Guides

How to read the maps you carry, use them on your phone with no signal, and plan around the rules that come with them.

• How to Read a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM)

  What the lines, symbols and seasonal dates on a Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map mean, what the map leaves out, and how to use it offline with GPS.

  Checked November 1, 2026

• Using GeoPDF Maps Offline on Your Phone

  How to get a GeoPDF map onto your phone, see your GPS position on it with no cell signal, and what to check before you lose service.

  Checked November 1, 2026

• Legal Shooting Light Explained, State by State

  What legal shooting light means, how it is worked out from sunrise and sunset, and the general big-game rule in each state with a link to the regulation.

  Checked November 1, 2026

• Moving from Avenza Maps to Cartahaven

  How to bring your own GeoPDFs, tracks and placemarks from Avenza Maps to Cartahaven, and how map publishers can move their catalog.

  Checked November 1, 2026

• How to Georeference a Scanned Paper Map

  Turn a scan or photo of a paper map into a map that shows your GPS position: pick control points, read the fit, and fix a point that is off.

  Checked November 1, 2026

• Planning a Backcountry Trip with USGS Topo Maps

  How to read a USGS 7.5-minute topo quad, find the quads for your route, and carry them offline on your phone with your GPS position.

  Checked November 1, 2026

Looking for something specific? See the help pages, or browse maps.