# Topo Nomad — USGS Topographical Maps

> Offline USGS topographical maps with GPS for outdoor navigation and exploration. (iPhone/iPad app by Delcartes LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topo-nomad/id909846656 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Delcartes LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/909846659)
- Category: Navigation, Reference
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 154 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 18 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2014-08-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topo-nomad/id909846656/reviews.md

## What is Topo Nomad?

Download high resolution USGS topographical maps for offline GPS* use. 

Topo Nomad is designed for road trips, camping, hiking, exploration and geographical history. Map images are accurately center aligned regardless of datum and placed on top of Apple's map kit for easy referencing and intuitive touch navigation.

This software utilizes the latest capabilities of IOS offering the highest performance with fast start up, map rotation, rendering and zoom with unbeatable details and undistorted resolution. Map downloads are dispatched in the background so you can continue using the app while new maps concurrently install.

Topo Nomad indexes of over 250,000+ U.S. Geological Survey current and historical topographic maps describing the topography of every region and island territories of the United States of America. Historical versions date as far back as year 1884. Install a map quad by pressing and holding a point on the reference map and discover the USGS historical maps available at that coordinate and the unique names given to every quad by the cartographers.**

The limits don't stop there with just USGS maps. Import "Geospatial PDF" maps from the web, iTunes and email. Many local and national park services offer PDF map downloads from their web sites which automatically install into the Topo Nomad app. And, if you reside outside the United States check with your government services for topographic and aeronautical sectional maps with embedded geospatial metadata.‡

Cannot find that map you downloaded but know where in the world it's located. Simply zoom out the reference map view and all the topo maps become a colorful violet and partially transparent so you can spot your map. Installed maps are managed in a table format which can be sorted by name, distance, and scale. Multiple versions of the same map can be stacked on top of one another and made visible or hidden using two finger swipes.

Planning a hike somewhere and want to know the distance of your jaunt. Download the map and use the dual mode ruler to measure the path distance and know the answer to "how much farther?"

Purchase a subscription for unlimited map downloading. A subscription stops ads and doesn't auto-renew. The first few map download are complementary.‡

Features:

 • No need for cellular service to use maps
 • GPS location on downloaded topo maps while offline
 • Find geographic features with geocode search
 • Track path GPS recording*
 • Route paths and distance
 • Dual mode ruler with orthographic line and path measuring
 • Full app usability while maps download in the background
 • Displays footprint grid and quadrangle names
 • Aligns all map datums to WGS84 GPS coordinates
 • Dynamic map stitching
 • Cropping of map margins for one big map grid
 • Automatic map download for your current location
 • Uses GPS location service to identify your location on a topo map
 • Miles, Feet, Kilometers, Meters, Nautical Miles units
 • MGRS, UTM and geodetic Latitude and Longitude decimal and minutes seconds coordinate display
 • Import maps downloaded from the USGS in zip and PDF file formats
 • Import Geospatial PDF map images via a the web, email attachment & iTunes
 • MSL elevation for GPS location
 • Waypoints with Augmented Reality finder
 • Email and SMS text waypoints, tracks and routes as GPX files with subscription purchase

Not currently supported: geo-TIFF; PDF OCG Layers. Not all geospatial datums and metadata formats are supported, please email support with Geospatial PDF issues.

* Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Location feature may not function on iPod and wifi-only iPad devices without GPS hardware.
** Not preloaded with maps. WiFi recommended. Downloading queue caps to around 36 maps.
‡ After a subscription period expires, advertisement may resume from usage of the import features.

## Key features

- Offline USGS topographical map downloads
- Offline GPS location tracking
- Import geospatial PDF maps
- Dual mode ruler for distance measurement
- Background map downloading
- Geocode search for geographic features
- GPS path recording

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Year | $5.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $23.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topo-nomad/id909846656/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great App for USGS Topo Maps

*2021-07-15, version 7.2*

If you like using the classic USGS Topo maps, this app works very well. Many generations of these maps are available for very reasonable subscription prices. I’ve found that a lot of trails and information on these maps - like place names, peak names, benchmarks, etc - have been omitted from the modern digital Topo databases.

### 5/5 — TOPO Nomad

*2019-10-15, version 7.2*

TOPO Nomad works really well for me. I had trouble previously getting TOPO Nomad to track reliably with the Dual XGPS150A WiFi gps, now it works great. I could not be more pleased with the ease of use. 
Ed S.

### 5/5 — Love transparent overlays

*2019-04-16, version 7.2*

I love the ability to overlay usgs maps with satellite hybrid maps.  Used to use Trimble outdoors for this; first real alternative I’ve found.

### 5/5 — Topo Nomad

*2017-07-13, version 5.3*

Topo Nomad is a great app.  Far better than many other apps like it.  I have purchased copies for myself and the people in my company.  I do forestry and fire management and this will be our go to map software.  The only improvments it needs is the abilty to export gpx files through email (currently only able to do this through iTunes) and I wish it worked on other phones since not everyone has an iPhone.  If it also had the ability to share peoples locations with a log in that would be amazing and I would pay additional for that feature.

### 5/5 — The best

*2016-10-12, version 5.0*

I have wanted a app like this forever.i recently was given historic topo maps with coords to ancient native camps, burials and caves. I've been need a app that can be used offline and shared waypoints. I am using this app to find the sites to publish a book of photos w/I locations. Again thank you for the app and I will be donating and so should you.

### 5/5 — Amazing App!

*2016-10-10, version 5.0*

This has got to be one of the most amazing apps I have found so far! Beyond amazing utility. By far the best hiking and outdoor awareness app I have seen / used. The fact that it runs on an iPhone usable is- amazing!if the maps can be kept reasonably up to date, it will be my constant companion in the out-and-about. This one I will donate to! Thanks! 
I think about the only thing I could possibly add is that having a symbol key built in in the manual ( which is also - you guessed it - AMAZING!) might be useful to neophytes...

### 5/5 — Good app

*2015-09-25, version 2.1*

Simple no nonsense mapping tool. Features? Battery draining gimmicks? Flashy interface? Look elsewhere. Here u get the best terrain maps (USGS Quads) and a position. Done. And when it comes down to it, this is really all that's needed out there.

### 5/5 — Great app

*2015-03-30, version 1.2*

I used it for bow hunting this last year a great app shows everything you need to hunt

### 5/5 — Amazing. Historical research as I never imagined it could be.

*2014-11-26, version 1.1*

I search for lost, forgotten and abandoned cemeteries. I have spent hours pouring over old maps, comparing historical maps to existing maps and aerial/satellite images and have already made a huge discovery using this app.

Less than 10 miles from me, I found a cemetery noted on a 1916 map and on another map in 1922 but, after that, it is not shown on later maps.

Using the information I found using Topo Nomad, I drove out and found that the cemetery is, indeed, still there. It is severely neglected and, without this app, I never would have known it existed. It’s an exciting discovery as none of my colleagues were aware of it either. 

I’m use this every day. Kudos to the developers!!

Edit: Update on November 25 seems to have improved speed. Thank you.

Request: Putting this here because I don’t see a way to contact developer directly (although it’s probably right in front of me). Are there plans to make this available on the Mac? It would be very handy to have it on my desktop.

### 5/5 — Great new app for true hikers

*2014-08-27, version 0.1*

Just downloaded and impressed with the ease of use. Can't wait to use on a hike.

## Frequently asked questions about Topo Nomad

### What does Topo Nomad do?

Topo Nomad allows you to download high-resolution USGS topographical maps for offline use. It provides offline GPS capabilities, enabling you to see your location on these maps even without cellular service. The app is designed for activities like road trips, camping, hiking, and exploration.

### What are the key features of Topo Nomad?

Key features include offline access to over 250,000 USGS topographical maps, offline GPS location tracking, the ability to import custom geospatial PDF maps, a dual-mode ruler for measuring distances, and background map downloading. It also offers geocode search and GPS path recording.

### How much does Topo Nomad cost?

The app offers a subscription for unlimited map downloading. The first few map downloads are complementary. A subscription stops ads and does not auto-renew. Specific pricing details for the subscription are not provided in the description.

### What devices is Topo Nomad compatible with?

The application utilizes the latest capabilities of iOS, suggesting it is compatible with Apple devices running a recent version of iOS. Specific iOS version requirements are not detailed in the provided description.

### What are common use cases for Topo Nomad?

Common use cases include planning and navigating hikes or camping trips where cellular service is unreliable, exploring geographical history with access to historical maps, and importing park service maps for specific areas. It's also useful for road trips where detailed topographical information is desired.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 8.1 — 2022-11-07

• Nice speed improvements.
• New PDF rendering engine that is significantly faster and properly displays the USGS USTopo map series.
• No google advertisements and no trackers.

### 7.2 — 2019-03-27

• Improvements for Track & Routes.
• Reference map has OFF mode so not to fetch image tiles from Apple map server, reduces network data use.
• The home button arrow no longer points with true North unless the map is manually rotated.

### 7.1 — 2018-11-28

Geographical search service running with a new data source.
Compatibly improvements on KLM file imports for placemark tracks.

### 7.0 — 2018-09-18

- UTM/MGRS support for Numerical Location entry within the grid zone current being viewed at the screen center.
- Stability fix.
- Supports iOS 11 and later versions.

### 6.5 — 2018-09-12

Now supports Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) and Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate formats. Entry of MGRS, UTM or geodetic coordinates formats is recognized automatically by the parser.

## Apps similar to Topo Nomad

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Scenic Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scenic-map/id629666111) | 4.7 (3) | Free | Navigation |
| [Topographic Maps & Trails](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topographic-maps-and-trails/id1440944902) | 4.6 (2,783) | $4.99 | Navigation |
| [Topo Maps 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topo-maps-2/id6453889012) | 4.1 (34) | Free | Navigation |
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| [MineAR: Augmented Reality Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minear-augmented-reality-map/id1412905489) | 5.0 (5) | Free | Navigation |
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## More apps by Delcartes LLC

- [Topo Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topo-reader/id940309979)
- [NP Maps](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/np-maps/id1013758883)
- [NP Maps - Yellowstone](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/np-maps-yellowstone/id1013788146)

All apps by Delcartes LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/909846659

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*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 2026-08-24.*