CDT: Which way is Canada?

If you drive from Mexico to Canada, you would use a map or the navigation system in your car. Walking from one end of the country to the other also requires maps and navigation systems. How do we know where to go?

Luckily for us, there are plenty of online resources to help us navigate the CDT. We are mainly using two apps - Gaia and FarOut.

Gaia is a topography trail map app. It shows distance, elevation and is great for getting a feel for what the trail will be like coming up. Will the trail be steep or flat? Are there trees for shade? We have the CDT map downloaded so we can check it at any time. 

FarOut is the app we're using the most. FarOut shows the route plus other key things we may need to know about the trail. For example, where is the next water source or which way to go when you come to a junction. FarOut is interactive and hikers can leave notes along the trail. The notes are especially helpful for knowing if an upcoming water source is dry or has water. 

Both of these apps are great and extremely useful. However, we can't constantly be looking at our phones while hiking. Thankfully, there are trail markers along the way. There many types of markers. Sometimes the markers are highly visible and sometimes they are a bit hard to find. Sometimes there are plenty of markers and sometimes you walk miles without seeing one. 

The best thing is to use all of the tools we have and be vigilant. Missing a turn and having to walk extra miles is never fun.