iOS 18 brings exciting new features to Apple Maps for adventure seekers

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Apple has just rolled out iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and watchOS 11, and with these updates, Apple Maps is getting a bunch of new features to make exploring and discovering favorite spots even better.

Apple Maps launches new ways to navigate and explore the world

Now, users can explore thousands of hiking trails across US national parks, from Acadia in Maine to Yosemite in California and Denali in Alaska, right on their iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.To help you pick the perfect hike, you can sort trails by type, length, and elevation and follow turn-by-turn directions to stay on track. You can even download trails to use offline and sync them to your Apple Watch. Plus, Apple Maps now features shuttle schedules for some parks, like Bryce Canyon and Sequoia.

You can explore a vast selection of hikes in US national parks right from your iPhone. | Image credit – Apple

You can now also access topographic maps for the US and Japan on your iPhone and Apple Watch, which showcase intricate details like contour lines and trail information.

Apple Maps is the best way to navigate and explore the world, and we’re excited to make that experience even better for our users with today’s updates. Maps makes it easy and enjoyable to plan any journey, with beautiful, detailed, and useful features that only Apple can deliver.

– Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services, September 2024

Moreover, for the first time ever, you can create and save custom hiking and walking routes, no matter where you are. Whether plotting a scenic stroll through a new city or planning a trek through a nearby nature reserve, you can tailor your route to your liking. Plus, once you sync these routes to your Apple Watch, you can access them even if you’re off the grid, away from cell service or Wi-Fi.

On top of that, with the new Places Library on your iPhone and iPad, you can save all kinds of locations – from curated Maps Guides and national park hikes to your custom routes – and even jot down personal notes about each one.

On your iPhone, you can now save places in a brand-new Places Library. | Image credit – Apple

The search experience has also been upgraded, letting you quickly find and compare places. From the search page, you can browse through photos, ratings, and price levels. Plus, the revamped “Search here” button simplifies exploring a specific area for nearby gems like restaurants and coffee shops.

 
In my opinion, all these new features really boost the user experience on the app, especially the ability to create custom hiking and walking routes. And I think it’s great to see Apple stepping up its game with Maps, especially considering the stiff competition from Google Maps and Waze.