I'm wanting a GPS that has forest service roads on it. How do I go about that? Do they come with that info straight out of the box?

 

My Garmin, model Quest II, that I use on my ATV in Northern Wisconsin had a lot of the forest roads on it. I don't know if it had them all, but sure had plenty. I would contact the GPS mfg and ask.

 

Or check out a demo at a sport store......

 

I use my GPS on my ATV's and hiking, and also on my R1200GS Adventure.

I also wanted topo information/forest service road maps, and the ability to also find addresses or motels or whatever, all in one unit.

I went with a Garmin 76CSx. I think it was mainly intended for boaters, because it floats and is waterproof.

Anyway, they come stock with just a base map of main highways. I bought a big memory card and I put in City Navigator and US Topo maps. Both programs install on your computer, and you select which regions on what maps you want and upload them to the GPS.

It doesn't speak, but on my MC I wouldn't hear it anyway. Other than that it really works well for what I want.

It does display most minor roads when set to display Topo maps, but it won't give you turn by turn directions unless you are on a road that shows up on the city navigator map.

 

Not sure about the other brands, but as said above, Garmins come with a base US highway/street map, exit info on the Interstates (food, fuel, hospitals, etc). You have to buy the US Topo separately, load that into your computer and then download the areas you want topo and forest roads. Out west here, it has most of the marked forest roads and a few that aren't numbered, but with the topo, it's pretty easy to figure out where you're going even if you're on a trail that's not on the gps.

 

My gamin has "some" forest service roads. there are some that are missing.

 

Thanks guys, looks like its a hit or miss. I've decided to scrap the GPS idea because I don't want to be stuck with something that won't work like I think it should and be out $$$$. I guess I'll do it the old fashioned way...get a map!!!!

 

dont give up hope yet.

What are you looking at?
With garmin, you have the option to load other maps onto the GPS.
Also, take a look at MS Street & Trips. you can download a trial version of the software to see what roads are available. the full version with a gps reciever is abou $100. but you need your laptop with you.

 

I really haven't looked yet other than what I've learned here and what Best Buy told me. She said that to get one that would run on 12V would be $140 and it "might" have the data and it "might not" but I could buy software that "might" have the roads I was looking for. Actually, I don't think she even knew what a forest service road was but I would hate to dump all this money into something and it still not be what I want. I'll keep looking but for this trip I'll just stick to the ole map...maybe Santa will bring me one????

 

My wife and I went to Wolf Pen Gap in Mena, Ar for our honeymoon about two years ago. We used our Garmin to get us around and I dind't realize I dind't have the "avoid unpaved roads" option checked off. Needless to say we had a VERY scenic ride through the national forestry roads. We got pretty deep into them. Being from the city and never having seen anything like that, it was quite an experience. That asside, our Garmin did very well in these roads. As others said, I wouldn't say they have them all, but at least in that area it was very detailed.

 

Looking at Mapsource (I think you can get it from garmin, but I dont think you get the maps) it lists all the county roads around the area. There are some that are missing.

The thing I use my gps for alot if finding the way out. Im out running around. logging my path and run low of fuel, I can put it to find fuel and it points me in the right direction.

 

Thats good to know since thats pretty much where we ride. I'm heading to the Mulberry River in the morning and will stop off in Ozark at the forestry service's office and get a free map.