Paddling maps · works offline
Offline paddling maps for rivers and flatwater
Rivers, named rapids, dams and weirs, boat launches and the land along the banks — downloaded, so the map still works at the bottom of the canyon. Pro adds live flow, tides and Wild & Scenic designations.
Why a paddling map has to work offline
A river corridor is about the worst place there is for cell signal, and a river trip is the one where you cannot simply walk back to the car. What you need on the water is fixed and mappable: where the next rapid is, where the dam is, where the take-out is, and whether the bank you want to stop on is public. All of that is in the downloaded map.
The dams layer deserves a second look. It combines the USACE National Inventory of Dams with mapped weirs and low-head dams, which are easy to miss from upstream. A map is a prompt to scout, not a substitute for it — hazards change with flow and not every one is mapped.
Recording knows a paddle from a ski tour, so speed and distance on the water read sensibly.
What’s on the map for paddlers
- Rivers and streamsFree
The USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
- Whitewater rapidsFree
Named rapids from the USGS national dataset.
- Dams and weirsFree
National Inventory of Dams plus mapped low-head dams.
- Boat launchesFree
Put-ins and take-outs with a ramp.
- Public lands and campgroundsFree
Where you can stop, and where you can stay.
- Stream flowPro
Current discharge from USGS gauges. Live data — needs signal to refresh.
- Wild & Scenic RiversPro
Designated segments and their managing agency.
- Tide stations and water depthPro
NOAA tide predictions and charted depths for coastal paddling. Not for navigation.
Free means free: offline downloads, recording and safety features have no cap and no expiry. See exactly what Pro adds.
Paddling near me
Open the map and it centres on where you are, with the nearest launches, rapids and dams already on. Open the map, or type your town below to go straight to the named trails closest to it.
Find rivers and launches by state
State and county pages count the boat launches and rapids mapped in each, alongside the trails.
Questions about paddling maps
- Are rapids rated by class?
- No. The layer shows named rapids and where they are. Difficulty depends on flow on the day; use a guidebook or local knowledge for class and lines.
- Does it show river mileage or shuttle routes?
- Route planning measures distance along a route you draw, and driving directions to a launch hand off to your maps app. There is no built-in shuttle service listing.
- What needs signal?
- Live stream flow, radar and the temperature overlay. Rivers, rapids, dams, launches, land boundaries and terrain work offline once downloaded.
The full FAQ covers offline packs, recording, subscriptions and data sources.