Meet the Mapper
Feat. onX Trail Guide Lisa Scott

You’ve seen the trails highlighted in blue on your onX Offroad map–those are our Guided Trails, and they’re exceptionally cool because each one was diligently mapped by one of our Trail Guides. Tapping on one opens an expertly crafted guide full of descriptions, photos, and ratings, kudos to our intrepid mappers. The Trail Guides help elevate our experience in the App, and they collect a ton of epic stories along the way. Our Meet the Mapper series explores who the people behind the trails are, what they drive, and what it’s like chasing off-road adventures.

Author: Lisa Scott + onX Offroad

Get to Know Lisa

Lisa grew up immersed in the outdoors and was always compelled to take her explorations farther. After working as a critical care nurse, she got her truck, packed up her best canine pal and dirtbike, and took to the road. She’s racked up over 3,000 miles through the American Southwest and mapped many trails for onX along the way. When she’s not out running new routes, you’ll find Lisa cooking with her pup at camp, learning Native American history, identifying local flora, and working towards a Wilderness First Responder certification.

Tell us a bit about how and why you got into off-roading.

I got into off-roading because being outside in nature is my happy place.

I enjoy meeting new people, hearing their experiences, checking out their rigs, and making new friends. From a young age, I spent all my time riding dirt bikes, camping with my family, boating, you name it. When I had a stable job and extra money, I bought my ZR2, and the rest is history. Every year, I go on a big trip and recently finished a long road trip through California, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.

How about your rig?

My truck is a ‘18 diesel ZR2 Colorado.

The ZR2 stock is pretty well equipped for off-roading, but I’ve made some minor upgrades–most of which I did myself–including bigger tires (plus fender trimming), Method Wheels, and Baja lights. I have a camper shell with an RTT, and my passenger princess is my 14 year old puppers.

What’s your favorite trail you mapped for onX?

I mapped Zaca Ridge Road on a beautiful, cool Spring day.

The clouds were crazy low but the sun peaked out just a bit. I found a huge gopher snake warming up on the trail, and I carefully moved him off the trail out of harm’s way. It was one of those perfect days when you can feel the seasons shifting, there were wildflowers blooming everywhere.

Zaca Ridge Road

Tell us about a cool experience you’ve had as a Trail Guide.

For the trail submission I am working on now, I was in awe half the time from the scenery, but on one section, there were very few places to turn around, and you were screwed if there was someone coming the opposite direction.

My buddy has a Tacoma with only had rear lockers, and I had to winch himself up a steep, soft, muddy section. I had no problem going up (front and back lockers). I’ll never forget it because it was the first real challenging trail I did.

What’s your favorite thing to cook or eat on the trail?

So many! I love to cook, and cooking outdoors can be a fun challenge.

My favorite meals to cook while camping are spaghetti, pizza, or fajitas. Good tip: left over fajitas make a mean breakfast burrito the next day. On the go, I usually have Trader Joe’s trail mix.

You are given enough money and time to go off-roading anywhere in the world. Where do you go?

It would be awesome to do North America, starting in Alaska and through South America.

We’re grateful for Trail Guides like Lisa, and we love hearing the stories, tips, and tricks they’ve earned on the road.

Follow her adventures on Instagram at @Zena_zr2

Stay tuned to meet more of our mappers

 and follow the link below to learn about the onX Offroad Trail Guide program or apply to join.

Apply to Join

The post Meet the Mapper: Lisa Scott appeared first on onX Offroad.

Wildfire in our American public lands is a very real phenomenon. Causes of wildfire vary, sometimes caused by nature and sometimes caused by humans. Fire itself isn’t necessarily bad for the land, but it can be devastating for communities and our access to recreation. 

Many wildfires can be prevented. Accidents occur and there can be steep penalties, even when mistakes are made. We each hold responsibility to ensure our campfires don’t turn into wildfires, by being informed, and making caution decisions. Read on to hear some of our favorite fire safety tips. 

Know the Restrictions Before You Go

Smokey the Bear was born alongside the Wildfire Prevention Campaign in 1944 and remains the longest-standing public service announcement campaign in U.S. history.

Fire safety ain’t new! But it’s our job to understand fire regulations before we head out to the trails and abide by the laws.

WHAT TO DO:

• Do some Googling of the public lands you’re planning to travel to. Check for seasonal fire updates, fire ban laws, and active fire information. 
• Visit the land management office and ask for information. They’ll know! 
• Pay attention to signs on the roads about fire danger levels and fire bans. 

Wildfire Prevention Tips

It’s easy to think that the sparks from your campfire or vehicle would never cause a wildfire. You’re not that guy.

But, you could be. It’s also easy to forget that many accidental fires are caused by vehicles throwing sparks on dry roads and campsites with tall grasses. Don’t assume your sparks won’t lead to disaster and take extreme caution with your campfires, gear, and routes, especially in the dry Western states.

WHAT TO DO:

• Always carry a fire extinguisher in your rig! 
• Never leave a campfire unattended.
• In regards to campfires, bigger is not always better.
• Never create your own fire ring, use an existing one to avoid creating additional impact on the land.
• Embers can live in a fire pit for many hours. Drown them! 
• Use a propane fire pit as an alternative to a campfire.
• Cook on gas stoves rather than charcoal grills.
• Do not drive over foliage and tall grasses in hot, dry climates. Actually, try to never do this.
• Double check that trailer safety chains aren’t dragging to avoid creating sparks.
• Make sure your rig is running well and be prepared to safely (and carefully!) repair or refuel in the backcountry if needed.  
• And remember, DO NOT have a fire if there is a fire ban. End of story. 

Use onX Offroad’s App Fire Layer

Have you discovered that onX Offroad has a built-in fire layer in the App?

This shows the latest active wildfire perimeters straight from the National Interagency Fire Center so you know where to steer clear of and can make route decisions that could help keep you upwind of especially smoky areas. Note that there are often temporary road closures near active fires to protect the public and let wildland firefighters do their jobs. Watch for signs and read carefully—these can be fast-changing zones! 

WHAT TO DO:

• Click on the Active Wildfire Layer button and zoom in! Check your area and also follow up with the local wildfire authorities to learn more.

Fire Is Natural

We often think of all wildfires as a horrible thing. But it’s a natural part of a forest ecosystem lifecycle. Necessary even.

Fire helps clear out dead litter on forest floors and allows nutrients to return to the soil, creating new growth for many plant species. Some plants in fire-prone areas even require fire (direct or indirect) to germinate and reproduce. Animals can also benefit from this forest refresh, as new growth brings new food sources. So, it’s not all bad. But humans are further developing communities in forested areas and fire is suppressed for long periods of time. Furthermore, drought plagues the west and insect populations like the Mountain Pine Beetle are thriving and causing mass tree death. This combination can make wildfire scary.

WHAT TO DO:

• Remind yourself that you DO NOT want to be the cause of wildfire. Leave that to the lightning storms.

Pro Tip:

“Stay out of the way of active wildfire scenes. You can endanger your life and the lives of first responders by trying to get a closer look. Use the onX Offroad Active Wildfire Layer to avoid wildfires. Never fly a drone near an active wildfire, this can ground air support operations.”

– Melissa Reudelhuber, Social Media Manager — onX Offroad

The post Trails for Tomorrow: Fire Safety appeared first on onX Offroad.

See Nearby Off-Road Trails in 3D

Explore color-coded trails and interactive land boundaries in 3D from your Android mobile device. 3D Mode brings the landscape to life so you can dive into a canyon and check rock crawl areas, climb along a mountain trail to understand the elevation gain, and drop Waypoints along your route to mark junctions, obstacles, or campsites. Remember, tap anywhere on the map to learn more.

Mark, Customize, and Share Waypoints in 3D

Find that perfect parking spot and campsite while in 3D Mode? Now you can easily create a custom Waypoint without having to toggle back and forth between 2D and 3D. All the onX Markups can be created and accessed in 3D Mode. You can create custom Waypoints for exact locations using our icon library and custom colors, and share your secret spots with whoever you’re willing to share them with.

From Desktop to Mobile to In-Dash

Plan your trip on your desktop with onX Offroad’s desktop maps, see color-coded public/private land boundaries in 3D on Android mobile, and navigate interactive trails from your vehicle. .

Elevate Your Planning with 3D Desktop Maps:

Go farther with your adventures when you plan with onX Offroad’s 3D desktop maps. 3D mode brings the trails and terrain to life, so you can customize your adventures exactly to your liking. Drop Waypoints at campsites, trailer parking areas, and swimming holes to mark where you want to explore along the way. All your custom markups and saved data syncs across all your devices for a seamless transition from planning to adventuring. 

Just follow the link below and log in to your onX Offroad app account. On the bottom right side of your map screen, toggle into Satellite Mode then choose 3D.

Navigate Trails in 3D From Your Vehicle’s Dash:

A first-of-its-kind experience in GPS Navigation. onX Offroad Elite members can see their off-road maps in-dash, in 3D when in cell coverage*. Watch landscapes come to life and experience guidebook quality off-road details in the dash of your vehicle. Exclusively available with onX Offroad Elite + Android Auto. 

*When out of service, Elite members will still have access to 2D offline maps in-dash.

Purchase Elite for 3D in Dash

FAQ

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