Help with FunTreks

[Gregg C]

Hi Guys,
I'm not sure if I'm in the correct forum for this question,
If not just tell me to take a hike !!
Anyway,
I purchased the ATV / 4X4 Trail Books for the four corner states from FunTreks, written by Charles Wells.
I have the option of downloading the trail in each book to a GPS and Navigating with the GPS.
Has anyone done this??
Which GPS works best with this type of downloadable map ??
Thanks Guys
Gregg

 

[jaxs1984]

I used the Moab and Co. for the jeep trails. I was using a garmin nuvi 75xxxx
Even with it in gps it's a little confusing sometimes cause obviously reality doesn't match the lines on the gps. You should also get the topo maps and follow along. The book with gps and maps is a good way to go.

 

[dms1]

I used the Funtreks Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4WD Trails (3rd Edition) , which I consider an excellent guide, and also downloaded all of the trails for the Ouray \ Silverton area to my GPS for when I visited there last summer. I mostly used the GPS on the trails but also referenced some maps I purchased before the trip and of course the guidebook.

I always carry paper maps now when I travel offroad. A couple of years ago I was on a trail I had never been on before and only had my GPS (no maps was my standard practice back then) when all of a sudden the GPS decided not to work any longer. I ended up cutting the trip short and backtracking my way back to civilization.

You should never rely only on a GPS.

Dave S

 

[Gregg C]

Dave,
What kind of GPS will accept downloading funtreks maps ??
What do you use ?
Gregg

 

[dms1]

Gregg, I use a Garmin GPSMAP 276c. In most cases you do not download "MAPs" from Funtreks (as far as i know) or other books websites, you download routes, tracks or waypoints (routes and tracks contain a collection of waypoints). The maps usually come from the GPS vendor (in my case GARMIN). There are some free maps available for Garmin devices but I do not use them at this time and they dont come from the book venders.

This is how I setup my GPS. I add all the maps from the Garmin TOPO series CDs into Garmin Mapsource which runs on your PC. I then add or create way points and routes (I only use tracks for recording where I have traveled) into Garmin Mapsource. Mapsource also lets you modify existing way points and routes.

Once I have all the way points and routes setup to my liking in Mapsource, I download them into my GPS. Since my GPS is limited on memory - I only can only download the maps in the area I am traveling so I sometimes carry a laptop to make changes if i am out longer than a weekend.

I usually print my own maps using the Garmin Mapsouce program or maps downloaded from the USGS service which are free.

Since you are in the four corners area I would recommend purchasing some maps from the Latitude 40 map company as they are some of the best maps I have ever used for off roading.


Hope this helps

P.S. I wanted to add that the above should work for most Garmin GPSs. Also when purchasing a new GPS some of the features I look for are how much memory does the device have and how many way points ,routes and tracks can the device hold. To my knowledge none of the newer Garmin GPSs can hold the same amount of way points and routes as the GPSMAP 276c.

 

[Gregg C]

Thanks Dave,
You've been a ton of help !!

Gregg