How To Navigate The Trans America Trail

Introduction

Since completing the Trans America Trail in 2019, I’m occasionally asked what I used to navigate the trail. This page will cover using Gaia GPS to navigate the Trans America Trail.

Where To Get The Map

Sam Correro is the creator of the Trans America Trail, and you can get his official maps at https://www.transamtrail.com/maps/.

GPSKevin also has maps of the Trans America Trail available at http://www.gpskevinadventurerides.com/trans-america-trail.

WARNING: Regardless of the adventure (Trans America Trail and others) the routes can change. Sometimes it’s because of a road closure or it may be to avoid conflict with a landowner. I would recommend that you always try to make sure you have the latest version of the route.

Using Google Maps

You can’t navigate the Trans America Trail with Google Maps because you won’t get a cell signal in many areas of the trail. HOWEVER, you can download the KMZ map file from Google Maps and use that in an app.

You can find the Trans America Trail on google maps at:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1xExD_AbNrggD7TlAnYmKeXGbUPM&ll=34.7646761584824%2C-99.38837025800012&z=5

I will warn you that the map on Google maps is from 2017. It worked fine for me in 2019, but there were one or two spots that I had to bypass because the road was no longer open. Those areas that were closed were being logged.

Downloading The Map From Google:

Once you go to the link above, use the drop-down menu in the top right corner of the map legend.

Choose ‘Download KML’ from the drop-down menu.

Choose ‘Export as KML’ and download the map file.

Once you have the KML file, you’ll need to use the Gaia GPS app to navigate it (see below).

What Devices And Apps You Should Use

What I and many others have found that works best is the Gaia GPS app on a smartphone or tablet. You’ll have to download the Gaia GPS app on your phone or tablet and then create an account at https://www.gaiagps.com/.

The Gaia GPS app allows you to download a map (track) on to your mobile device, and will display the route, and your position on the route. If you have a cell phone signal, it will display the route on a map.

I have a 10-inch Samsung tablet that I use in an Arkon TAB086-12 Heavy Duty Tablet Clamp Mount with 12-inch Flexible Neck along with the Gaia GPS app. In the photo above the tablet is vertical, but I have since turned it horizontal and use it in that position. Android Auto allows me to use either Google Maps or Gaia GPS on the Rangers screen and then I display the other map (Gaia GPS or Google Maps) on the tablet. The display on top of the dash is an old Motorola cell phone that is connected through Bluetooth to an action camera mounted on the outside of the truck. I can use the phone to stop and start the camera and see what it’s recording.

Tablet Needs GPS & Cell Service or Wi-Fi

If using a tablet, you need to make sure that your tablet has a built in GPS (GPS Chip) and has access to Wi-Fi / cellular service. The tablet needs to be able to find its location using GPS and needs access to Wi-Fi / cell service to load a map and display its location on it.

Adding The Track(s) To Gaia GPS

Anytime I add tracks to Gaia GPS I do it on my laptop, and then when I log in on my mobile device (tablet), it syncs the new route to my device. In the top right of the screen click the drop-down menu by your username and then click ‘Tracks’.

From the Tracks page, click the link for ‘Import Track’.

And then select the track file.

Gaia GP will load the track, and it will now display on your map. When you log into Gaia GPS with your mobile device it will sync and show up there as well. If the map isn’t showing on your mobile device, click ‘Saved’ and then once the page opens, swipe down on the page to refresh it.

Navigating With Gaia GPS

If you look closely (center of image), you can see the orange arrow on the blue line (track) indicating your location. Gaia GPS is not going to tell you when to make your turn like Google Maps will, so you need to pay attention. If you’re enjoying the trip, I’m willing to bet you’ll miss an upcoming turn and have to turn around. Don’t feel bad, it happens to everyone (me) at some point. The top of the GPS will show your elevation, speed, course, average speed, Latitude and Longitude and the time of sunrise and sunset. I find the elevation interesting when we’re up in the mountains, and the time of sunset is helpful when I’m trying to figure out how much further I can go before I need to make camp.

On the left side of the screen, the arrow button (under 3D) will center you on the map, and if you click it again, the map will rotate so that you’re always pointing up. I like for the map to stay fixed and for the orange arrow (me) to rotate showing my direction. The next icon below that is the different map layers, and then the right arrow will open up the menu to get to your saved tracks and settings.

When you look at your saved tracks you’ll see an eyeball image next to them. If you click the eyeball, it will put a line through it (see the 3rd one down) and that track will no longer be displayed on your map. I have a lot of tracks saved to my Gaia GPS and I normally leave them all visible, but if you’re going to be an in area with multiple tracks from other routes, you may want to turn off the ones you don’t want to use.

Another option is to click on the track (line) on your map, click ‘More’, and then click ‘Change Color’. This will allow you to change the color of your track so you can tell them apart. Speaking of color, sometimes a GPS route might have an optional track along the route that’s a different color. It may be a harder section or an easy bypass. Clicking on it will give you the details on it.

If you don’t have a cell signal, you’ll still see the route and the location, but not the map behind it (photo below). This really isn’t an issue. When you get to any type of intersection, just look at the Gaia GPS to see which way the track is heading. If you suspect that you’re going to be heading into an area with no cell service, you can go into Gaia GPS and download the map for that area ahead of time. The screenshot below is from the 2019 Trans America Trail trip. Your mobile device gets its GPS location from a satellite, so it always knows where it is. The map background comes from cellular service, so if you don’t have service, the map might not load. In 2025 myself and fellow Vagabond members travelled across Cinnamon Pass and other passes in Colorado but never ran into an issue with the map background not loading.

Location Marker Color (Arrow):

Want to change the marker color that shows where you are on the map. Again, go to the ‘Settings’ tab and click on ‘Map Controls’. From here, you can adjust the ‘Location Marker Color’ to change the color of the icon that shows where you are on the map.

Need More Help / Information:

CLICK HERE for more help and information on using Gaia GPS.

Special Thanks To

Ford Motor Company for supplying the 2019 Ford Ranger FX4

Cooper Tire for supplying the Cooper Discoverer STT PRO tires

Trans America Trail Story Links

Trans America Trail 2019 – Main Page

Trans America Trail 2019 – June 3rd & 4th

Trans America Trail 2019 – June 5th & 6th

Trans America Trail 2019 – June 7th & 8th

Trans America Trail – June 9th & 10th

Trans America Trail – June 11th & 12th

Trans America Trail – June 13th & 14th

Trans America Trail – June 15th & 16th

Trans America Trail – August 13th & 14th

Trans America Trail – August 15th & 16th

Trans America Trail – August 17th – Completed

Last Updated: December 13, 2025