A little preparation goes a long way
Get more from your next walk.
Learn how the maps and trail information work, prepare your device, and choose the tools that suit your day. Looking for a particular route? Explore the trail-guide library.
Maps & preparation
How to use offline hiking maps in Aus Trails
Prepare free offline hiking maps in Aus Trails. Learn how area downloads, saved route data and device storage work before leaving mobile reception.
Read the guide →GPS & connections
Live hiking GPS, off-route alerts and buddy updates
Learn how Aus Trails live GPS, off-route alerts, hike recording and buddy updates work, including location permissions and connection requirements.
Read the guide →Choosing a trail
How to read hiking elevation, distance and grades
Read trail distance, elevation gain, difficulty and estimated walking time together. Use Australian trail maps to choose a walk that fits your day.
Read the guide →Free & Pro
Planning with Aus Trails Pro: what is available now
Compare Aus Trails free features with Pro terrain layers, saved collections and printable maps. See available tools, billing terms and planned features.
Read the guide →Planning & safety
Walking track grades explained: what Grade 3 actually means
Understand the Australian Walking Track Grading System, what Grade 1 to Grade 5 mean on a signpost, and how those grades line up with the Easy to Expert labels in Aus Trails.
Read the guide →Planning & safety
Hiking with kids: choosing a walk that actually works
How to pick an Australian walking track that suits children, what distance and time to expect, and how to use the family-friendly filter in Aus Trails to find short, easy routes near you.
Read the guide →Maps & preparation
Export a trail as a GPX file from Aus Trails
How to download any Aus Trails route as a GPX file to load onto a GPS watch, handheld unit or another mapping app, and what a GPX file does and does not contain.
Read the guide →Where to walk
The best day hikes in Australia, state by state
A day walk worth the drive in every Australian state and territory, chosen on real distance, elevation and grade from 481 mapped tracks — not on how photogenic the lookout is.
Read the guide →