Updating the Trailforks maps?

I think we're at the mercy of two things. 

1. How often Trailforks updates their basemaps.   For example, let's say you add a new trail to the Trailforks database.  It's available for all to see on the Trailforks mobile app.  However, Trailforks does have their own Garmin compatible basemaps that you can manually download per state (after donating to a local club).  The trail you had just created will not be available on these basemaps until Trailforks decides to run an update to their basemaps.  This could be quarterly, bi-annually, annually....not too sure.  I think their pages goes into more details but I don't think they get updated that often.  And now that they're working directly *with* Garmin I'm not sure if this changes anything for their own basemaps.  

2. How often Garmin updates their TF basemaps.  I'm not sure if they pull the data from the trailforks database directly, or if they go based on what is available in the Trailforks Garmin basemaps (which could be a little bit behind).  If it's the ladder, this could lead to more delay.  

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To answer your question I don't think you can do anything to update it, unless you were to download a Garmin map creation tool and manually append the lines.  I've done this, but not to an official Garmin basemap...I don't think I'd even attempt this for fear of what issues it would create.  You could create your own 3rd party map with a gpx to img tool.  I used to do this, but to me it's no longer worth it since TF basemaps have most of the data.  I found I was wasting too much time doing all the legwork for this.  So now - I'll just look ahead of time at the Trailforks website next to my Garmin, download the GPX files from Trailforks for the maps that aren't yet in the basemap, then go into your Garmin route settings and mark them each as 'Always visible' so they will at least show up as a reference line for the missing trails. 

Also, here is the link to the TF Garmin maps. 

https://www.trailforks.com/tools/garminmaps/

Yeah, maps are usually updated as Garmin updates, I believe.

I had almost forgot - I was one of the early buyers of the 830 and there was a Garmin Express update on the Trailforks map.   So the updates *do* come from Garmin.  But as mentioned in my earlier response - not sure what all that entails.  And not sure if / how often they plan to update as I've never seen this answered by Garmin directly. 

I have no doubt TF updates more regularly than Garmin. I seem to recall seeing something on another forum that indicated updates every couple of weeks. But once the TF basemap is updated for a state, couldn’t I just download the state map and manually put it into the Garmin folder?  I know TF requires a donation prior to downloading a map. Does the donation have to be made every time, or is it a one time donation? Or could it be a one time per state donation? 

Once per state, lifetime download for the state you own.  I don't think they update those every few weeks tho.  I could be wrong but I thought it was at most a couple times a year.