More and more hikers are carrying a GPS - Global Positioning System - with them. A GPS can help you stay on course as you hike to your destination. It can also track where you've been, how far you've gone, and tally altitude gained and lost.

But like all technological tools, it can help you only if you know how to use it - and you must be prepared if it fails to work when you're on the trail. (Always carry spare batteries with you.) Never rely solely on technology. Know how to navigate without it, and how to reorient yourself if you become lost. A GPS works like a compass: best with a map.

If you do carry a GPS, before starting a hike on a new trail, download key waypoints to the GPS, and use them to plan your route. During the hike you can use the route to estimate distance and travel time. Always have a compass as a backup.

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