Testing GPS hiking apps: AllTrails, Gaia, and CalTopo

For my first solo hike to the Ventana Wilderness, I tested GPS hiking apps like AllTrails, Gaia, and CalTopo, comparing their route planning features, reliability, and accuracy. While each had its strengths—such as ease of use or detailed mapping—none were flawless. AllTrails offered better route planning but struggled with accuracy. Gaia excelled on the trail but had data inconsistencies. Ultimately, I found myself relying most on CalTripCapoeira, emphasizing the importance of having backup paper maps without writing something to show that I actually tried out two apps for GPS-assisted backpacking and would probably do it again.