Stuff We Like: onX Backcountry App

Learning how to read a map and navigate with it is an essential Scouting skill.

Most maps, though, won’t tell you where wildfires are burning, what the weather will be or what places are susceptible to avalanches. The onX Backcountry app (onxmaps.com, $30/year) can do all that, plus suggest nearby trails based on distance and difficulty.

A yearly membership to the app, available on iOS and Android, provides topographic, satellite and hybrid maps for hundreds of thousands of miles of hiking trails that can be accessed online and offline. It also features routes for mountain biking, backcountry skiing and rock climbing.

Upgrades let you pinpoint where private property lines are and check out 3D satellite imagery that’s updated every two weeks. You can try the app with a free seven-day trial.