Blue dot technology with Maine by Foot Google Maps allows you to see your location on any trail.

There are, however, a few pieces that need to be in place to use this. First, you need the Google map app on your device, and your location services turned on while using the map app.

(Additionally, I find that I have to search for my Maine by Foot posts and maps in Chrome rather than another browser.)

If you have an internet signal, bring up the Maine by Foot site on your phone and expand the Google map at the top. This will transport you into the Google map app, and the blue dot will show you where you are on my handmade digital trail map.

Or, if you are hiking in an area without an internet signal, download a Google map of Maine before you head out to navigate offline. (This is very handy in all sorts of situations!) Directions for that are here.

Downloading Maps

You can also download a Maine by Foot Google map before your walk.

You can download my Google trail maps if you use the Google Maps app on you phone in combination with the My Maps service for Google accounts.  (Here are instructions for Android users, and iOS users).

From a user: “To prepare before I left, I maximized the Google map embedded on your website on my laptop and then clicked ‘copy map’ to make a copy in My Maps for my Google account from the 3-dot menu near the search button:

From there, I was able to open it in the Google Maps app on my phone following the instructions linked above.

Now, if I wanted to download the tracks and points for use in a dedicated GPS device, I would select the “Download KML” option from that same 3-dot menu above on your map. It will download everything into a KMZ file on your computer. From there you can convert the data to GPX (used by most GPS devices) using an online service. I have personally had good luck with the “MyGeodata Converter” for KMZ to GPX conversions. Getting the GPX files from there onto a GPS device will vary by device, of course.”

Thank you, Jason!