3 Of The Best Apps To Help You Find The Coolest Off-Road Trails

For those who love it, nothing is as enjoyable as taking a 4x4 vehicle off the beaten path to commune with the dust, dirt, and mud that permeate the trails. Of course, anyone who takes 4x4 life seriously is likely to tell you that hitting the trails in a properly outfitted vehicle is the most important part of your off-road adventure. While there are those who choose to head off road at the wheel of a used trail-ready pickup truck, there are plenty who opt for one of the modern SUVs that are better off-road than you might think. 

Whatever vehicle you choose, once you've properly outfitted it, you might still need help finding the best trails to get your great all-terrain tires dirty. If you're already plugged into your local off-road scene, you've got plenty of trail-loving allies who can point you in the right direction. If not, you might have luck checking in with online folks through social media or forums dedicated to off-roading chatter, which can be invaluable resources in learning both about trails in your area and trailing meetups.

These days, there are also several downloadable mobile apps dedicated solely to helping you find the best places in your area and beyond to get your vehicle good and dirty. If you're struggling to figure out exactly which ones are worth your while, here's a look at a few that are well-rated by both iOS and Android users, and won't cost you too much to use.

Those who've been off-roading for a while might be quick to tell you that there is a legitimate community of like-minded folks out there who love to trade tips about their 4x4 rigs as well as their favorite trails to ride. If you fancy yourself among the world's more socially inclined trail riders, there is indeed an app for that in Overland Bound One. Unlike many other off-roading apps, Overland lets users connect directly through its Rally Point feature so they can plan meetups and group adventures, which is pretty cool.

Overland's unique focus on community is apparent in that even the free version of the app grants access to its online forums, meaning you can connect with fellow off-roaders and use certain other functions even if you choose not to pony up for a yearly membership, which will set you back $39.99. That membership fee will, naturally, unlock access to a trove of other features, including route planning, offline mapping and tracking, and full access to the app's map layer library, among others.

As for the app's reviews, it's one of the best-rated we found in The App Store at 4.7 stars out of 5, and it's among the highest-rated we're featuring here from GooglePlay, boasting 4.4 stars out of 5. So if you're going off-road using either Apple or Android, Overland Bound One looks to be a solid guide. 

Another app that's worth a look is Guru Maps, which boasts 4.6-star and 4.4-star ratings in the App Store and GooglePlay respectively. In our own limited usage of Guru, we can confirm the reviews are well-earned, and of the three apps listed here, we found this one we found the most pleasing to the eye.

Functionality is, obviously, more important to many users when it comes to an app, and the good news is that Guru is also a solid navigational tool. It is not, however, solely dedicated to the world of off-roading, and like many other outdoors apps also helps hikers, bikers, and campers find suitable places to commune with the natural world. So it offers users excellent offline mapping functionality, ensuring you'll be able to find your way even when you're far from the nearest cellphone tower.

Though Guru isn't strictly about the 4x4 life, the app's extensive map library and topographical data can help you plan your next overland experience. Likewise, its Trip Monitor features and CarPlay support should keep you safely on the trail throughout. The functionality comes at a cost, however, with several levels of accessibility available, including a monthly subscription at $2.49 per. There are also one-time purchase options at varying cost, and a yearly level for $22.49, making this a surprisingly customizable service.   

If you've been researching off-roading recommendation apps, a few names have probably popped up more than once. That likely includes Avenza Maps, the highest-rated iOS app featured here with a 4.8 stars out of 5 rating in the App Store. It's also well thought of by Android users, who've bestowed upon it a 4.7 stars out of 5 rating. 

Avenza is not strictly dedicated to off-roading recommendations, and like Guru is focused largely on other outdoors activities like hiking and biking. It is, however, a first-rate resource for navigating the out-of-doors, as it features an extensive list of professional-grade maps from sources like National Geographic, the National Parks Service, and Michelin. And the app also has a segment dedicated solely to helping plan your off-roading adventure, with detailed topographic sources that could help even novice trail-riders navigate to, from, and over any out-of-the-way outlet they might find on Avenza.

Now for a little potentially bad news, which is that — despite Avenza having a free version – not all of the off-roading maps listed on the app are free to use, and some require additional in-app purchase. You will also need to pay a subscription fee to get the most out of the Avenza app, with prices running from $34.99 to $159.99 a year. Given the app's vast array of maps, and solid offline mapping, tracking, and trip recording features, Avenza is likely worth the investment. 

You will, of course, find more than just the five apps we're listing here when searching for off-roading assistance. In our search for the best apps out there for off-roading recommendations, we considered many factors, including cost, functionality, ease of use, and positive ratings from real-world users in both the Apple iOS and Android factions of the world. 

Each of the apps listed is currently available and easily downloadable in both the App Store and on GooglePlay. It should be noted, however, that some of the other apps you'll find on those sites might better suit your needs depending on which mobile device you have at your disposal. As always, we encourage you to do your own research in finding the best available off-roading recommendation app for you.