# Backpackers Friend — Backcountry Trip Planner & GPS > Backcountry trip planner with offline GPS navigation and activity tracking. (iPhone/iPad app by GABRIEL PATRICK MULLEN.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpackers-friend/id6759589005 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [GABRIEL PATRICK MULLEN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879313277) - Category: Navigation, Health & Fitness - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 11 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 58 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-06-18 - Data updated: 2026-09-09 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpackers-friend/id6759589005/reviews.md ## What is Backpackers Friend? Backpackers Friend is built for multi-day and thru-hike trips — not adapted from a day-hike app. Plan your route with trail-snapped GPS navigation, auto-cached maps before you lose signal, and track every mile from trailhead to summit. Everything runs on-device. No account required. No cloud. Just you and the trail. PLAN YOUR TRIP ------------ Draw your route on the map and watch it snap to real trail networks. Add waypoints — campsites, water sources, summits, trailheads — and organize them by day, then filter the map to a single day to focus on today's miles. Hiking between resupplies? Split your gear and food into legs and know exactly what you're carrying on every stretch. Built on OpenStreetMap trail data, the routing engine finds the best path even where trail coverage is sparse. Backpackers Friend comes pre-loaded with 16 iconic multi-day routes including the John Muir Trail, sections of the PCT, and the Enchantments — fully planned with waypoints and elevation data, so you can explore on day one without building anything from scratch. NAVIGATE OFFLINE ------------ The most dangerous moment in backcountry navigation is realizing you forgot to download the map. In Backpackers Friend, that moment doesn't exist: plan a trip and the app automatically caches the maps and the trail network for your entire route — no download button to remember. Once your trip shows Offline Ready, the map, your route, and trail-snapped navigation keep working with zero bars — included with Premium. No cell service, no Wi-Fi, no problem. A dedicated hiking topo map with high-fidelity contour lines and USGS Topo are both available. TRACK EVERY MILE ------------ Hit GO at the trailhead and Backpackers Friend tracks your route, records GPS fixes, and measures distance, elevation gain, pace, and splits. Your activity history builds over time — every trip logged, every mile counted, every summit recorded. Achievements track what matters to backpackers: lifetime distance milestones, first summit, first completed thru-hike segment, multi-trip streaks, and more. Every trip you finish adds to a history worth keeping. FREE FEATURES ------------ ◆ Unlimited trip creation with waypoints ◆ Trail-snapped GPS route drawing ◆ Online maps — hiking topo and USGS Topo ◆ Live GPS tracking and activity recording ◆ Full activity history and lifetime stats ◆ 16 pre-built iconic routes to explore on day one BACKPACKERS FRIEND PREMIUM ------------ ◆ Offline maps and navigation — auto-downloaded for every trip ◆ Gear checklist with weight tracking by category ◆ Multi-leg food and gear planning between resupplies ◆ Off-trail alerts when you stray from your route ◆ Background GPS tracking when your screen is locked ◆ Elevation profiles for every route ◆ Weather forecasts for your trip dates ◆ Battery-saver GPS mode Premium is a monthly or annual subscription. Cancel anytime. WHO IT'S FOR ------------ PCT section hikers. JMT planners. First-time overnighters. Anyone who has ever tried to plan a multi-day trip in a day-hike app and felt the gap. Backpackers Friend is built specifically for the moment you leave the trailhead and don't come back for days. NO ACCOUNT. NO CLOUD. NO TRACKING. ------------ Every piece of data — trips, routes, gear lists, activity history, achievements — lives in a database on your phone. Nothing is sent to a server. No ads, no analytics. No account to create, no password to forget. The core app is free and fully functional without ever opening your wallet. Backpackers Friend was built on a simple principle: your data belongs to you, and your maps work when signal doesn't. Whether you're planning your first overnight or your fifth JMT attempt, Backpackers Friend gives you the tools serious backpackers actually need — without the bloat. Download free. No account needed. Just open the app and start planning. Privacy Policy: https://backpackersfriend.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://backpackersfriend.app/terms ## Key features - On-device GPS navigation - Auto-cached offline maps - Trail-snapped route drawing - Waypoint planning - Activity tracking and history - Pre-built iconic routes - Gear and food planning (Premium) ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Pro | $2.99 | per month | | English | $34.99 | per year | ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backpackers-friend/id6759589005/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Great Find! *2026-07-23* This is an amazing backpacking trip planner, it’s become one of my most used apps in the backcountry! ### 5/5 — Helpful and focused *2026-07-23* Nice clean interface with focus on the key features you need for your next backpacking adventure ## Frequently asked questions about Backpackers Friend ### What are the main features of Backpackers Friend? Backpackers Friend offers unlimited trip creation with waypoints, trail-snapped GPS route drawing, online maps, live GPS tracking, and a full activity history. Premium users gain access to offline maps, gear checklist with weight tracking, multi-leg food and gear planning, off-trail alerts, and elevation profiles. ### Does Backpackers Friend work offline? Yes, Backpackers Friend is designed for offline use. Premium subscribers benefit from auto-downloaded offline maps and navigation for their entire route, ensuring functionality even with zero cell service. This feature is crucial for backcountry safety. ### How does Backpackers Friend handle maps? The app provides online hiking topo and USGS Topo maps. For offline use, Premium users get auto-cached maps for their planned trips, eliminating the need to manually download them before losing signal. This ensures continuous navigation. ### What kind of trips can I plan with Backpackers Friend? Backpackers Friend is specifically built for multi-day and thru-hike trips, not adapted from day-hike apps. It allows detailed planning with waypoints organized by day, gear and food splitting into legs, and offers 16 pre-built iconic routes for immediate exploration. ### What are the subscription options for Backpackers Friend Premium? Backpackers Friend Premium is available as a monthly or annual subscription. The 'Pro' plan costs $2.99 per month and includes a 1-month free trial. There is also an 'English' plan for $34.99 per year. ### Is Backpackers Friend suitable for beginners? Yes, Backpackers Friend is suitable for beginners. It includes 16 pre-built iconic routes that are fully planned with waypoints and elevation data, allowing new users to explore on day one without needing to build routes from scratch. ### What devices does Backpackers Friend support? Based on the provided data, Backpackers Friend currently supports iPhones. Further platform compatibility information may be available from the developer. ### How often is Backpackers Friend updated? The latest version of Backpackers Friend is 1.0.3, which was last updated on July 21, 2026. This indicates a recent update, suggesting active development and maintenance. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.0.4 — 2026-07-27 stability and performance improvements. ### 1.0.3 — 2026-07-21 While navigating you can move waypoints on-demand and the on-device routing engine will adjust UI polish Increased font size for lakes and peaks Remove All for saved maps Added Water points for TRT pre-planned map Fixed an issue that causes re-routing and long pauses after a week+ of hiking while navigating. Field Tested! Adjusted ETA ### 1.0.2 — 2026-07-20 ◆ High-fidelity topo contour lines across the USA and Canada ◆ Multi-day trip filter — plan the whole trip, zoom in on today's miles ◆ Multi-leg gear planning — track food and consumables between resupplies, no spreadsheet required ◆ Measuring tool can now snap to the trail ◆ Smarter on-device routing, including route nudging ◆ Weather fixes and faster caching ### 1.0.1 — 2026-06-21 On-device routing. Improved map visualizations and options. bug fixes. ### 1.0 — 2026-06-18 No release notes. ## Related topics [backpackers friend](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/backpackers-friend) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*