hunting and it is a great tool for that. It looks like campsites and portage trails are on there. I already know how to use it already so that's a bonus. I can get the BWCA as part of MN but will need to buy a month of "Elite" level so I can have 2 states (I actually think I need to just make a second account so I don't lose what I already paid for for the year of my state's maps).

I see Navionics as a great tool for fishing but it doesn't look like it has campsites or portage trails. It looks like that is about $20 for the US maps.

Backcountry Navigator looks interesting but I can't tell what the different levels of paid service get me? bronze, silver, gold?

Any suggestions, pointers, tips???

thanks in advance for your help and ideas

I’m on iOS so not sure if they have an Android app, but I’ve used Gaia GPS. You can download multiple layers that all come with the app including USGS topo and aerial photos as well as satellite images.

I use the free/demo version of Backcountry Navigator and have been using it for 2+ years. There is a limit to the daily download so if you want a lot of detailed, aerial images you may have to space that out over several days.

But the product is, in my opinion, very good. Granted my only comparison is looking over the shoulders of friends who have gaia or onX.

I have used it in UT, the BWCA and in Ontario with good success. Some of the map layers show BWCA portages and the Forest Service topo shows most campsites.

I may upgrade to the pro version at some point - but I may also switch to an iphone, and BN is Android-only, I believe. TBD.

Second fan of GAIA...it's free and will show you where you are. We've had great success using it as a backup up there.

ryan72: "

Backcountry Navigator looks interesting but I can't tell what the different levels of paid service get me? bronze, silver, gold?

Any suggestions, pointers, tips???

thanks in advance for your help and ideas"

I cannot speak to other apps or questions.

I use Backcountry Navigator on an Android phone. I have a phone that takes a large sd card. I paid for the app one time. I do not have any subscriptions.

For the BWCA I used BCN to download maps from the US Forest Service. I think with the size of my SD Card, I have the entire bwca downloaded. These were large downloads.

I have tracks and waypoints that show camp site data. I downloaded them from another forum member, butthead. IIRC, this thread contains a link to camp site data. Or it might have been this thread. On the two trips I have been on, butthead's data has been very accurate.

Here is a helpful article on BCN.

I put my phone in airplane mode and only use it to record tracks while traveling. I turn it off when we reach camp. I charged it one time on a 6 day trip.

I only ran into one problem. I powered on my phone and started BCN before the SD Card was ready. So BCN lost my map layer. I had to go into the settings and re-select the map layer I had already downloaded. I think it is a bug in BCN and was an inconvenience.

Here is a screen shot of a track I recorded on my last trip.