Hiking & Trails
Your trail. Your coordinates. No signal needed.
Deep in the backcountry with zero bars, SkyLocation shows precise GPS coordinates, elevation, and real-time accuracy — straight from satellites overhead.
Twenty miles in. Zero bars. A trail junction ahead.
You've been hiking since dawn. The last cell signal vanished two ridges ago. Now you're standing at a fork in the trail, rain clouds building behind you, and you need to confirm which branch leads to the lake campsite marked on your topo map.
Your phone's GPS chip doesn't care about cell towers. It listens directly to satellite signals — passive radio reception, like tuning into an FM station. As long as a sliver of sky is visible through the tree canopy, SkyLocation can lock onto enough satellites to compute your latitude, longitude, and altitude.
Read your coordinates, match them to the UTM grid on your paper map, and you'll know exactly which fork to take. Mark the campsite coordinates when you arrive so you can navigate back to the trailhead tomorrow — even if fog rolls in overnight and landmarks disappear.
Built for hiking & trails
Every feature designed for your specific needs.
UTM-Ready Coordinates
Coordinates display in decimal degrees — easy to convert to UTM grid references for plotting on USGS topographic maps with a ruler and pencil.
Elevation Profile
Track altitude above sea level to confirm you've cleared a pass, identify ridgelines, or calculate remaining vertical gain to camp.
Pace & Speed Tracking
Monitor your ground speed to estimate arrival times. Knowing you average 2.5 mph on uphills helps you decide whether to push for the next campsite or stop early.
Canopy-Aware Accuracy
Dense forest canopy can scatter satellite signals. SkyLocation shows real-time accuracy in meters so you know to step into a clearing for a better fix before noting a waypoint.
Airplane Mode = More Miles
Switch to airplane mode to stop your phone from burning battery searching for nonexistent cell towers. GPS reception continues independently — stretch a single charge across a multi-day trip.
Rescue-Ready Position
If something goes wrong, your coordinates are already on screen. Read them over a satellite messenger, VHF radio, or yell them to a passing hiker with signal.
“I used SkyLocation on a week-long backpacking trip through the Sierras. No signal for five days straight, but I plotted every campsite on my topo map using the coordinates. The altitude readings matched the contour lines perfectly.”
— SkyLocation User
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I plot SkyLocation coordinates on a paper topographic map?
Does tree canopy completely block GPS?
Will GPS work in a deep canyon or narrow valley?
How much battery does SkyLocation use on a full-day hike?
Can I mark waypoints and navigate back to them?
Is SkyLocation a replacement for a handheld GPS like a Garmin?
Explore More Use Cases
Ready to try SkyLocation?
Free on the App Store. No account required. Works offline from the moment you open it.