Leaderboard

Buzzy, for Western states the Benchmark atlases are hard to beat as a primary reference, supplemented by highly detailed NFS maps. The problem with the latter is that they are pricey and in some states like Idaho you may need a dozen or more. Plus they show no elevation data, which makes navigation a lot harder than it should be. https://www.benchmarkmaps.com/products-page/atlases/wyomingroad-recreation-atlas The Benchmark ones are way more useful away from urban areas that the similar Delorme ones - once you try the black BM atlases you will toss your red Delorme ones! While Google Earth and other resources are great for planning, I do long road trips with a Benchmark Atlas nearby, my Garmin RV760 LMT on the dash, for autorouting and Points of Interest, and my iPad Mini on a RAM mount, running MotionX GPS, usually zoomed out to about 2 miles to the inch for complete situational awareness. At this scale I see lots of features that the Garmin is completely blind to. http://gps.motionx.com/ipad/overview/ I usually view the excellent downloadable (included) MotionX Terrain maps, but I also have downloaded most USGS 24K topos (free) for my areas of operation. The beauty of this program is that it lets you view many, many different types of maps, including satellite and conventional road, but those require a data plan and cellular coverage, which in many places out here are simply unavailable. You MUST have cached maps! This is critical! It _is_ possible to load topo maps onto many NUVI models that have a flash card, and it is possible to display both topo and road features simultaneously with effective Auto Routing and voice prompts, but the display gets a little weird and I do not often do this. Plus Garmin TOPO is a little lame. Having two displays showing two different map types is a revelation when you are wandering in the boonies. The very best resource I have found for this stuff is a sub-forum at Expedition Portal: .... http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/46-Mapping-Navigation-GIS-(Software) Here is a good start for you: .... http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/156098-Overland-Navigation-Overview-and-Tutorial?s=d2dbbcd414c6594cc6df60746eae59cb John Davies Spokane WA EDIT: There are a number of excellent local forums dedicated to overlanding, plus there are regional forums at Expedition Portal. While their focus is far more "off roady" than the stuff we have been talking about here, those folks _really_ know the back country areas around them and are friendly to visitors to their website asking for advice about places to visit. Just be sure to emphasize the fact that you will be hauling a trailer and do not have a locked and lifted Rubicon to pull it with. Avoid the 4x4/ Jeep forums as those are way too dirt oriented to be useful to an Oliver owner. In the past I have posted questions online about visiting southern Utah and the Colorado Plateau and these folks have been extremely helpful. JD