Am I doing gaia wrong?

Wdrell

Wdrell

Rank III
Member

Pathfinder III

808
O'Fallon, IL, USA
First Name
Warren
Last Name
Drell
Member #

26610

Service Branch
USAF Veteran
I have watched numerous vids and I still can't find what I am looking for. Trying to find some areas here in central/ southern IL to go overlanding/dispersed camping and I can't seem to find any suitable locations. Am I not using gaia correctly or is this state just not overland friendly?
 
If there are any dispersed camping sites in Illinois, southern Illinois has them. Shawnee NF is pretty extensive, they are there.
 
I’ve been using Gaia for years now and have built up my own data base of places to go…you need to find gpx files and upload them into Gaia…but…waypoints are not included so you won’t find those spots…also some people are very secretive about dispersed camping spots especially in the lower Midwest…just remember you can disperse camp in any National Forest…but be careful because there is often private land interspersed in the middle of NF lands…I have found that using Gaia along with the OB1 app can help…I’m beginning to move most of my routes to OB1…
 
  • Like
Reactions: Viking1204
All Trails has a massive data base. I've used that for years along with just general searching on google. Once you start finding things and going out, you mark all your own. Eventually you end up with your own data base and odds are the good spots you wont post anywhere.
 
Im currently working on a route that will link the southern terminus of the Trans Wisconsin to Shawnee…I’ll drop it in a about a year…it takes a long time to put a route like this together it will contain a Lilly pad approach…jumping from dispersed site to dispersed site…but again this is a long endeavor…if you do fine some stuff let me know and I’ll include it..,
 
  • Like
Reactions: Viking1204
onX shows a trail network N of Illinois in Southern Wisconsin all around Darlington - looks like its all private land (no free camping) and rural farm roads. Maybe not the best. The Shawnee National Forest in the South of Illinois looks more promising, a decent trail system in public lands. Same for the Mark Twain National Forest in the South East of Missouri.

Take a look at onX Offroad; they have a free seven day trial (app is free to use, good maps cost) and I am liking it better than gaia these days.
 
Many of the more established BLM areas have gpx files on their websites. They take some clean up, but generally good.

Hear you on Gaia, really not an intuitive app. Lots of room for improvement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety
NMBruce said:
Try iOverlander it shows a few places but not many
Click to expand...

I have looked at iOverlander's data and it all seems to be in/around civilization (gas, repair shops, RV campgrounds, etc.). Have you found it useful for the "wilder" places? Thanks!
 
Ubiety said:
NMBruce said:
Try iOverlander it shows a few places but not many
Click to expand...

I have looked at iOverlander's data and it all seems to be in/around civilization (gas, repair shops, RV campgrounds, etc.). Have you found it useful for the "wilder" places? Thanks!
Click to expand...
I live out west and yes. This is just people adding in places they have camped, including spots on the side of the road, a Walmart or a great spot on a trail.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety
NMBruce said:
I live out west and yes. This is just people adding in places they have camped, including spots on the side of the road, a Walmart or a great spot on a trail.
Click to expand...
Will take another look, thanks! Last I looked a high high percentage of their data was around population centers. In WA even more remote spots are getting crowded and I wonder if going to "published" spots will guarantee a crowd. Do you know if iOverlander requires an active internet connection or does it fetch all of the data while you have internet and allow you to view the data later without internet? I guess I am wondering is it a planning tool or something that can be used when out in the thick of it (without cell/internet)? Thanks!

Edit - map viewing requires internet which makes this a planning tool if you are outside of cell service. I wish that they had satellite maps (am I missing something?) that would make it a lot easier to comb through spots looking for those that suit you - unfortunately their maps lack a lot of detail :( Would be awesome as an offline layer in third party nav software with offline maps.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NMBruce
Ubiety said:
Edit - map viewing requires internet which makes this a planning tool if you are outside of cell service. I wish that they had satellite maps (am I missing something?) that would make it a lot easier to comb through spots looking for those that suit you - unfortunately their maps lack a lot of detail :( Would be awesome as an offline layer in third party nav software with offline maps.
Click to expand...
Gaia GPS allows you to download map data, layers, etc. constrained by a user defined rectangle for offline use.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety and smritte
shansonpac said:
Gaia GPS allows you to download map data, layers, etc. constrained by a user defined rectangle for offline use.

Click to expand...
Yep, my not-very-well-stated point was that it would be awesome if you could also have an "iOverland layer" in your favorite nav software as an offline layer. That way you could view iOverland points layered on better maps than iOverland offers all while in "offline map mode". Dunno, maybe gaia already has iOverland data available; I have switched from gaia to onX recently and am not looking back ;)

BTW - gaia also offers downloading maps along a route which I preferred over drawing many rectangles and downloading. Create a route and let gaia do the work of getting you the offline maps around said route. Great feature!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bama_Kiwi and shansonpac
Ubiety said:
Yep, my not-very-well-stated point was that it would be awesome if you could also have an "iOverland layer" in your favorite nav software as an offline layer. That way you could view iOverland points layered on better maps than iOverland offers all while in "offline map mode". Dunno, maybe gaia already has iOverland data available; I have switched from gaia to onX recently and am not looking back ;)

BTW - gaia also offers downloading maps along a route which I preferred over drawing many rectangles and downloading. Create a route and let gaia do the work of getting you the offline maps around said route. Great feature!
Click to expand...
Trails Offroad routes and waypoints sync effortlessly with Gaia GPS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety
Ubiety said:
Will take another look, thanks! Last I looked a high high percentage of their data was around population centers. In WA even more remote spots are getting crowded and I wonder if going to "published" spots will guarantee a crowd. Do you know if iOverlander requires an active internet connection or does it fetch all of the data while you have internet and allow you to view the data later without internet? I guess I am wondering is it a planning tool or something that can be used when out in the thick of it (without cell/internet)? Thanks!

Edit - map viewing requires internet which makes this a planning tool if you are outside of cell service. I wish that they had satellite maps (am I missing something?) that would make it a lot easier to comb through spots looking for those that suit you - unfortunately their maps lack a lot of detail :( Would be awesome as an offline layer in third party nav software with offline maps.
Click to expand...

Actually iOverlander works just fine out of cell phone/internet range. It’s just that you won’t be able to view any of the pictures that have been posted. We used it extensively in our 2020 Expedition to Alaska and found several nice places to camp that weren’t on any other platform.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ubiety
smlobx said:
Actually iOverlander works just fine out of cell phone/internet range. It’s just that you won’t be able to view any of the pictures that have been posted. We used it extensively in our 2020 Expedition to Alaska and found several nice places to camp that weren’t on any other platform.
Click to expand...
I did not actually try iOverlander offline - saw this (below) on their web site and stopped looking - but you are absolutely correct! It appears that iOverlander does sync and retain its data when first opened with an internet connection.
  • Except for viewing the map, all of these features will work offline. You will be prompted to sync when you are next online.
 
Gaia is where you create your own tracks and waypoints. You can import those shared by others, but this is not an automatic inclusion. You've got to do the work.

iOverlander has filters that will help you make it show you exactly what you're looking for, although it may or may not exist in any given area.

With Gaia, my favorite layer is the National Geographic Trails Illustrated, but it may or may not have data for the area you're researching.

The MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) for any given National Forest can help you find forest roads and trails to explore and begin charting your own epic trails and camp sites.

Lifestyle Overland has some great videos for learning to use Gaia. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lifestyle+overland+gaia
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom