How to Use CalTopo / CalTopo for Beginners, by HikingGuy.com on YouTube. 17 min 59 s.
- Video length
- 17 min 59 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Open caltopo.com in a browser and create a free account. Log in so your maps and routes save to your profile and can sync to the app.
Click the Add button in the top toolbar and pick a map layer such as MapBuilder Topo or MapBuilder Hybrid. Add a satellite layer when you want to check snow, tree cover or terrain.
Use the search box to find your trailhead, then zoom in until the trail lines and contour lines are clear.
Choose the line tool from the Add menu and click along the trail to draw your route. Keep clicking to add points and double-click to finish the line.
Open the line's properties and check the distance, elevation profile and gain. Adjust points by dragging them if the route wanders off the trail.
Add markers for water sources, campsites or junctions with the marker tool so you can find them on the trail.
Save the map and give it a clear name. On the free plan you can print or export a PDF, but offline phone maps need a paid plan.
Install the CalTopo app, sign in with the same account and open your saved map. Download the map area for offline use before you leave.
Test the download at home with airplane mode on. Check that the route, markers and map tiles still show without a signal.
Tips and common mistakes
Zoom in far enough to see switchbacks before you draw, or your route distance will be wrong.
Download offline maps the night before your trip, not at the trailhead where service may be gone.
The free plan is enough for planning and printing, but offline phone maps require the paid tier.
Check the elevation profile for steep sections and plan breaks or camp spots around them.
Questions
Do I need to pay for CalTopo?
No for planning on the website. Offline maps on your phone need a paid plan, which the video lists at about $20 a year.
Will the map work without cell service?
Yes, if you download the map area in the app before you leave. Your phone GPS works without a signal, but the map tiles must be saved first.
Can I use CalTopo on my phone only?
You can, but the website is much easier for drawing routes. Build the route on a computer, then sync it to the app.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
