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How to use 4UMaps
   
 






 

If you visit 4UMaps the first time, you probably ask yourself: Topographic outdoor maps for hikers, mountain bikers and cyclists.... AND NOW?

Lets go back to the good old times:

1. You'd like to arrange an excursion with friends or your family to a nice place for hiking or whatever outdoor activity

2. First of all you had to buy a guidebook and a paper map of the area you'd like to visit

3. Then mark the interesting spots in the guidebook and find them on the paper map

4. Then search nice hiking/biking tracks and trails and mark them also on the paper map

5. Start your trip and try to find your location and the desired route on the map

6. Stop at every crossing, pull the map out of the pocket, try to find your location, try to find the track you came along and try to find the route you want to follow 7. Repeat point 6 at every fork. This is funny with a bicycle....

Things changed to modern times:

  • Open an online outdoor map with tourism attributes like 4UMaps
  • Zoom and pan around until you found an interesting excursion spot
  • Start to plan your trip with an outdoor trip planing software
  • Download the gps route to your outdoor navigation device or your Smartphone
  • If you have a reliable out door internet connection, you are done, get your outdoor maps online
  • Start your trip, start GPS, open the navi app, load the route and just follow the line
  • The App shows you actual position on the map, elevation, distance and direction to the target, shelters, springs etc.

 

Note: The Android Apps OruxMaps and Locus are supported by 4UMaps, and 4UMaps can be used online without any map download.

If you use e.g. Garmin devices, iPhones or just other Apps, please read the download page for tips how to use 4UMaps on your device.

 

Think about 4UMaps as a map server like Google maps, but optimized for outdoor activities with all the small ways, tracks 'n trails, street maps like Google or Bing are missing. The degree of difficulty, name, quality and inclination of the route are directly visible. Additionally is the map optimized for a high contrast level to be good readable in the sun light.