My neighbor's dog taught me a lesson about reading trail maps

I was hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park two weeks ago and got totally lost for 3 hours because I trusted a trail map app on my phone. The app said a loop trail was 4 miles but it was actually 7 miles of rough terrain with no cell service. I forgot to download the offline version and ended up following a dried-up creek bed trying to find my way back. A guy with a map on paper passed me and asked if I needed help, and he showed me how to read the contour lines to avoid steep spots. Has anyone else had a phone map fail them on a hike and switch back to paper maps?

2 comments

2 Comments

calebrivera1mo ago

Loved a trail marker once and ended up hiking an extra 2 miles in the dark.

mason20928d ago

Read somewhere that trail markers can be surprisingly unreliable, like some are just there to mark a scenic overlook but people assume it's the main route. I mean, I've definitely been guilty of chasing a cool sign without checking my map first. Happened to me last fall actually, ended up on a deer path for about a mile before I realized my mistake. Idk why we trust these little wooden arrows so much, but man they can lead you into trouble. Better to double check the actual distance before you commit.