Garmin Nuvi

Greyhunter

Greyhunter

New member
For those that have a Garmin Nuvi, does it show the 2 track roads that are on remote BLM land?

I'm looking at buying a Nuvi 205 or 205w and then uploading topos. I havent found a custom map that states they show 2 track roads yet, maybe the standard unit already does?
 
NO real help here however I seem to recall seeing at least ONE(1) two-track on a large private WY ranch on my Garmin C340.

I have no explanation but perhaps was an old abandoned Farm[or ranch] to Market or other road at one time.

Have used Garmin's eTrex Vista HCx, DeLorme's Atlas and Gazetteer and purchased BLM maps in WY..and still possible to get turned around...big country and road markings on the ground may NOT correspond to any navigation aids.

After all that I'd be guessing no two-tracks to speak of on your Garmin...or a custom map unless drawn by a landowner who likes you.
 
I have a referbished Nuvi 660 and recently took it to Maine fishing. It showed a lot of the secondary logging roads but not all of them. I think it depanded on how old they were and if the logging company had the road maintained when the map was made.

Some times we would be heading down a road and there was nothing on the GPS unit but open space. We ended up putting in out own way pionts for these areas just in case.
 
I have used the BLM maps in WY and they were very good about showing the 2 track roads. The problem we sometimes had was determining which 2 track on the map was the one in front of us. In some areas there are alot of them and they can be hard to ID on the maps, it would be nice if the Nuvi would pinpoint which one you were on.
 
Greyhunter,

The 200 and 205 most likely will not display what you want, it is more for highway use. I had one and it did not even show my driveway that has been established for more than 15 years. My Garmin Oregon 400T shows some but not all of the secondary and 2 tracks. Hope this helps.

Boom
 
Do not buy the NUVI 205's, they will not display topo maps for off highway use. The NUVI 550 is a hybrid touch screen for both highway and off highway use that will. It is possible to download free Garmin compatible topo maps from this website www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps and install them onto a micro SD card for the NUVI 550 using the Mapsource program. I have done it. These free maps are better than what Garmin sells. They are 1:24,000 scale topo maps with contour lines at 40 foot intervals with land status shading for all Federal Lands. They show the 2 track roads on BLM, road numbers,etc. These free maps can be installed in most of the Garmin GPS units. The trade off on the NUVI 550 is that battery life is about 6 hours in the field compared to a mapping handheld GPS like the e-trex VISTA HCx will go about 20 hours.
 
Shoot, I was hoping the 205 would. The Oregon is more dough than I'm looking to spend for my limited use. A buddy has an I-phone and it looked like it showed the 2 tracks I was looking for, but I dont have one, nor would I probably have the cell service to use it when there.

Am A Knight, the 205 looks to have a micro SD slot. Couldnt you download the same maps to the 205 as you could the 550?
 
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Totally agree with Am A Knight.

I have the 260 and have done the same thing. Just make sure the unit is topo compatable and then you can download the 24k maps.
 



Originally Posted By: GreyhunterAm A Knight, the 205 looks to have a micro SD slot. Couldnt you download the same maps to the 205 as you could the 550?

No, and I have tried it. The NUVI 200's series are not designed to accept topo software. Generally, if Garmin shows a GPS unit will accept their Mapsource Topo US 2008 product, it will operate topo software. Need to step up to a NUVI 500 series to have that ability. The cheapest supplier I found for a NUVI 550 is $296.51 w/free shipping at https://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?item=1802AA&GEN0=Y

Hope this helps.
 
Originally Posted By: am_a_knightDo not buy the NUVI 205's, they will not display topo maps for off highway use. The NUVI 550 is a hybrid touch screen for both highway and off highway use that will. It is possible to download free Garmin compatible topo maps from this website www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps and install them onto a micro SD card for the NUVI 550 using the Mapsource program.

Knight,
According to the forum on that site, it is possible to download and display topos on the Nuvi's such as the 205 etc. There are several posts in reference to it, such as...
http://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php/topic,124.0.html

It sounds like the key is disabling CityNavigator or whatver Garmin calls its basemap, and that allows you to view the topos. You say you tried that with no luck? My next question then is, do you disable Garmins basemap right on the unit in the field, or do you have to do it via computer and thus not have the basemap while enroute to your hunt area?
 
I stand corrected. Looks like the NUVI 205 can handle topo maps afterall. I do not know how to disable City Navigator on a NUVI. That's probably why the topo map set did not display when I tried to install it. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
 
Well you've been plenty helpfull by just linking up that site, some good stuff there for GPS. I'll have a 205W enroute shortly. Hopefully I can get all the maps installed correctly, if not I've got a local compu-nerd on speed dial.
 
FYI, I just bought the 255w at amazon for $149. I had it out in SD and it showed many roads that I didn't expect to see on the gps.
 
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Thats good to know. I ordered a 205W today, $150 shipped from WallyWorld. For some dumb reason they were $40 cheaper on their website than in the store 8 miles away.
 
Greyhunter, let us know how it works out.
I've got a 205w and it sure would be nice to have the topo capability on the January NM hunt.
 


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