Why Search and Rescue Teams Are Begging Hikers to Stop Using Google Maps

“Bring a paper map” is a common piece of advice for hikers (and a good one, in my humble opinion). But when people suggest that, they’re generally thinking of a topo, not a printout from Google Maps.

This summer, several hikers have required rescue after trying to plan challenging trips using Google’s flagship navigation app. In one incident, a group of teenage adventurers needed to be plucked off British Columbia’s Howe Sound Trail after Maps drastically underestimated how long the trip would take; another backpacker suffered injury after trying to hike up a winter climbing route in the Colorado Rockies.

In recent years, Google has pushed to take Maps onto hiking trails worldwide, with some now even perusable on Street View. Still, search and rescue teams are sounding the alarm, urging hikers not to rely on the app for planning backcountry excursions. I dove into the reasons behind it—and what hikers should do instead.

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