Tips for Map Reading, Navigation, and Online Maps
Trail Notes | Trail Skills
know where you are, always
Map Reading
and Navigation.
Knowing where you are on a trail is not a nice-to-have. It is the skill that keeps every other decision on the day a good one.
Solid map reading and navigation skills make the difference between a trail that feels like an adventure and one that feels like an emergency. Traditional map and compass technique has not gone anywhere, and it still matters. What has changed is that online mapping tools now sit alongside it, and knowing how to use both together is the real skill.
This note covers both: the traditional techniques worth carrying in your head, and the digital tools worth carrying in your pocket.
A phone is a tool. A map and compass are a backup. Together, they are a system.
Never rely on just one. Batteries die, signal drops out, and paper gets wet. Redundancy is what keeps you found.
Trail Note · 01
Carry a reliable map and compass
Start by obtaining a detailed, up-to-date trail map of your chosen hiking area. Opt for a waterproof map, or a waterproof case for a paper one, so it survives the elements. Alongside your map, carry a reliable compass and learn how to use it properly.
These traditional tools are your baseline. They do not run out of battery, and they work exactly the same on day one and day one hundred.
A map and compass have no battery to die and no signal to lose. That is why they are still the backbone of the system.
Trail Note · 02
Study the map before you go
Before you hit the trail, take the time to study the map and familiarise yourself with the route. Pay attention to key features such as landmarks, trail junctions and topographic contours.
Understanding the terrain in advance gives you a better sense of the trail's difficulty and elevation changes, so you can plan your hike more realistically rather than discovering the climb halfway up it.
Before you set off, check
Where the trail junctions are, and which way you take at each one.
The contour lines, so you know where the climbs and descents fall.
Any obvious landmarks you can use to confirm your position along the way.
Your total distance and expected elevation gain, so your time estimate is realistic.
Trail Note · 03
Trail markers, signs and landmarks
Keep an eye out for trail markers, cairns and signs along the way. These are typically placed at regular intervals to guide hikers and keep them on the designated trail. Learn the symbols and colours used in the area you are hiking so you can interpret the markers correctly.
Markers can sometimes be missing, faded or unclear, so treat your map and compass as the ultimate source of truth rather than the trail signage alone.
Landmarks are your other reference point. Look for distinctive natural features such as rock formations, rivers or prominent trees that help you confirm your location on the map. Note them as you progress along the trail and use them as visual checkpoints.
Her Trails coaching cue
If the markers disagree with your map, trust the map and compass first, then work out why. Signage can be wrong. Terrain rarely is.
Trail Note · 04
Land navigation, beyond the trail
In addition to following a marked trail, it is worth learning land navigation techniques for off-trail or more remote terrain. This includes taking compass bearings, estimating distances and triangulating your position from landmarks or topographic features.
A navigation course, or even a solid book on wilderness navigation, is a worthwhile investment if you are heading into remote or technical terrain regularly. These are skills that improve with deliberate practice, not just time on trail.
Trail Note · 05
Online mapping tools
Take advantage of online mapping platforms such as AllTrails, Gaia GPS or Komoot. These give you detailed trail maps, route planning features and real-time GPS tracking. Spend some time learning the functionality of whichever platform you choose before you need it on trail.
What online maps add
Downloadable offline maps. Download the relevant area to your device before you go, so you can still navigate if you lose cellular service or data connectivity on the trail.
GPS tracking. Useful in unfamiliar areas or on trails that are not well defined, giving you real-time location information as you move.
Real-time trail updates, alternate route options and nearby points of interest that a static paper map cannot show you.
A digital record of exactly where you went, useful for both route planning and, if needed, mountain rescue.
Trail Note · 06
Combine traditional and digital navigation
A successful navigation strategy combines traditional map and compass technique with online maps rather than choosing one over the other. Use your physical map and compass as your primary tools, and treat the online maps as a supplementary resource for real-time updates, alternate routes and points of interest.
Be mindful of your device's battery life when relying on online maps. Activate power-saving settings, close unnecessary apps, and carry a portable charger or spare batteries on longer days so your navigation tool is still working when you need it most.
The trail runners and hikers who navigate most confidently are not the ones with the most expensive gear. They are the ones who have built a system, practised it, and know exactly what to reach for when something goes wrong.
Know your route before you start. Carry the tools to confirm it along the way. Trust the system, not the guesswork.
Map and compass first. Online maps as backup and detail. Battery and paper both protected from the weather.
know where you are, always
Written by the Her Trails coaching team
Trail Notes are evidence-informed coaching journals written for women who train, race and run on trails. Made to be absorbed in ten minutes and remembered for a season.
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