How to Upload Trail to Garmin 60csx

How To Get Gratis Garmin GPS Maps For Hiking

The proficient news is that if you own a Garmin GPS device, at that place's a way to go gratis Garmin GPS maps. And in most cases, the free maps are much better than the expensive Garmin maps. I'm a large fan of Garmin GPS devices, just I always constitute it disappointing that they charged actress for maps. Garmin doesn't publicize it, but nigh of their GPS units are setup to take any maps in the correct format. Hither's how to get and install these free hiking maps in an easy, step-past-footstep process.

In retrospect, I remember the cost for Garmin maps is as well loftier. At that place are some equally practiced, or ameliorate, alternatives available at no price online. This product is overpriced for what it is. I would recommend other software. – Garmin Map Review on Amazon

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Why These Free Maps?

So allow me start by saying there are a lot of means to go complimentary Garmin GPS maps, and a lot of different methods to install them. Y'all could create whole websites devoted to the discipline, and people take (see below). This article focuses on installing my favorite free Garmin GPS maps for hiking in the USA, using OpenStreetMaps. If these don't work for you lot, attempt exploring the other map services that I have listed below.

You lot can also create your own highly-customized maps and download them to your Garmin device.

OpenStreetMaps are the Wikipedia of maps. The public contributes to, confirms, and edits the data on the map. This curation goes for hiking trails too. The maps are regularly updated, and over the final few years accept seemed the most accurate in my experience. You lot tin can even become a correspondent if you lot like.

Here'due south a side by side comparison of the Garmin base map with these complimentary topo maps.

The free hiking maps that I'm recommending are cracking because:

• They are adept topographic maps with elevation contours.
• They have a big number of hiking trails on them.
• They are "routable," which means that you tin use costless tools like Garmin Basecamp to automatically create routes and tracks that yous tin can follow (without having to plot each indicate of the trail yourself).
• The colors and item work well for me. That is, they look good on the device.
• USA regions are packaged together.

This screenshot gives you an idea of the level of the detail in these free maps. You can as well search the maps for points of interest. Hither I searched for the Nifty Smoky Mtn NP.

Video Instructions

If you are on Windows, there are some special instructions below.

Which Garmin GPS devices practice the maps piece of work with?

Commencement off, the Garmin unit you have might have maps already. Y'all probably know this, but if you're shopping for a GPS, go to the Garmin website page for the unit of measurement. If it maps come with the unit, information technology will say it has "preloaded topo maps."

If you lot already take a unit and want to find out if these costless maps work, go to the unit's folio on the Garmin website, and and so cheque out the "specs" section. There is a line for "ability to add maps," if y'all take a check there, you're practiced to go.

Downloading the Complimentary Garmin GPS Maps

The offset thing you're going to want to do is visit the GMapTool website, specifically the USA OSM Topo Routable folio.

The nice thing about this site is that they've bundled the maps up into large regions.

Then pick the region y'all want, and download the advisable map packet (link mode at the bottom of the folio). The files are pretty large. The download might accept a while.

Installing the Costless Maps on Your Computer

The instructions are unlike for Mac and PC. The map website has a link for installation instructions, click on that. My instructions cover the installation on a Mac, but I take some full general that fill in the gaps for installing on Windows below .

For the Mac, you'll demand iii (gratis) programs to install the maps. You can download and install these programs while y'all await for your maps to download.

Outset is a 7z extractor. The map downloads are in 7z format, which is a fancy compressed Goose egg file. Download and install this programme. There are also other costless and paid 7z options in the Mac App Store.

Then download the costless Garmin MapInstall and MapManager programs. They make installing the maps easy and non-technical.

One time you download the map file, open up information technology with your 7z application. It will unzip the files and put them into a binder.

After unzipping, yous'll take a few files in the binder. Double-click on the big file with the "gmap" extension on the finish.

That should launch Garmin MapManager, which will ask you if you want to install the maps. Hit "yep" and information technology will copy the maps into your Garmin directory. When you're finished, delete the map download and the unzipped binder.

That's it. The maps are on your reckoner. If you're non already using the costless Garmin Basecamp tool, I highly recommend getting it. Information technology will let yous to browse maps, create tracks, and is invaluable in planning hikes.

Pairing Garmin Basecamp with these free maps for Garmin GPS gives yous.a powerful planning tool. Here I'm browsing particular effectually Icehouse Saddle in California.

Installing the Complimentary Maps on Your Garmin GPS

Once your map is downloaded and installed, you're all prepare to install them on your GPS unit.

Connect your Garmin GPS unit to your computer and make sure it'south on. Give it a minute or two to load and register with the computer.

Load the Garmin MapInstall application. It should bear witness your GPS unit in the top box. Hit continue.

MapInstall will prove you lot what maps you accept installed already (if any), what'southward on your computer, and how much room you have on your device (at the lesser). Click on the maps you want to install while watching the space on your device. My eTrex 20x has iii.7gb of internal memory, no need to add a MicroSD bill of fare. Click "send maps."

At present y'all wait. It can take a while for the maps to load onto your device. Don't exercise this if you're in a blitz.

Now confirm that the maps are loaded. Go into your settings for maps and poke effectually. The process is different for unlike units, but you should be able to see something like this.

Boom! Maps! Enjoy the maps on your Garmin GPS. And if in that location is too much detail or the map rendering seems boring, go to settings and try decreasing the detail level.

Installing on GPS Devices With MTP Way

Garmin added a connection mode chosen MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) to transfer files, which makes the Garmin appear as a "media device." And of grade, Apple doesn't support it. About Garmin devices allow you lot to switch the USB mode to "mass-storage" and you should observe that in the settings and requite it a attempt. Make certain the device firmware is updated to get the latest settings. Once in "mass-storage" fashion, yous should be able to follow the steps laid out earlier.

If you're stuck in MTP mode, I've establish a solution. It's not the most svelte one in the world, simply it works (confirmed on a Fenix 5x Plus).

• Become your maps from here: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl
• The site volition send you an e-mail with a download link.
• Download the Aught file that is described as "Compressed file that contains a single image that can be placed directly onto the SD-carte du jour of the GPS."
• Unzip the file. You should have a file with a ".img" extension.
• Now we need to connect the Garmin to the computer. Download the free Android File Transfer programme from Google. Install it on your car as per the instructions.
• If you lot have Garmin Express running, make sure it's not running and you take disabled whatsoever "automatically launch when device is continued" settings.
• Plug in your Garmin to the computer and launch the Android File Transfer program. You should run across a screen similar this:
  
• Simply elevate the ".img" file that y'all downloaded into the Garmin folder. Yous might want to rename the ".img" file to brand sure it doesn't whack any maps already on there.

That'south it. Get to your map settings and turn the OSM map on and off.

OSM maps on my Fenix 5x Plus

Tips for Windows Installation

The directions on GMapTool site aren't very descriptive for Windows. Here are some tips from fellow hiker Dave T. on how to install the complimentary maps on Windows.

• Run the "bat" file as described on the GMapTool site.
• Open Garmin Basecamp to ensure that the maps have been installed.
• Use the gratis Garmin MapInstall plan to send the maps to your device. OR you can too install them direct from Basecamp. Right click on the internal storage and selected install maps (thanks to John S for the tip).
• Or utilise the maps at garmin.openstreetmap.nl, Download your map first. This volition create a unmarried "img" file for each map you download.  Then copy that map file to your Garmin (the drive if you take a micro SD card, non the device) in the "Garmin" binder (which you must create offset if it doesn't already exist).

If These Complimentary Garmin GPS Maps Don't Work For Y'all

There are other complimentary maps for your Garmin GPS, and again, they might have different instructions for installation. Bank check the website where the maps are offered for directions on how to install them.

• GPSFileDepot is a bully resource that'due south frequently updated. I recommend trying this site before any others.
• OpenStreetMap.nl is adept if you want to catch.a smaller, more specific map.
• OpenSeaMap offers nautical charts.
• frikart.no
• openmtbmap.org

If you're having trouble finding the GMAP binder, this tip has helped some folks (thanks to Liz S!).

Some Concluding Thoughts

I recommend planning your hike and creating a GPX file beforehand. Most Garmin GPS units are besides small for anything more impromptu navigation planning. I have a tutorial on how to programme a hiking route for your Garmin GPS here.

And I could use your help. I don't download these maps every 24-hour interval, so if these directions don't seem up to date, please contact me and let me know. I'll update the directions here accordingly.

Lastly, a note if you're having tech issues. Unfortunately, I can't help anybody who emails me. I recommend posting your question online in the Garmin Reddit, the Garmin Forums, or in a Garmin group on Facebook. That'southward probably you're quickest path to success.

Take an idea on how to make these guides better? Leave me your thoughts here..

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Source: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-gear/how-to-get-free-garmin-gps-maps-for-hiking/

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