Where Can Americans Get Away From Cell Service? The onX Escape Index Ranks All 50 States

New analysis and interactive map reveal 674 million acres in the U.S. where cell service ends and untethered adventures begin, with Alaska, Idaho, and Montana leading the rankings.

MISSOULA, Mont. – (October 15, 2026) – Looking for a place to trade notifications for nature? A new analysis from onX, the leader in outdoor digital navigation, identifies the top states where adventurers can disconnect from the digital world and immerse themselves in the natural one. The onX Escape Index also features an interactive map that highlights the signal-free peaks, water bodies, and campgrounds across the country to help the intrepid outdoor enthusiast plan their next offline escape.

 “It may seem unusual for a software company to encourage people to disconnect, but at onX we believe technology should help people experience more of the world around them,” said onX Chief Product Officer, Preethi Ramani. “There’s something deeply satisfying about being fully absorbed in an outdoor pursuit, hearing leaves rustle, feeling the sun on your cheeks, and hearing your heart beat as you reach a place you worked hard to get to. Those moments deserve our full attention, without the constant pull of emails, texts, or social media alerts. We created the Escape Index to help people discover places where they can leave those distractions behind and immerse themselves in the natural world.”

To create the onX Escape Index, the company’s GIS team analyzed its recreation data with FCC-reported carrier coverage data, revealing 674 million acres of signal-free landscapes, representing over a quarter (27.7%) of the country. Inside these acres are:

• 145,174 miles of offline hiking and biking trails
• 714,821 miles of offline motorized trails
• 79,835 offline water bodies to swim and fish
• 38,861 offline mountain peaks to climb
• And 4,303 offline campgrounds to spend the night

onX used this analysis to rank all 50 states by how well they deliver a true signal-free escape. Each state received an Escape Index score based on what percentage of its acreage is offline, how contiguous those offline acres are, how far that land is from the nearest city, and the trails, peaks, water, and campgrounds waiting inside it. The states that came out on top are:

1. Alaska: It’s no surprise that Alaska is an off-grid paradise. Home to 356 million acres with zero cell service. That’s more offline acres than the other 49 states combined. 
2. Idaho: A signal-free hiking and mountain biking playground, home to 11,026 trails. These trails stretch 14,219 miles, with zero bars. 
3. Montana: The most acreage without coverage in the lower 48, with 34 million acres of big sky and little distraction.
4. Maine: 44% of the state is offline, making it the most off-grid state east of the Mississippi River. 
5. Wyoming: Interruptions are unlikely in the country’s least populous state, even more so in its 7.7 million-acre contiguous zone of zero bars. 
6. Nevada: Roughly 80% of the state is public land, and more than a third of the state has no signal. Public land adventure abounds.
7. California: A peak bagger’s offline basecamp, leading the nation with 104,718 miles of off-grid trails and 4,735 signal-free peaks.
8. Oregon: The off-grid, off-roading destination is home to 90,772 motorized trails for untethered overlanding, dirt biking, ATVs and more.
9. Washington: The Evergreen State has something for everyone, touting 5,290 offline water bodies, peaks, and campgrounds. It’s the full offline adventure package. 
10. Utah: All five of Utah’s national parks offer pockets of signal-free immersion. 
11. West Virginia (Honorable Mention): 34% of the Mountain State has no cell signal, second only to Maine in the East.

The best escapes don’t happen by accident; they require a little preparation so you can fully immerse yourself once you’re there. Before setting that out-of-office reply and heading out of service, onX recommends downloading Offline Maps in your app, sharing a plan with someone, and packing plenty of food, water, layers, and safety gear. And because unplugging shouldn’t mean leaving your safety net behind, onX SOS connects users to a 24/7 emergency response team by cellular or satellite messaging, so help (and rescue coverage) is still a few taps away even when the bars disappear.

The full onX Escape Index, including state-by-state rankings and an interactive map to inspire untethered adventures is available now at www.onxmaps.com/escape-index.

Add the map to your website by copying and pasting this code:

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About onX

Founded in 2009, onX is a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation, developing software that helps inform, inspire and empower outdoor recreationists. onX Hunt, onX Offroad, onX Backcountry and onX Fish make up the company’s suite of apps and are built by explorers for explorers. Because off-the-beaten-path experiences are at the heart of what onX does, the company also leads initiatives to protect and expand access to public land. Since 2018, onX has worked with various partners to secure and improve public land access through direct funding and by supporting key legislation with data analysis and research. Learn more.