POCKET PALS Trail Maps - Developed with Colorado Trail Users in Mind

When I moved to Colorado Springs in the early 2000s, I was excited to be living so close to open spaces, parks, the Pike National Forest, and the Rocky Mountains. Colorado offers endless opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, running, backpacking, horseback riding, and simply spending time outdoors.

I have always been an outdoor enthusiast and a fitness-oriented person who loves being outside in nature, breathing fresh air, enjoying the sunshine, and getting in my daily cardio whenever possible. My adventurous spirit really kicks in when I am discovering new outdoor areas and trails. I love exploring and wondering what might be around the next corner.

As I began seeking out adventures in my new backyard playground, I became disappointed with the lack of good trail information for the Pikes Peak region. How many times have you looked forward to an exciting new adventure on the trails of Colorado, only to have trouble finding the trailhead? Or arrived at an unmarked trail intersection with no clear idea which way to go?

Then there were the oversized maps and bulky trail guidebooks that had to be pulled in and out of a backpack over and over again. Or the paper copies of maps and trail descriptions that, after a little sweat, rain, folding, and unfolding, would practically fall apart before the hike was over.

Digital trail information was not always the answer either. Sometimes a trail app did not include the trail I wanted to explore. Other times, the information was incomplete or inaccurate because it had been collected by a random trail user. And often, digital trail maps showed only one trail instead of the full network of nearby and connected trails. During my many trail adventures over the years, these frustrations happened far too often.

That is when I decided there was a real need for better trail maps for Colorado, one of the major outdoor recreation destinations in the United States.

I started POCKET PALS Trail Maps in 2011 to better serve hikers, mountain bikers, runners, backpackers, and equestrians by creating detailed, accurate, and up-to-date trail maps for Colorado. From the beginning, our goal has been to make trail maps that are better designed, more portable, and easier to use in the field.

Our waterproof and tear-resistant paper maps were designed to solve a simple problem: outdoor users needed durable, compact maps that could hold up on the trail. But as technology changed, we knew many trail users also wanted the convenience of digital maps.

In 2017, we began creating digital maps so customers could use POCKET PALS maps on their phones and mobile devices. These digital maps gave trail users another way to carry detailed trail information with them, including the ability to view their location directly on the map when used with a compatible navigation app.

Now, in 2026, we have taken the next step by creating the Pocket Pals MapViewer. Our new MapViewer provides an easier way to access, install, and use our digital maps. Instead of relying on a separate navigation app and manually loading map files, customers can now use our own MapViewer to view purchased digital maps, see their current location on the map, and use the maps offline after being downloaded.

For us, this is an important step forward. We have always believed that good trail maps should be accurate, dependable, and easy to use. Whether you prefer a waterproof paper map in your pocket or a digital map on your phone, our goal is the same: to help you stay oriented, explore with confidence, and enjoy your time on the trail.

It is also helpful that I have always had a natural fascination with maps and cartography. I went on to earn a Master’s degree in GIS (Geographic Information Systems), which involves using computer-generated map layers and related data to conduct a wide variety of geospatial analyses. My skills, interests, and passions all aligned perfectly for this business. POCKET PALS Trail Maps is not just a job for me. It is truly a labor of love.

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, POCKET PALS Trail Maps has produced some of the premier trail maps for Colorado. Our maps are developed with Colorado trail users in mind and are available in both waterproof, tear-resistant paper formats and easy-to-use digital formats.

Find out what else makes our trail maps unique by clicking HERE.

I hope to see you all out on the trails, and thank you for your business.

Happy Trails!

Julie Raber