COMPLETE Beginner's Guide To The Gaia GPS App, How To Get Started
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- We show how easy it is to; Plan a Route, Choose Layers, Create Waypoints, Store Maps, on Laptop and iPad. Everything you need to get started planning your overland and camping adventures using the Gaia GPS App. How to use Gaia gps for overlanding.
This beginners guide to Gaia will show you how to use the Gaia App through real world usage. That’s right, we take you along on our own overland trip and explain in detail how we use it to navigate our way using the Forest Service Motor Vehicle Usage Map ( MVUM ) layer, Public Lands layer, and the Avenza App. We also provide tips and tricks to finding legal places to disperse camp on BLM land.
Here are those quick links to the topics we talk about in the video:
Differences between Gaia on a laptop and Gaia on an iPad- 01:53.25
How to make file folders in Gaia GPS- 03:11.06
How to use the Avensa App to view the National Forest Service Motor Vehicle Usage Maps- 06:49.14
How to use the Public Land (US) layer in Gaia- 09:35.11
How to choose and display layers in Gaia GPS- 09:56.10
How to use the MVUM (USFS) layer in Gaia- 11:42.23
Best layers to use in Gaia GPS- 13:17.16
How to build a route in Gaia GPS- 15:29.12
How to save a route to a folder in Gaia- 20:27.01
How to download a route, or how to import a route to Gaia- 22:10.29
How to follow a route in Gaia, while you're driving- 23:54.28
How to make a waypoint in Gaia- 28:42.12
How to create maps, how to download maps in Gaia- 31:26.23
Behind The Scenes:
It's so confusing! Choosing the best title for a video that is.
Here's a few that we considered, but many were already taken:
How To Use Gaia GPS
Gaia GPS for beginners
Gaia GPS Tutorial
Gaia Basics
Beginner Tips For Gaia GPS
Gaia GPS Guide
Getting Started With Gaia GPS
You really spent a lot of time & effort to make this extremely helpful video. Videos like this are not easy to make. I really appreciate you sharing this. Huge thumbs up!
Glad you enjoyed it!
It's said you eat an elephant one bite at a time and sooner or later you'll be done. You provided a great way to digest a wealth of information in bite size pieces that made learning GAIA easy to digest. Your lesson planning and presentation was great.
Cool, thanks!!!!
I am just now getting into GAIA. Have a tablet coming along with the 4Runner mounting bracket you two had a video on. I watched a "basics" video by another outfit this morning and it was useless for me. Your video here is fantastic and I feel so confident I can get it to sing for me. Thank you so much!
That's awesome to hear!!!!
This video is the best Gaia GPS tutorial I've seen so far. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I’ve learned more in 30min than I have in 2 years of just trying to figure it out. This made it waaaaay more simple than I’ve been doing it.
WOW!!! That is so cool to hear! Thanks, you made our day!
New to GAIA, great information. Thanks for making this video!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks so much for doing this video. I am an old hand at land navigation, overloading, and off-road in vehicles or motorcycles. BUT, I am a newb at GAIA. A lot of videos I have watched assumed you all ready have some level of experience with the app. But yours was simple and for those who really don't, I love that. It was also nice that a lot of the areas you were showing are areas that we wheel in regularly such as Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota. It's nice to recognize areas so it makes it easy to picture what you are doing. I just gifted myself an iPad Mini and am getting all setup for a trip to Baja in Feb so this tutorial is just what I need.
I really liked the way you switched from the iPad to the laptop as what I am learning is they do act different. Then the Avenza Maps app is something I saw one time from a Park ranger but could not remember it nor how to use it. I liked the idea of the cell having Avenza running while the iPad had GAIA. Interesting. My dashboard in my Raptor or Jeep Wrangler is going to be cluttered now! Especially when I add in the Garmin InReach into the mix!
So, this was interesting and informative. I will look at your other vids to see if there are any more gold nuggets to be discovered! See you in the backcountry!
Thanks for the great review of our video! We're very glad it helped you!
Great videos explaining how to use Gaia. I've been going through several other videos by other individuals, some of which are outdated. This one is clear and easy to understand.
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all this, one of the best I’ve seen yet.
Glad it was helpful!
@@WanderlostOverland Helpful? Ha! It was a lifesaver! I was miserably floundering before this video! I got so much out of this, Thank You!
Thanks! This video had exactly the info I needed, the three following modes.
Never even heard of Avenza until this video. Thank you for such wonderful content.
Great job. I’ve listened to several and yours was the best for a beginner.
Wow, thank you!
I found this video very useful , thank you for taking the time to make it . Right now I am more into hiking , but I have looked at Gaia before for navigating my hikes, but it did seem a little overwhelming at the time. I've been watching your channel for a while now and I must say you are getting me interested in Overlanding too 😃 . Thanks again for sharing , I appreciate the time you put into the videos
Glad it was helpful!
I retire in Aug this year then I plan on traveling. I have a cell phone and plan to buy an iPad. You think that'll be good enough to down load Gaia for my travel route. I learn a lot from you. Be safe and thank you
Yes, definitely. Get an iPad that is cellular capable. You don't have to pay for a cell plan, but it will automatically come with the built-in gps feature. We have the Gaia app on both our iPad and phone, with the same maps downloaded. That way if one fails we have a backup.
I found your intro to route planning on Gaia GPS to be most useful as I am just getting started in backroad exploring with my 2003 Toyota 4Runner. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Man i've just watched a few of your videos, such great info. Plus you guys are pretty funny lol
Thanks for watching!
AWESOME! Finally somebody showed how to use the GAIA while traveling. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
I'm only at :27 and already giving you a thumbs up. I love tutorials on stuff I don't know.
Thanks!
Thanks for the GAIA folders explanation. I just spent the last hour sorting my points and creating new folders to organize my trip after viewing your video. Safe Travels!
Glad it was helpful!
Best tutorial on Gaia yet...I learned a ton I didn't know about. Thanks!
Glad to hear it!
Great topic. I have watched your videos in the past but then lost track. Going to hit the sub now so I don't lose you again.
Welcome back!
Thanks for the video. It was very well done,
Our pleasure!
I had the worst experience with Gaia customer service, and the maps would load on top of each other on my iPad and was told it is the software on the iPad, which is bunch of baloney and there is nothing wrong with the iPad.
Ever since I have purchased Lowrance HDS-7 and I can plan routes on google earth/waypoints and download it into the unit and also purchased the SD card which is loaded with the all the off road roads for the western United States with historic/point of interest with no annual fee or membership.
I am extremely happy with system, and on the side note, perhaps Gaia works well for others, and it just didn’t work out for me since they gave me the runaround.
I'll have to check that out. Thanks
Great video, very well laid out and insightful!!! thanks for posting!!
Glad it was helpful!
Navigation never gets old. Thanks for all the insights!
Thanks for watching!
Excellent explanation on how to use this app. I’ve seen a few other videos and they did not do a very good job of explaining how to use the features. I wasn’t very happy with the Gaia app because I did t really know how to use it. Hopefully now I’ll be able use it to its full capacity. Subbed to your channel!
Thanks! We really appreciate it!
Good stuff! I'm still struggling with some of the features. But you cleared up some of them. Thanks!
Glad to hear it!
Gary Schrader I am new to both gaia and avenza so thanks for the video. I am leaving Northern Virginia January 2022 to do a solo snowy photo trip of the black hills and the badlands. I have always appreciated your videos to the point that my 2018 4 runner build was similar to yours. Take care Gary
Thank you so very much for watching Gary! Have a great time in the BlackHills and Badlands. It's one of our favorite places to explore!
Awesome tutorial. You took a new subject and made it very simple in baby steps, which was extremely helpful to me!! Thanks for putting this together.
You're very welcome! Glad it helped!
I have an older model vehicle ('95 4WD Suburban) and starting to use an iPad for mapping. Mine doesn't have WiFi, so I picked up a Garmin Glo 2 mini GPS receiver that will communicate with the iPad via Bluetooth. Seems to work well when I used it for local testing...the trail will be next.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the information! I've made a few maps, but I'm still in the basic learning stages. Your video cleared up a lot for me!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for such a simple, easy to understand, adequately paced video. I want to disperse camp. Based on your video, the icon with the road and dots along side designating a road with dispersed camping is not included on the MVUM. And if I understand your video, those can be found using Avenza maps. I want to disperse camp in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Blue Ridge District. I can only find MVUM maps on Avenza which appear to be exactly the same as GAIA. What maps should I be looking for in Avenza?
Best Gaia tutorial available! What mounting system are you using for your tablet in 4runner? I dont see any dash mount from RAM mounts.
The mount to the top of the dash is from Expedition Essentials. Here's our video on installing it: ruclips.net/video/ZsuCPVyU1Zo/видео.html
Great stuff really helpful. Dan from Western Australia
Glad it was helpful!
Good Afternoon,
Very informative, entertaining and valuable insights, thank you for sharing. Would you do a video specifically for hiking... Cheers
Glad to have a constant flow of non map carrying folks in the wilderness. Keeps our Search and Rescue teams in business!
Finally, it all makes sense. Thanks for this awesome video.
Glad you liked it!
Wow now that's high tech navigation at it's best .. I never knew about GAIA gps mapping software until now , i can see i will have to look into this one ...
I'm looking into as of today the Onx chip for my gps handheld unit mainly not to know where i'am on planet earth but who's land am i on ..Might be one of the best ways to know that information but i will look into GAIA.. Well done , you know your tools ..
Great video. But since I'm running a android based tablet I will look for info about that since it's obviously quite different user interface.
This is great ! Just got an iPad and looking to use Gaia for the first time. Thank you for the guide
Glad we could help!
Thanks for putting this together, very helpful. I do have a question, after downloading the map for the area you plan to explore, are you then able to use any of the layers out on the trail, or do you need to download the layers when downloading the map ?
If you're not connected to wifi or a data plan you'll be restricted to the layers you've included in your download.
I am new to overlanding and was thrilled to find your video. It is the only one I found that takes the time to go through it a little bit at a time without leaving out details. Your fun, storytelling way of teaching was a lot of fun. Thank you for all of the work you put into it. We are your newest subscribers! QUESTION Is there a way to not see the colored filter on the map when you download it and then open it up to use it when you are off line? They colored filter make it difficult for me to read through. Thanks.
Excellent. Thank you. This one is saved and I am going to have to watch it over and over again!
Glad it was helpful!
@@WanderlostOverland Quick question .... what is the differenced between the paid version of Gaia and the free one?
It’s the amount of map layers available in the free version vs the paid version. I’m still new to this also. So I know that there are other differences as well. I’m just not sure what those differences are.
Thank you very much this video was very helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! Awesome job on describing how to use the app for a new person, helped a lot!
Glad it was helpful!
Came back to your excellent video to refresh myself. I use GAIA as you two do - downloading maps for remote use. The one question I have is trying to figure what the GAIA web version does, i.e. what's its value. I don't see that I can download a layered map. I see one can create waypoints, tracks, and the like but we can do that in the app. Am I missing something? Thanks!
Excellent content! Thanks! Red Grade Road is amazing..both going up and down. When you come down it and then start heading east the valleys are spectacular. The start of the drive going up it is amazing too. I camped my first night in the BigHorns a couple of miles after reaching the top.
As far as more tips people should always download the areas they are going to on Google Maps too as a redundancy.
Thanks for the tips!
Great video. Much appreciated.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for giving me the basics of Gaia. I am planning my first trip with Gaia to start in one week and needed the boost. I noticed the black boxes on your 4Runner roof. I have a FJ Cruiser and need something similar to offload some of my gear from inside my rig. I would appreciate knowing where to find them. I also watched your RUclips on installing the lights on your rack. Very helpful. Thanks again. Mel, new subscriber.
Thanks for watching Mel!!! The boxes are Plano Rifle Cases we got off Amazon. Here's a video we did on them: ruclips.net/video/humwAxPAyUo/видео.html
Great overview. I’ve been using Gaia about a year and learned a few helpful things. Thanks!!
Great to hear!
thanks for the great details - I learned a ton from you guys. Hopefully I'll get my 4runner out later his year using Gaia! stay safe!
Great video! I love Gaia GPS. For me there is one big showstopper to use the app for overlanding: there is no way to download multiple countries for offline use. As I don’t have fast internet during my trips I need to download all maps before leaving. This is not possible however.
You guys are awesome. I so enjoy watching your vids and laughing at your antics Please keep em coming. Someday ill meet up with you the trail Have fun out there. Larry. :)
YOU'RE AWESOME LARRY! Yes, we'll have to meet up some day!
Just starting out, which level do you suggest to purchase, obviously the more expensiveness gives more options , but do we really need all of those options?
Thanks
You're going to want at least the $17 membership. Try it out, see what features you need and what you can get away with not having. You can always upgrade later.
Wanderlost Overland thank you, one more if’n ya don’t mine, I was just on trying to lay out a hike with just the Free App, snd can’t get those highlighted lines as you were showing but of course you were doing a road trip where I am doing a hiking layout
Will I have that ability with the $17.00 subscription? Sorry for bugging you
Thanks again
@@nutthrower4415 Honestly, we've never laid out a route on a hiking trail so I can't give you a good answer on that one.
Wanderlost Overland thanks again, I appreciate your time. I’ll do as you suggested and go for the $17.00 app
Thank you, have a great day
Great information for a beginner on Gaia like myself, do you happen to have a video on how to use tracks?
Coming soon!
Really appreciate this vid guys. I've had Gaia on my phone for awhile now but never really sat down to put time into learning it. Unfortunately we (meaning here in Canada) don't seem to have an equivalent to the US "motor vehicle use" maps... it looks like it will a bit of trial and error learning by experience. Still though, I'm way further ahead now than I was before watching this tutorial. Job well done! 👍🏻
Thanks Kevin!
Awesome! I've subscribed and will watch more about f your stuff. We've got a Four Wheel Camper coming in May for the back of our F150 FX4 so this kind of help is invaluable. Thanks for doing this. 😎
Awesome! Thank you!
That's some good info! I have Gaia but limited time to use it and learn all the functions so this was great!
Glad it was helpful!
Nice, what a timely video. I actually just subscribed to gaia and onx offroad to test them out.
Awesome, thank you!
Hello! I just stumbled on this video. I live in Chicago and would like to know if there are any cool off road trails near me that you guys recommend. I want to start exploring now that I just retired. I haven’t put the app on my phone yet but this video was so helpful.
Great video guys!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this together!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey nice to see you two are into Atlas Obscura. What a great site, yeah? We moved from SC to WA about 6 months ago and planned many of our stops along the way through AO.
Thanks for this instructional video, another quality upload :) I have Gaia (non premium) but have found it invaluable so far so paid version is coming soon hah.
Very cool!
This was great. thanks for taking the time to make and share!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks, really liked this video. I was pretty intimidated about this app until I watched this video. Now I think it may be something I can use!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, thanks.
Glad you liked it!
You guys are awesome!!
You're awesome for watching!
Greetings from Finland! Excellent tutorial and entertaining. Good work!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I've watched a ton of your stuff and have used a number of your videos to guide my mods. This is a great tutorial on Gaia and such. I would love to know if you are planning to go to Overland Expo in Flagstaff in September. If so, I 'll buy you a beer and steak.
Thanks!!! Unfortunately we won't be make Expo. But we'll take a rain check on that beer and steak!
Thanks so much for this. Do you have contact with the developers? If so can you suggest that they add this feature? I think it would be greatly helpful if you could tap a track at some point on it and when the track's title/info box comes up, have a feature where the distances to each end from that point is shown. For example, if I have a track that is 95 miles long and there is a campsite somewhere along it and I want to know exactly how far it is from both ends, I can just tap the track at that point and have the distances from there to both ends (55 and 45) show up. I know you can do something like this while creating a track but I don't think you can do it with an existing track. Maybe I missed that? Thanks
Enjoyed your video. We are new to using Gaia. I have been trying to create a route on my IPad. I get to drop the start point. Cannot make another spot. What am I doing wrong?
You guys are fun. Very useful video. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey guys, was wondering whose storage boxes you have on your roof rack? I have a Safety Devices rack on my '04 Disco II.
Thanks for watching Ray! The boxes are Plano rifle cases. Here's a video we did on them: ruclips.net/video/humwAxPAyUo/видео.html
Side note: before downloading maps, check "Layers" for which maps will be included in the download.
I know of some spots that are so overused that the site large enough to for a football game. totally trampled and messy. Isn't it better to allow a spot to rest and recover? Isn't that the point of dispersed sites that the land is not turned into a designated campground? If everyone uses the same site, they don't keep to the exact same location and eventually it turns into barren spot that keeps growing. I guess it depends on how many people use the area.
Nice job!
Thank you! Cheers!
Excellent tutorial! My use of the app is similar to yours, so the content was applicable. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
thank you, as I am trying to get better with GIA
You're very welcome!
Not iPad people so it was nice to see some PC tips.
We have had a premium account for a year but just don't get it to well.
Funny, we are camping in Elgin, IL watching this video and are heading west on Monday. Planning a week in Buffalo, Wy to explore the mountains.
Do you guys geocache?
Glad it was helpful! Nope, no geocaching.
How’d you guys like the big horns. I was talking with you on the Wyoming overland about places to go. How’d you like the red grade road and such?
The Bighorns is one of our favorite places to explore. The Red Grade Road is a very cool drive!
Wanderlost Overland awesome! Wish we coulda met up, it’d be cool to meet superstars! But I’m glad you enjoyed your trip!
Ok, just found this vid, can you tell me which is better and why, this app or All Trails? Thanks, now on with your video
We've never tried All Trails so can't give you an honest comparison, sorry.
Hey guys. Yet another great tutorial video as always. I do have a question of course. When you download your maps for offline use, what layers do use? What are your “staple layers” so to speak? Your “base” layer? That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Which is the best to always have in your opinion? I’m planning a 18 day trip from North Carolina to badlands sd, Wyoming, Idaho, Moab, and telluride area and just don’t know what layers I really need. Thanks for all your helpful videos. You guys are great.
That largely depends on where we are going. Typically we use the National Map as our base. The MVUM if we're on National Forest & Grassland. The Public Land layer if we're trying to find legal places to drive and camp on BLM land. For National Parks and some National Forests we use the Nat Geo layer. We try to keep the layers to a minimum.
When I started playing with Gaya " On my iPhone" it began with my current location. Now it is looking in Nevada " I was looking for a trail" how do I get to return to my current location.
Great question, we have the same problem and haven't found a solution.
Excellent video, thanks!
You are welcome!
Very helpful, though when you download the maps and are out of wifi, does giai still track your location.
I probably know the answer, but does that depend on whether the device has GPS capabilities.
Correct, the device must have a built-in GPS function.
@@WanderlostOverland On the iPad, the GPS chip is in the cellular-enabled models. It’s not required to have cell service enabled (even airplane mode works!), but it’s gotta be on the iPad.
Wonderful content as usual!!! Also thanks for the shout out!!
Any time!
If you were going to use an ipad for trip planning and in cab display while traveling which size ipad would you choose an 11 inch ipad or a 12.9 inch for example?
Thanks.
I believe the one we use is an 11"
Well done. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Hey thanks for sharing Your information I’m new to the app and this is great information 🐟🐟🎣🎣
No problem 👍
So i had thought only the mini had a gps chip set to use without service, if this wrong because i a can purchase a pro much easier for GPS??
Any iPad that is cell service capable has gps built in. And you don't have to actually activate a cell plan to use the gps function.
I am new to using Gaia on an iPad that is a bout 5 years old (wifi only). Not sure of the version. I tested while driving the other day and noticed that the iPad was not tracking like the Gaia app on my iPhone. I was looking into whether an external bluetooth GPS antenna would enable the iPad to track my position more accurately while driving. did you run into this issue with Your iPad? Any suggestions or advice on an external antenna? thanks
You'll definitely need a GPS enabled iPad.
When you are on the MVUM, you are able to select a road and get usage information in a pop up screen. I have been unable to get that data to appear. Any thoughts? I am currently using my MacBook for this. What I need to see is more road surface detail; paved, gravel, dirts, 4x4 only, etc. I have an all-wheel drive vehicle (not true 4x4) and not high clearance. Any insight is greatly appreciated. Love your channel, thanks.
I just tried it on my iPad and you're right, it doesn't display that information anymore. I'll have to look into that.
Okay, I have it figured out. Turns out it's not the MVUM layer but the USFS Roads and Trails layer. Click or touch the trail and a pop-up window will appear. Towards the bottom of this window the name of the roadway will show. Touch it and the info will appear.
@@WanderlostOverland thanks! I’ll check that out right away.
Good stuff guys... I did skip around a little, but how does your iPad follow the maps if there is no cell signals?
Good question! It has the built-in GPS function. So, off of satellites.
Do you ever use the option to download the areas along the route instead of the big box? Wondering the difference in file size.
I'm brand new to this and it's not clear to me what OVENSA (SP?) is and how to find it. Can you help? Thanks!
Avenza is a mapping program that the National Forest uses to make their Motor Vehicle Usage maps public. Go to virtually any National Forest website and they'll have a list of their area's maps and a link to download Avenza (free) to your device.
How do you find dispersed camping in blm land using gaia or avenza?
BLM lands are pretty much open to dispersed camping anywhere. But, always check the website for the particular land you'll be on for any closures due to hunting and such.
While driving, try to find a spot that has previously been used for camping.
GREAT video! I have one question. When I download maps on GAIA Gps do I need to make sure I have all the layers that I want to use included in the download or I can add them once I am offroad.
Thanks
Thanks for watching! You do need to download all the layers you want to see.
I have a problem with the font being too small. For example the info on the map and the nomenclature around the map. I can't find anything in my head unit settings. Is there a way to enlarge them in GAIA?
We have the same issue with the font. Haven't found a solution in Gaia to improve it yet.
@@WanderlostOverland Thanks. Love your stuff.
Great job! Thank you!!!
Our pleasure!
Very useful video 👍👍
Glad you liked it
Thank you for explaining all of that. I just used the first free app I could find on Android. Do you pay for the yearly subscription on GAIA? Is that required for the use of tge tools you outlined?
We do have a subscription. It allows for more options.
@@WanderlostOverland Thank you. I have an 07 FJ in Yellow as well. Ive really learned alot from your channel.