Q: I ordered your downloadable GPS trail map, now how do I download it?
A: Once payment has been received and your order processed, your browser will be re-directed to our Order Received Page. You can click on the zip file located in the downloads column to download your map. If you ordered on optional micro-sd, there is no need to download until at some time in the future when map updates are announced.
Copy the link listed under “Installation instructions can be found here…” to you web browser for instructions about how to install the files from the ZIP file to your computer of GPS. These instructions also describe how to update a map from the downloaded zip file.
You will also receive an email notification. (Check your spam blocker if you do not get an email within an hour) . This email contains links to both the Download file, (for initial install and map updates), and the link to the page describing initial installation and map updating.
You have multiple tries in case a download is interrupted. You will need to know where the file gets downloaded. Send us an email if you use up multiple retries to download the product. Additional downloads are used for free map updates, so don’t use them up unless necessary, and contact us immediately if you do.
Detailed instructions for the Download ZIP format cross platform download for Garmin GPS can be found here.
Note: The trail maps for OsmAnd on android use a different installation method than Garmin GPS units. Click here for detailed video installation instructions for trail maps for OsmAnd on android..
Q: Can I load your Trail Maps for Garmin GPS products on a pre-loaded micro-sd card that I purchased from Garmin?
A: No. If you have a pre-loaded micro-SD that you purchased from Garmin you cannot add supplemental maps such as our trail maps to it. You cannot add our map (or any map) to the pre-loaded micro-sd without overwriting the existing files pre-loaded on that micro-sd card. Use a blank micro-sd card.
You can combine our trail maps with other maps you have on your computer into a map-set and then download them to a blank formatted micro-sd card on your GPS using the Gamin MapSource or MapInstall programs.
Most newer Garmin GPS models (such as the Nuvi’s, Montana, Oregon) contain internal storage in addition to the micro-sd card. It is possible to download our trail maps to local storage without over-writing any map data already on the micro-sd card. In this way, you can use both the pre-loaded map on the micro-sd card and our trail maps at the same time. The installation program overwrites any existing supplemental maps in either sd or main storage. It will not overwrite the built-in maps included as a part of your GPS firmware.
Q: I’m not much of a computer wiz, do you think I can use this high-tech GPS mapping stuff?
A: Sure. We’ll do our best to make it simple for you. Don’t hesitate to send us email and ask if you have questions. We are happy to help. It’s really a snap once you get you feet wet.
If you are uncomfortable with downloading products, you can purchase them on media delivered by US postal mail. The easiest of these is to order maps on the optional preloaded micro-sd card. Simply install the micro-sd into your Garmin GPS, change a couple GPS settings and you are ready to ride! It can’t get much simpler than that.
We do encourage you to download and install the Garmin map management programs to get the most out of our maps and your GPS.
Q: I’m a Apple Mac user. Can I get get your GPS maps to install on my Macintosh?
A: Yes. Our latest map downloads and pre-loaded micro-sd cards come with files that can be imported into Garmin BaseCamp running on a Mac. Use BaseCamp’s File – Import and then browse to the file in the extracted ZIP download or micro-sd card named BackwoodsSnowmobile.gmapi.
Q: Are there limitations on downloading tracks to my Garmin GPS unit?
A: Most GPS units have some limit on the number of user tracks and waypoints that you can download and use even if you have a large micro-sd card and lots of internal storage. Garmin often limits the tracks you can download to 20 even with the largest sd card. Most handheld Garmin GPS units limit waypoints to 10,000. Most Garmin automotive units will not allow you to download any tracks.
Our trail map products for Garmin GPS utilize map images (not user tracks or waypoints) just like Garmin’s own map products. Because image maps do not rely on tracks, they are not limited by the maximum number of tracks or waypoints. Our maps do not consume your limited track log or waypoint storage space. Our trail maps contain thousands of miles of trails, and you will still have all of your available tracklog and waypoint storage space available to collect you own track logs and waypoints.
Q: What GPS receivers do you recommend for Snowmobile or ATV or UTV use?
A: Almost any garmin automotive, handheld or motorcycle GPS will work. The Garmin Montana and Zumo series are quite popular for snowmobiling, very rugged by quite expensive. These are a good choice if you ride in very extreme conditions and don’t want to worry about rain of snow causing problems. These units are waterproof.
We actually prefer the vastly cheaper automotive units. You can save a ton of money with older used or new factory refurbished units. Although they are not waterproof, in real use conditions they stand up nearly as well as the waterproof units. And, they are so cheap that you can replace several of them for less than the cost of the more rugged waterproof models.
Today, you have even more choices than ever before on what electronic devices you can use to navigate on the trails. You choices range in functionality and price from $0 to $700+.
High end, major capability, hefty price
At the top end is the Garmin Montana line. These range in price, depending on the capabilities you desire, from $400 to $700+. They are ipx7 waterproof, a rugged design that can support nearly any feature you could think of, including flexible rechargeable battery, replaceable batteries, customizable dashboards, hardwiring options, custom vehicle mounts, maximum track log collection and management capability, electronic compass, dual orientation, spoken turn by turn directions, cameras, built-in topographic maps, optional satellite imagery, scanned map images and more. These are appropriate for the guy who wants it all and for whom price is no object. It is not so much that this will work better with our trail maps, it is just that the GPS hardware itself is very powerful and has all the extra features that you could want on a dedicated GPS. That functionality comes with a hefty price tag that may be hard to justify for the casual rider who lacks deep pockets. Using all of those features makes the Montana a bit more complex to use than more basic units. You will need to invest some time to learn how to use it effectively.
Nearly the same level of ruggedness and functionality is available with the Garmin Zumo line of motorcycle units. These are rugged units designed to withstand harsh environments and are IPX7 rated waterproof. They range in price from $400 to $700, and need to be hardwired to a vehicle battery. These might be a good pick for a trail rider that also rides a motorcycle on the highways. They excel at the creation of custom routes in the unit itself, and like the Montana and nuvi can be also operated with gloved hands. The zumo 220 is almost identical to the nuvi 500/550 except that it includes bluetooth to enable communication with an optional helmet headset.
About the only thing that the Montana and zumo lines are not very good at is for hiking. The Montana is a bit heavier than you average hiking GPS and a lot to carry around. The zumo really needs to be wired to vehicle battery to run for any length of time. Other than that, Montana and zumo can be considered top of he line choices for use on a snowmobile, ATV, UTV or trail bike.
Mid-Range, moderate capability and price
There are quite a few choices in the mid-capabilities and mid-price range of $150-$300. For most people, these are good picks for dedicated GPS units. Higher level models will contain more features and of course cost more. Any of these newer designed models will work well with our routing trail maps and have enough features to get the job done. You can pick incremental functionality that you may want to use in additional to basic navigation. The currently available models include the Garmin Oregon, Dakota, GPSMAP 62 and 64 series hiking GPS units. Rhino’s and Monterra’s will also work well. Handheld GPS models are all ipx7 rated waterproof, and use replaceable AA alkaline batteries. Because you can carry extra batteries, there is no absolute requirement to connect the GPS to vehicle 12vdc power, although is still a good idea. They will have smaller screens than the Montana or zumo lines and even the most inexpensive automotive units. They are great choices if you will also use you GPS for hiking because they are light enough to carry in your pocket. They can be mounted where they are visible at all times by using a ram brand GPS mount. The Garmin handheld (hiking) GPS models have features that will enable you to collect and manage your own track logs, and download tracks from your friends. Some models have the capability to download and display optional satellite images and maps that you scan yourself.
The most limiting factor or some models (Dakota) is a smaller screen size. That may not be a problem if you are younger and have good eyesight. They will not navigate by highway unless you buy an optional city-navigator highway map from Garmin (for about $100).
Of these, our best pick would probably be the Oregon 450. Get the 450T if you want built-in topographic maps.
Garmin Automotive units
Garmin makes hundreds of different automotive units. Because automotive GPS is a high volume, highly competitive marketplace, these tend to be less expensive than any other type. Automotive units are not designed to be used in harsh outdoor environments with snow, rain and dust. But, if you use a little bit of care these will work fine on a sled or ATV. All Garmin automotive GPS units use rechargeable batteries and will require a 12vdc connection to vehicle power for them to operate more than a couple hours, especially in the cold. For this reason you will need to find a way to power them from your sled or ATV’s power system. For some, this may mean purchasing additional hardware.
Garmin automotive units range from brand new for about $65 to $300. Since you take some risk of harming the GPS by using them mounted on a sled or ATV, the best choices are the lower cost models. Higher end automotive units will contain frivolous features, such as traffic, 3d buildings, lane indicators, book readers, MP3 players, etc. which will not be useful for snowmobile or ATV use. They typically provide no way to load tracks that you have saved, but most will collect track logs in an automatic way. They usually have larger screens from 3.5″ to 7″. They are very easy to use especially if you have used them in your automobile. When you are not using them on a sled or ATV, you are more likely to use them year round in your car or truck.
One of the ways you can protect them is to simply to carry them in a warm coat pocket. When you need to figure out where you are, pull it out, turn it on and you are ready to navigate within a couple minutes. One of the downsides of this method is that you will not benefit from a constant display of the map as you are riding. Our trail maps display every detail of every curve in the trail that can really assist you in anticipating upcoming curves and intersections. When routing on the trails, visual indicators on the GPS will let you know how far the next turn is and count down the distance. For this reason it is very advantageous to mount the GPS where you can see it as you ride, even if that means you have some risk of getting it wet.
For use outside of your pocket, something as simple as a clear plastic bag should be enough to keep the unit dry, yet still visible. Alternatively, Ram makes Aquabox enclosures that can be used to protect the device and still be able to use the touch sensitive display.
Water resistant enclosures
Idea for Waterproofing a nuvi
The nuvi 40 and 50 line of Garmin automotive units fall into this category. I have seen brand new nuvi 40’s for sale at Staples for as low as $65, and the nuvi 50lm at Best Buy for as low as $89. The nuvi 40 has a 4″ screen, and the 50 has a nice big 5″ screen. The LM model designation stands for “lifetime Maps”, so you can download updated highway maps for free, That is a useful option if you use your GPS in your car as most people will want to do in the off season.
Smarter software on smart phones and tablets $50
More and more people are using smart phones and tablets. The chances are that you already own one. And if you happen to own a model (android) that is compatible with our highly functional routing trail maps then there is no additional hardware to buy. Than can save you loads of money using a device you already own versus buying a dedicated GPS. We think that this is the wave of the future and before long dedicated GPS hardware will eventually go the way of the VHS video tape. Into obscure obsolescence. How long that will take is anybody’s guess. Even now, people are selling their dedicated GPS units and instead relying on their smart phones to navigate by automobile.
It’s getting close, but we are not quite there yet. One issue is that rugged smart phones that can stand up to the harsh environment of being mounted to a sled or ATV are both rare and expensive. Like automobile GPS units, one has to take extra care not to let the environment ruin their device. And, like automotive GPS hardware, creative methods can be employed to avoid harming the device, such as carrying it in a pocket, or protecting it in a waterproof bag or mounting box. For en enclosed UTV the environment is not a problem.
The next issue is readability in direct sunlight. You may have noticed that your phone is hard to read when in direct sunlight, and your tablet may be even harder to read outdoors. Dedicated GPS models, especially the handheld units are easier to read in direct sunlight. Nearly all smart phones use capacitive touch screens that detect your finger gestures and will not work with gloved hands as dedicated GPS units will. Unless you have some of those special gloves made for use with capacitive screens you are going to need to pull off your gloves to make them work. Sunlight and weather is not usually a problem in an enclosed UTV.
Our fully routing snowmobile trail map for OsmAnd Android or routing NH ME ATV Trail map for Osmand Android are loaded with features only found on those $700 Garmin Montana’s. Osmand works on screen sizes of small android smart phones, phablets, and even the huge nexus 10 screen. It provides turn by turn spoken directions, navigation avoidances, and more map backgrounds that you can get on any model dedicated GPS. You can cache all map date for use even in the most remote areas.
Ease of use on the software for smartphones and tablets is not quite up to the very refined interface provided by dedicated Garmin GPS units. So, you can expect to spend a bit more time learning how to use the software. Currently there is no 3d perspective view OsmAnd, but we are funding development to make it happen.
We have no high functional routing trail map on the Apple IOS platform yet, but expect that something will be coming along sooner or later.
Save with Used and factory Refurbished GPS hardware
Do not be afraid to purchase a factory refurbished GPS. Chances are it was simply returned because the buyer changed their mind. Even if there may have been a problem a factory refurbished unit will be examined and repaired by a technician, and placed into fresh packaging. It also means that the GPS was scrutinized by a technician for any problems or defects. Brand new units probably do not undergo as thorough of an inspection and testing as do refurbished units. You can often save as much as 50% by purchasing refurbished in “like new” condition. I have purchased several myself with no problems.
You can find lots of used GPS units for sale on places like craigslist, and eBay. You might have an older Garmin of your own that you no longer use. Pull it out of the drawer, dust it off and put it to work again on your sled ATV or UTV! Many people change automobiles to one with built-in GPS. The old Garmin goes in the drawer or on craigslist. Many people simply use their new smart phones to navigate instead of a dedicated GPS. Be careful when buying used, because not all are good deals. Many private sellers think their GPS is worth what they paid for it 4 years ago. It’s not. So research the current street value. Examine the unit carefully, and make sure it has essentials like the power cable. A replacement power cable might cost as much as the GPS itself is worth. You can also find owners manuals for most older Garmin’s, and you can also find specs on the internet. Use those resources to research what kind of features they have. Some good ones to look for are old handheld hiking models like 60Csx, 76C, nuvi 205, 205w, 500, 550, 1370, zumos. They are not too old. I even see quite a few newer nuvi 50lm and 40lm units for sale. Blast use an email of you find what you think is a good deal and we will tell you if it will work with our trail maps.
Q: What GPS accessories do you recommend?
A Mount for your GPS receiver
A mount is a good idea so you can easily reference the map as you ride. You are less likely to loose satellite lock with a mount than if you carry your GPS in a pocket. There are a variety of designs that work for ATV/sled handlebars, on your sled’s dash, and/or in your car/truck/boat. We like the Ram brand mounts because they are rugged and flexible. We have been recommending Ram mounts for years. You might want to check to make sure ram sells a cradle for a GPS model before you decide to buy it. If they don’t you may have to design your own. It’s isn’t that hard. and many creative mounting solutions are possible.
Power Cable
We also suggest that you consider an external power cable that will allow you to plug your receiver into the 12vdc starting battery for your sled, ATV or truck. This small investment will pay for itself by savings in batteries. The most popular types are power cords that plug into a 12vdc cigarette lighter. If your ride does not have a cigarette lighter, there are ways to hard-wire to your battery. But that is a little too complex to address here because of the many variations of sled. A Google search will usually find both do-it-yourself hacks and products to solve this problem.
Cases
While not strictly necessary, a carrying case can protect your receiver from scuffs and scratches when it’s being carried in you glove compartment or luggage.
Maps
For snowmobiling and ATV use, topographical maps are a big plus. We include a free integrated topo map with each of our trail maps. We also distribute a transparent trails-only variant of our map that you can overlay over the built-in topographical map that came with your GPS, or a supplemental map of your choice.
Automotive and motorcycle type receivers usually have good coverage for roads. But, some handheld hiking GPS units have more limited road detail. If you will be using your GPS for on-road navigation and it does not have built-in road detail, you might consider purchasing optional garmin street maps. We can also point you towards free OpenStreetMap based automotive maps that will work on your Garmin.
Q: If I send you my GPS will you install your trail maps on it for me?
A: No. Do not send us your GPS. It is just not worth the shipping costs and risk of loosing it in transit.
We will install the trail maps, a free topo map, a vehicle icon on micro-sd card for you. Just select SD as an option to your order. All you need to do is plug it in and change some very minimal GPS settings.
We also provide map updates on a new micro-sd card or even on your old card. See Trail Map Updates.
Q: I tried searching for a street address and it would not let me get past the City question. Am I doing something wrong?
A: Snowmobile or ATV trails do not have street addresses. They understand trails, not streets.
So if you try searching for a street address using a trail map you will not get far! Most topographical maps do not have street addresses either. Routing highway and street maps are more likely to have street addresses. Garmin City Navigator and the maps built-in to automotive GPS models do have street addresses. If you enable your street map, you can search for a street address. Add a favorite waypoint for this address position you find. This waypoint (favorite) will then be available to all GPS map including trail maps. Disable the street map and enable the trail map. Then you can calculate a route to that saved waypoint using the trail map. It will route you by trail instead of by highway or roads.
Q: I live nearby. Can I drive to your store and buy a map in person?
A: Sorry no. We do not have a bricks and mortar store. We are an internet-only company.
However, HK Powersports in Laconia is an authorized reseller of our Garmin GPS trail map products. Talk to the parts manager. Theycan install our trail maps on a GPS for you, sell you a compatible Garmin GPS, hard wire it and mount it to your sled. They can also demonstrate how to use the GPS on the trails. And while you are there don’t forget to check their extensive line of sleds, ATVs, UTV’s, trailers and accessories.
Another authorized reseller of our maps is SledGPS, which is an online reseller of complete GPS kits for snowmobiles and (soon ATV’s). Although not a brick and mortar store you can visit in person, they will customize a kit with a GPS, custom map pre-installed with our trail maps on it. All you will have to do is install their kit and periodically update your maps from our web site.