How To: Exploring with GPS is cheap and easy

Are you receiving me?

Handheld GPS receivers look like chunky 1990s cell phones, but don’t let that put you off. These rugged receivers are designed to withstandlife in the backcountry as they direct you to campsites, mountain summits, or in-the-know urban boutiques. Magellan and Garmin have captured the lion’s share of the handheld market, with devices starting under $100. The Garmin eTrex Legend HCx costs a little more, but it sports a color screen, waterproof casing, USB connectivity, and superb reception. Older units can be purchased for even less — I still get great mileage from mine — but the receivers are less accurate and the screens are black and white, which can make map-reading more of a challenge.

Unboxing and exploring

Unwrapping a GPS receiver, only to be confronted by thick manuals and unfamiliar knobs, is a daunting experience. Forget about connecting to a computer and uploading maps at first, and just step out your front door. Go for a bike ride or a walk round your neighborhood and watch the screen as the device reorients itself with every turn. After a while you’ll see a trail of digital breadcrumbs in your wake. The receiver records your positions, creating a trail of your movements, so you can see where you started, and how far you’ve come, and save that route for next time. You can even place virtual markers at locations en route so you can remember a fork in the trail, where you lost the ball on the golf course, or a favorite restaurant.

Maps want to be free

Most GPS receivers have maps built in, but coverage is usually limited to major highways, rest stops, and little more. You can buy more detailed (and more expensive) maps from the manufacturers, but there are lots of free alternatives — especially for Garmin devices. You’ll find thousands of Garmin-compatible maps available for download from mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com.

Share the fun

Half the fun of a journey is reliving it, and your GPS’ records enable you to retrace your steps and share details about your trips. The no-fuss everytrail.com site makes it easy to upload your routes for all to see. The site also provides links to view your journeys on Google Earth and, if you upload photographs, it will locate them along the

route by comparing electronic timestamps. Toposhare.com offers similar features and is more outdoors-focused. Naturally, these sites are also a superb resource for finding hidden hiking trails, savvy city walks, and exciting road trips.

GPS marks the spot

If you’re the kind of traveler who thinks getting there is half the fun, a GPS unit provides just the excuse you need to explore places that you might not otherwise think to visit. The key is a scavenger hunt-style game called geocaching, in which players use GPS devices to track down any of close to half a million "treasures" stashed in unusual locations all around the globe. Begin your search at geocaching.com and choose a cache you’d like to find in the area where you’ll be traveling. The website will provide the GPS coordinates of your bounty as well as extra information to help you home in on the treasure (typically a few trinkets and a logbook). From caches hidden atop windswept mountains to one tucked away inside Rome’s Colosseum and another hidden on the bottom of the ocean, geocaching can turn your travel into an adventure.