10 Apps for Enjoying the Great Outdoors

1. 1. MotionX GPS

   MotionX GPS tracks your location while skiing, hiking, running, sailing, geocaching and more. The best part is that you can map out your trip first and download various topographical maps, which is great for those deep woods without cellphone coverage.

   Price: $0.99

   MotionX GPS is available on iOS. For an Android alternative, check out Backcountry Navigator PRO GPS for $9.99. The app is on the pricey side, but it's incredibly useful for the outdoorsy explorer.

   Image courtesy of MotionX

   

2. 2. Peaks

   Peaks is a great app that utilizes augmented reality to teach you about the landscape. You can hold your phone's camera up to mountains, and by using GPS, the app tells you their names.

   Price: $2.99

   Available on iOS.

   Image courtesy of Peaks

   

3. 3. First Aid

   It's important to know first aid basics when hiking, camping or otherwise being in the wilderness without medical authorities nearby. The First Aid app gives you expert instructions via illustrations, videos and text.

   Price: Free

   Available on Android. For an iOS alternative, see GotoAID, available in a free version and a premium version for $4.99.

   Image courtesy of First Aid

   

4. 4. Army Survial

   Camping isn't as easy as you might think, especially if you're roughing it. The Army Survival app, which is modeled after military survival tactics, teaches you how to make shelter, start a fire and other information for a variety of climates. For the simple adventurer, it's informative; for someone who gets lost in a remote area, it could be the difference between life and death.

   Price: $1.99

   Available on iOS and Android.

   Image courtesy of Army Survival

   

5. 5. What Knot to Do

   Whether you're hiking, rock climbing or sailing, it's useful to know how to tie different knots. Columbia's What Knot to Do app shows illustrations and instructions for knots and their uses.

   Price: Free

   Available on iOS. For an Android alternative, try Knots Guide, which has instructions for 92 different knots in 10 categories.

   Image courtesy of What Knot to Do

   

6. 6. Altitude

   Altitude is an altimeter for your smartphone, measuring height in addition to speed, distance, time, direction of movement, physical address, and maximum and minimum height of your route. You can also view maps and graphs about your routes.

   Price: Free

   Available on Android. For a similar iOS app, check out Elevation Pro ($0.99), which measures your elevation via GPS and USGS data sources.

   Image courtesy of Altitude

   

7. 7. Chimani National Parks

   Chimani's National Parks app has information on 59 national parks around the U.S. You can learn more about your favorite park, create a "passport" when you visit a park and share it on your social networks.

   Price: Free

   Available on iOS and Android.

   Image courtesy of Chimani

   

8. 8. Charity Miles

   Charity Miles helps you earn money and raise awareness for charities by walking, running or biking. You choose a charity, and one of the apps corporate partners "sponsors" you: 10 cents per mile for bikers and 25 cents per mile for walkers and runners.

   Price: Free

   Available on iOS and Android.

   Image courtesy of Charity Miles

   

9. 9. Project Noah

   Project Noah (short for "Networked Organisms and Habitats") lets you explore and document wildlife on your phone. Its main goal is to protect nature and educate people everywhere.

   Project Noah's co-founder told Mashable last year, "Project Noah is what would have happened if Charles Darwin had created Foursquare."

   Price: Free

   Available on iOS and Android.

   Image courtesy of Project Noah

   

10. 10. Surfline

    The ocean is unpredictable, but with the Surfline app, it's easy for surfers to catch the perfect wave. The app has surf reports, forecasts and livestreaming surf cams at 140 beaches in the U.S.

    Price: Free

    Available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

    Image courtesy of Surfline

    

When you think about enjoying the great outdoors, embracing the natural world and soaking up all of the sun's vitamin D, technology doesn't really enter the picture, does it? But using tech and being outside don't have to be mutually exclusive.

There are plenty of mobile apps to help you connect with nature, rather than keeping you glued to your virtual life.

We've put together a gallery of 10 apps that help you to make the most of your outdoor experience — mapping hiking routes, providing surf forecasts and even donating to charity while you exercise. There's something for every adventurer and nature-lover in this list.

What apps do you use outside? Lets us know in the comments below.

Homepage image courtesy of Flickr, Curtis Fry