CalTopo review

CalTopo is a planning tool more than a trail finder. It says mountain guides, avalanche educators and search and rescue teams use it, and its layer list shows why: MapBuilder Topo, Forest Service maps, scanned topos, global and weekly satellite imagery, slope angle shading, public lands, parcels, fire history, snow and water gauges, and wind, precipitation and temperature forecasts. You build a route on the web, and it syncs to the phone app, where you can download maps and layers for offline GPS tracking. Shared maps let a group plan together and follow each other with live tracking. Pricing is low: a free account, Mobile at $20 a year, Pro at $50 a year with prints up to 36 by 48 inches, and Desktop at $100 with the desktop application. The catch is the learning curve. There are no curated hikes or reviews, so CalTopo suits people who already know where they want to go.

Who it is for

Experienced hikers and ski tourers who plan on a computer and want slope, sun and weather layers for the least money.

Price

Free account; Mobile $20 a year; Pro $50 a year; Desktop $100 a year.

Mobile $20.00/year
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Offline maps and layers, including slope angle shading, on the mobile app
• Sun exposure, wind, precipitation and avalanche forecast planning
• Live tracking on shared maps and collaborative planning
• Layers for Forest Service maps, scanned topos, public lands, parcels and weekly satellite imagery
• Large-format printing, up to 36 by 48 inches on Pro

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The cheapest paid plan in this list at $20 a year
• Strength: Changes sync between the web planner and the phone app
• Strength: Refunds offered up to one year from purchase
• Weakness: Interface is built for planners, not for browsing trails
• Weakness: No trail reviews or curated hike descriptions
• Weakness: Large-format printing needs the $50 Pro plan or above

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes
• Mobile plan: $20/yr
• Pro plan: $50/yr
• Desktop plan: $100/yr
• Refunds: Up to 1 year from purchase

Where it ranks

CalTopo is No. 3 in our Best Hiking Apps verdict.