A quick warning about those 'shortcut' trail maps

I was planning a three day loop in the Sawtooths and bought a set of detailed maps from a new company online for about $35. The maps looked great, but when I got on the ground, a key connector trail marked as 'clear' was completely overgrown and had been for years. I had to backtrack nearly five miles, which wasted a whole afternoon of hiking and meant I missed my planned campsite. Has anyone else had this happen with a specific map maker? I want to know which ones are actually reliable.

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.tyler1mo ago

That "clear" connector trail story is brutal. I only trust USGS quads or the actual Forest Service maps anymore.

jordan_young1mo ago

Feel your pain on that one.

piper91224d ago

Yeah that clear trail connector is a nightmare. I took a wrong turn on an old logging road that looked good on my phone but dead-ended in a washout. Took me two hours to backtrack and find the real trailhead.