Garmin Expands Outdoor Maps+ with Enhanced Features and Global Updates

Source: Garmin

Garmin has announced a significant update to its premium mapping service, Outdoor Maps+, introducing new features aimed at enhancing the outdoor navigation experience for users. The service, which is available worldwide through an annual subscription, now includes expanded content for the U.S., Canada, and Europe, designed to provide more comprehensive information for outdoor enthusiasts using Garmin’s smartwatches and handheld devices.

Among the key updates for U.S. customers is the inclusion of Heritage Points, which offer detailed locations of historical landmarks such as castles, forts, lighthouses, and religious sites. This update is complemented by enhanced campground data, providing information on available amenities across the U.S. and Canada.

Additional U.S. updates include:

• DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Points: This feature highlights notable natural formations, outdoor recreational activities, and family-friendly destinations, including national and state parks, forests, and fishing or hunting spots.
• USFS Points: Users can access comprehensive data on United States Forest Service locations, encompassing sites for camping, hiking, and outdoor learning.
• LTE Voice Coverage: The update integrates a map layer detailing voice coverage across U.S. regions for major wireless carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, UScellular, and T-Mobile.
• Building Data: Expanded coverage now includes 2D building footprints across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, aiding in route planning and location pinpointing.

For European users, the update introduces detailed raster maps, which display trailheads, camping areas, and points of interest from leading data providers in France, Switzerland, and other European regions. Furthermore, Garmin has extended its relief shading feature, offering more detailed visual representations of elevation changes across a wider range of European countries.

Outdoor Maps+ is available for an annual subscription of $49.99. Existing subscribers can update their devices by enabling automatic updates through the Garmin Connect app or Garmin Express software.

Take Out

Some nice updates here for those who need or want them.

The thing that stood out for me was the mapping of LTE Voice Coverage. Perhaps that’s a hint of incoming LTE features from Garmin.