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15 Best Hiking Apps for Weight Loss in 2023
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15 Best Hiking Apps for Weight Loss in 2023

Isabel-Mayfield-health-reporter
Written by Isabel Mayfield | Fact checked by Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD check
Last update: March 22, 2023
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12 min
best hiking apps
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Spending time outside has many benefits, like decreasing stress and boosting vitamin D, and the perks only continue to grow when you add physical activity into the mix.

Unfortunately, we’ve grown accustomed to spending more time indoors, and because of this aren’t soaking up the many rewards that accompany connecting with mother nature.

If one of your goals for 2023 is to shed some pounds while also getting outside, then you’ve come to the right place. 

In this article, we will be doing a deep dive into the custom features of some of the best hiking apps, so you can decide which one is best suited to help you reach all your goals. 

Walking.Diet
All Trails
Gaia
Avenza Maps
FarOut Guides
Cairn
Apple Watch Workout App
Google Maps
Strava
Spyglass
Peakvisor
Komoot
Hiking Project
Runkeeper
MapMyFitness
4.6
4.2
4.1
4.3
4.1
3.9
4.4
4.5
4.4
4.0
4.1
3.9
4.0
4.2
4.2

Calculators for BMI, calorie intake, and calories burned

Guide for proper walking form

GPS track that works without cell service

Downloadable maps

Maps options for international travel

300+ maps

Special features for commercial use

The free version includes access to maps offline

Detailed waypoint list

In-depth information about where to buy supplies for longer hikes

Includes information on where to find cell coverage

Provides an ETA that you can share with friends and family

Easy to use

Easy to view while working out

Can view maps offline

Access to photos and reviews of the hike

Access to the Strava community

In-depth road and trail networks

Accurate compass

In-depth information about the terrain

Compass feature

No recurring subscription fees

Detailed information about routes

Connects to most devices

Community can rate and review trails

Detailed information about trails

Tailor-made running plans

Tracks distance and time

Can compete against other members

Available on the App Store

No free trial

No free trial

Doesn’t include walking programs

Limited features for the free version

No community-generated trails

Pricey

Limited features for tracking physical activity

Can only access maps offline with a premium membership

Limited functions

Premium membership is pricey

No activity trackers

Some features aren’t available with the free version

Better for hunting than hiking

No GPS tracking

Not all features are available without a premium membership

No compass feature

No meal options

Monthly membership is pricey

Recurring membership fees

No meal options

Brand
Walking.Diet
All Trails
Gaia
Avenza Maps
FarOut Guides
Cairn
Apple Watch Workout App
Google Maps
Strava
Spyglass
Peakvisor
Komoot
Hiking Project
Runkeeper
MapMyFitness
Overall Rating
4.6
4.2
4.1
4.3
4.1
3.9
4.4
4.5
4.4
4.0
4.1
3.9
4.0
4.2
4.2
Pros

Calculators for BMI, calorie intake, and calories burned

Guide for proper walking form

GPS track that works without cell service

Downloadable maps

Maps options for international travel

300+ maps

Special features for commercial use

The free version includes access to maps offline

Detailed waypoint list

In-depth information about where to buy supplies for longer hikes

Includes information on where to find cell coverage

Provides an ETA that you can share with friends and family

Easy to use

Easy to view while working out

Can view maps offline

Access to photos and reviews of the hike

Access to the Strava community

In-depth road and trail networks

Accurate compass

In-depth information about the terrain

Compass feature

No recurring subscription fees

Detailed information about routes

Connects to most devices

Community can rate and review trails

Detailed information about trails

Tailor-made running plans

Tracks distance and time

Can compete against other members

Available on the App Store

Cons

No free trial

No free trial

Doesn’t include walking programs

Limited features for the free version

No community-generated trails

Pricey

Limited features for tracking physical activity

Can only access maps offline with a premium membership

Limited functions

Premium membership is pricey

No activity trackers

Some features aren’t available with the free version

Better for hunting than hiking

No GPS tracking

Not all features are available without a premium membership

No compass feature

No meal options

Monthly membership is pricey

Recurring membership fees

No meal options

#1 Walking.Diet

Walking.Diet
The easiest walking program for emotional healing and weight loss
  • Offers walking training plan
  • Provides warm-up and cool-down workouts before and after walking workout
  • Includes keto desserts cookbook
  • Offers the articles about food and nutrition, walking gear
Our rating:
4.6
Get Your Personalized Walking Plan

Walking.Diet is a hiking app that provides users with a program – including workouts and meal plans – to help them lose weight and reach their individual fitness goals.

In the app, you can find a comprehensive guide with more information about positioning your body and which muscles to engage while walking. 

Although how you walk and breathe while walking might not seem important, they are the major focus of many different walking styles since they are two factors that help prevent and heal walking-related injuries throughout the body since prolonged walking can be impactful.

Walking.Diet also includes warm-up exercises you can use to prime your body for exercise and cooldown exercises to help you wind down at the end of each session. 

This is one of the best hiking apps for you to use to help you lose weight and prime your body for longer hikes.

Pros
  • Calculators for BMI, caloric intake, and calorie burn
  • Diary to track your progress
  • Guide for proper walking form
  • Optional consultations with trainer and nutritionist
Cons
  • No free trial

#2 All Trails

AllTrails
  • 200,000 trail maps
  • Maps filtered based on the difficulty level
Our rating:
4.2
Learn More

All Trails is one of the best hiking apps and provides a simple yet very important service. 

They provide users access to a list of hiking maps for popular trails worldwide, including in Canada, New Zealand, the US, Australia, Norway, the UK, and South America.

All Trails gives users access to offline maps so that they can access their maps even without cell service, which, when used with a GPS tracker to keep you on the hiking trails, means you’ll have all the tools you need to make it through each hike safely.

You can also decide which hike best matches your fitness level based on the information AllTrails provides about each hike’s difficulty level, including information about incline and terrain.

Pros
  • Free version available
  • Includes a GPS tracker to keep you on the trail
  • Free offline maps available
  • GPS works without signal
  • Option to record pace, distance, elevation gain, and max speed
  • Stats are shareable
  • Maps available around the world
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
Cons
  • No walking programs available
  • No free trial

#3 Gaia GPS

Gaia GPS
  • Info about land barriers for camping
  • Paid version includes online classes
Our rating:
4.1
Learn More

Gaia GPS hiking app is the best GPS hiking app for anyone who enjoys doing more backcountry activities, including camping outside of designated camping areas.

It includes maps that you can use offline to access trails for backcountry skiing or off-the-beaten-path trails for mountain biking. 

Another feature of the Gaia GPS app that can come in handy for avid hikers and overnight campers is that their premium version also includes information on boundaries between public and private property, making it easier to know if you’re in the right spot to pitch a tent.

It’s important to note that many features, including accessing maps offline, aren’t available in the free version. Although there isn’t a free trial to see if the Gaia GPS hiking app is for you, the membership price is also very budget-friendly.

Pros
  • 300+ maps
  • Access to maps offline
  • Activity recorder
  • Maps available worldwide
  • Can access maps offline
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
Cons
  • Limited features with the free version
  • No hiking programs

#4 Avenza Maps 

Avenza Maps
  • 1 million maps
  • Option to import maps
Our rating:
4.3
Learn More

Avenza Maps offers many of the features you need to enjoy trails recreationally and is considered the best free hiking app for people who need help staying on the trail. 

Its features allow users to download maps offline, use a tracker to record their physical activity, drop pins along hiking trails, and use its GPS feature to ensure they stay on the hiking trails.

With their paid version, you also have the option to upload an unlimited amount of your own maps, allowing you to see important information, like placemarks, tracks, lines, and trails. 

Since this is such a maps-focused app, Avenza decided to include another special feature for its premium memberships: access to maps that can be imported and exported as shapefiles. 

This unique feature gives users accurate information about the geography of a location, making it the best hiking app for commercial purposes spanning several industries, including cartographists and geospatial analysts.

Pros
  • Special features for commercial use
  • Activity tracker
  • Includes a GPS tracker to keep you on the trail
  • Free offline maps available
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
Cons
  • No community-generated trails

#5 FarOut Guides (Previously Guthook Guides)

FarOut Guides
  • Detailed information about popular hikes
  • All features are available offline
Our rating:
4.1
Learn More

FarOut Guides works a little differently than most other hiking apps and is the best hiking app for people looking for detailed information about a singular trail.

The way it works is that you purchase a trail guide for whichever hike you’re thinking of doing – FarOut has everything from the pacific crest trail to the Appalachian trail – which includes in-depth information about the trail.

The information included on the FarOut Guides app is everything from comprehensive town guides to make refueling quicker, specific information about key waypoints, including photos, and a distance tracker that makes it easier to plan your day.

Best of all, all of these features are available offline after you’ve completed this initial setup of the app, and you can use their GPS tracker every step of the way.

Pros
  • Trail information includes side trails
  • Available for trails outside of the US
  • Detailed waypoint list
  • Can share location with friends and family
  • Community thread for info about trails
  • Custom route-building tool
Cons
  • Pricey

#6 Cairn

Cairn
  • Real-time location tracking
  • Trail alerts for your loved ones
Our rating:
3.9
Learn More

Cairn is the best free hiking app for anyone who enjoys hiking alone and those who appreciate an added sense of security while they adventure.

It offers real-time location tracking that you can share with your family and friends and will alert them when you are overdue, adding extra peace of mind for both parties.

This hiking app also provides information about where you can expect cell reception, allowing access to maps offline – but only with a premium membership.

Another great feature of Cairn is that it is a free hiking app, so you can access many of the features without having to commit to a membership, though you won’t have the option to use the real-time location tracking feature or download offline maps.

They do have a free 30-day trial for you to test out the app, and upgrading to a premium membership won’t break the bank, making this one of the best hiking apps for people on a budget.

Pros
  • Includes info about cell coverage
  • Can view maps offline
  • App provides an estimated ETA
  • GPS tracking
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
Cons
  • Limited activity-tracking features
  • Offline maps only available with a premium membership

#7 Apple Watch Workout App

Apple Watch Workout App
  • Tracker for stride length
  • Different exercise style options
Our rating:
4.4
Learn More

The Workout app that is available through the Apple Watch is another one of the best hiking apps for anyone looking for a simple app to give them metrics that will go right to their gadget.

On the app, you can track your heart rate over time to get a better understanding of how exercise affects your heart rate. You will also be able to easily track your distance and the number of calories burned during your workout.

You can either use their pre-planned workouts or customize your own. Either way, all of the information, including your stride length and even your ground contact time, will be available for you to see. 

It’s also the best hiking app for people training for things like triathlons, as it allows you to easily switch from one exercise type to another.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Tracks many metrics
  • Easy to view while working out
  • Free version
Cons
  • Not many features
  • Premium membership is pricey

#8 Google Maps

Google Maps
  • Completely free
  • Easy to search for trails in your area
Our rating:
4.5
Learn More

Google Maps is an unexpected option when it comes to free hiking apps, and though it might not come with all the bells and whistles included in some of the other best free hiking apps, it does have enough features to get you from point A to point B.

To access its hiking features, simply type “hiking trails” into the search bar, and up will pop all of the most popular hiking trails near you, complete with a dotted marker for you to follow during your hike.

You will also be able to view photos of key waypoints and read others’ reviews about the hike, giving you a better idea of what you’re getting into.

Google Maps also allows you to download your maps to view them offline and includes GPS tracking that will continue after you lose cell reception, making it the best hiking app for people who need something simple to help them stay on the trail.

Pros
  • GPS tracking
  • Can view maps offline
  • Read other’s reviews
  • View photos of waypoints before hiking
Cons
  • No physical trackers

#9 Strava

Strava
  • Pairs to GPS watches and head units
  • Beacon feature allows friends to track your run
Our rating:
4.4
Learn More

Strava is another one of the best free hiking apps that offer many of its features without you having to pay for a premium membership. 

It is designed to be used both in the city and out in nature and is also useful for anyone who loves road or mountain biking. Strava tracks your analytics easily and provides an in-depth analysis afterward, whether on foot or a bike.

Another cool feature that Strava offers is connecting with their in-app community to share your best times, exchange fitness tips, or compete against other members for the fastest time finishing popular trails. 

Exclusive to Strava is their Beacon feature, which you can send real-time updates to your loved ones during your run or ride to ensure you make it home safely, making this another of the best hiking apps for solo adventurers.

Pros
  • In-depth performance tracking
  • Compatible with most health monitors
  • Tracks distance and elevation gain
  • Access to the Strava community
  • Can compete against other Strava members
  • In-depth road and trail network
  • Free option available
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
Cons
  • Not all features available without a premium membership

#10 Spyglass

Spyglass
  • Functions as nautical GPS
  • Includes a rangefinder
Our rating:
4.0
Learn More

The Spyglass hiking app offers many unique features that you won’t be able to find in any of the other best hiking apps. 

It can be used as a compass while you walk, drive, bike, boat, or even fly, and it is designed to turn your smartphone into an all-in-one gadget that functions as a GPS, digital compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, and camera.

Spyglass includes a map function that allows you to input a destination and view the space between yourself and your target on a street or satellite-style map. But this feature isn’t necessarily built for hiking and would probably be preferable for hunters or people who enjoy exploring off-trail. 

It also includes a rangefinder that you can use to assess the distance between yourself and other objects and the option to drop pins at your current location and use the compass to direct yourself later, making this the best hiking app for people who enjoy getting off the beaten trail.

Pros
  • Can be purchased through the App Store
  • Option to drop pins
  • Very accurate compass
  • Maps that contain accurate information about the terrain
Cons
  • Complicated to use

#11 Peakvisor

Peakvisor
  • 3D peak identification tool
  • Information about how to reach peaks
Our rating:
4.1
Learn More

Peakvisor is a 3D peak identification tool that allows you to check out extremely accurate maps and identify peaks as you hike, and might be the best free hiking app in terms of the number of unique features it offers.

GPS hiking maps like this are great for avid hikers and mountain climbers, as they allow them to identify mountains and their unique characteristics as they hike.

Peakvisor even includes detailed information about each peak, including its elevation, prominence, current distance from where you are, and how you can get there. It also has photos of each peak and the option to share them with your friends. 

Another unique feature of Peakvisor is that it has a highly accurate compass feature you can trust to keep you on track throughout your voyage. These features make it the best hiking app for avid mountain climbers.

Pros
  • Compass feature
  • No recurring subscription fees
  • Free trial option
  • Detailed information about each peak
  • Can use a camera to find peaks with more accuracy
Cons
  • No GPS tracking

#12 Komoot

Komoot
  • Hand-selected guides for inspiration
  • Voice navigation feature
Our rating:
3.9
Learn More

Komoot is unlike other GPS hiking apps in that it doesn’t only offer information about hikes as you do them, but also has a special feature that has hand-selected hikes such as “romantic adventures for two” or “off the beaten path.”

It also includes information about difficulty, duration, and whether or not you can access the route via public transport. 

When you’re out on the trail, you can find community-recommended highlights selected especially for you based on your favorite activities. You can also access detailed hike maps, even without cell service.

Komoot also offers turn-by-turn voice navigation so you can do your hike hands-free or link the app to most GPS computers and smartwatches.

Pros
  • View maps offline
  • Connects to most devices
  • Detailed information about routes
  • GPS tracking
  • Free trial available
Cons
  • Not all features available without a premium membership

#13 Hiking Project

Hiking Project
  • 65,000 trails to choose from
  • Trails available worldwide
Our rating:
4.0
Learn More

The Hiking Project app includes detailed information about trails all around the world and offers over 65,000 options for users to choose from.

It includes all the information you need about each hike, including its elevation, length, and grade, and points you toward key waypoints worth checking out.

The trail description also offers detailed information about where to park and where to find the trailhead, which can be useful for new hikers. 

The Hiking Project app also includes offline maps that can be accessed without cell service and a GPS to keep you on the route. It is easy to use and is the best hiking app for uncomplicated information about all the best hikes worldwide.

Pros
  • Free trial available
  • Detailed information about trails
  • Other users can rate and review trails
  • Photos for key waypoints
  • GPS tracker
Cons
  • No compass

#14 Runkeeper

Runkeeper
  • Community feature
  • Insights about running performance
Our rating:
4.2
Learn More

Runkeeper is a running app that is designed to help you get into the habit of regular running through its goal-setting feature and the ability for you to connect with the Runkeeper community for support and guidance.

It also includes running plans that are tailor-made for your current fitness level and unique running goals and has plans that are flexible enough for any busy schedule. 

Runkeeper also includes a tracker that holds information about the distance of your runs, the time you’ve run, and how many calories you’ve burned.

Your running tracker also contains insights about your running performance, which you can use to track your improvements over time.

Pros
  • Tracks distance and time
  • Calories-burned tracker
  • Can view your running route
  • Tailor-made running plans
  • Free version
  • Available on the App Store
Cons
  • No meal options
  • Monthly membership is pricey

#15 MapMyFitness

MapMyFitness
  • Connects to Under Armour shoes
  • Access to the MapMyFitness community
Our rating:
4.2
Learn More

MapMyFitness is an all-in-one running tracker that you can use to measure the distance and duration of your run or sync to most health monitors to keep you with more detailed information about your running metrics.

It also includes a feature that can be used to prepare for longer race distances like a 5k or half marathon and includes running plans tailor-made to match your fitness level.

There is also a community feature that allows you to connect with your friends or other members of the MapMyFitness community for motivation or a little friendly competition.

The most unique feature of this running app is that it also syncs with UnderArmour shoes to give you more detailed information about your pace, stride length, and cadence.

Pros
  • In-depth information about running metrics
  • Can compete against other community members
  • Tracker for distance and run-time
  • Available on the App Store
Cons
  • Recurring membership fees
  • No meal options

How to Choose the Best Hiking Workout Apps

When evaluating a product, it’s important to have clear criteria that you can use to assess it overall. In this review of the best hiking workout apps, we judged each of the apps based on their:

Quality

When it comes to apps, you want to make sure you find something that works as it should. Ideally, every app should have a team of developers dedicated to fixing bugs as soon as they’re discovered. 

Price

Low-priced goods and services aren’t necessarily preferable to those with higher prices. Finding something that delivers as much, if not more, value than the investment is key. 

Brand reputation

Brand reputation can be better understood by looking at the number of people advocating for its products. 

By finding a brand with a strong reputation, you will be ensuring that it is one you can trust to deliver an above-average product and customer service experience. 

Effectiveness

Finding hiking apps for weight loss is tricky because they need to help you reach your weight loss goals and be one of the best hiking apps for getting you safely from point A to point B.

A Word From Our Coach

Starting any new habit isn’t easy, but taking steps toward living a healthier lifestyle will always be worth it.

By getting outside for regular hikes and runs, you can improve your energy, decrease your chances of depression, and even boost your self-esteem. On top of that, you could also find friends that are also interested in living a healthier lifestyle to join you.

It’s often difficult to find time to spend outdoors, but having healthy physical activities that you can do while enjoying mother nature is a great way to get out of the house.

Bottom Line

Although there are different benefits for walking and hiking, both exercise styles can help you lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

Whatever your excuse for not getting outside, there is an app to help you overcome it, and throughout this review of the best hiking apps, we’ve given you 15 great options.

From popular hiking apps that create a walking or hiking plan that you can trust to provide results to those that help you embrace a more active lifestyle – there is something for everyone.

Isabel-Mayfield-health-reporter
Written by
Isabel Mayfield is a certified yoga instructor with over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is passionate about self-improvement and loves to help people improve their sense of self-worth through education and support in meeting their fitness goals.
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
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