Just in time for summer, Google has dropped a few updates to Google Maps to make navigating national parks a lot easier. Four new features are coming to Maps this month — specifically, new tools to help you figure out what to do while you’re visiting a park, as well as improved features for navigating around the park once you are inside.
In terms of planning, now when you search for a national park within Google Maps you’ll see photos of some of the park’s biggest attractions. When you tap on a photo you’ll be able to get more details and read reviews from people who have been there before to help you make a more informed decision.
The rest of the Maps updates are focused primarily on saving you from getting lost. Now rather than just dropping a pin where a trail is, Maps will show you the trail’s entire route on the map, and you’ll have the option to scroll through some photos to get an idea of what you might be in for before you start hiking. Directions within the parks are also a bit more precise with the update, and will direct you to the park entrance when looking for a park or to the beginning of a trail head when you search for a specific hike.
Perhaps the best update Google is adding to Maps: It’s making it easier to go offline.
National parks, at least national parks in the United States, are notorious for having poor cell reception. Now you can download the maps for an entire park, for instance Yosemite, via a single download button. The download will include all that great park data, so you’ll be able to find your way off of a trail even if you phone loses a connection, provided your battery is able to hold on.
You should start seeing all the new stuff in Google Maps for Android and iOS later this month. For now, the features are all for parks in the US, but Google says they’ll roll out to parks around the world in the coming months.
