Cool Cave

First Impression

I downloaded Cool Cave a few months back after seeing it had a decent rating in the App Store. I’m always on the hunt for free apps that actually work, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Opening it up, it looked pretty clean. I liked that I could browse a map of local trails and caves right away without having to sign up for anything. That’s a big plus for me—I hate when apps lock basic features behind a login. I spent a solid hour that first night just scrolling around my area, saving a few spots that looked interesting for a future Saturday trip. It felt promising, like I’d finally found a good tool.

What It Does Well

The best thing about this app is the community photos and tips. Last month, I was planning a hike in the Pine Ridge area and saw a user had posted a picture of a cool rock formation that wasn’t listed on any official park map. I never would have found it otherwise. The offline maps feature is also a genuine lifesaver. I used it on a hike where I knew my iPhone 14 would lose service, and having that basic trail line saved my bacon when the path forked in a confusing spot. It’s simple, but it works. I also mess around with the little monthly challenges sometimes, like “log 5 hikes.” It’s a silly bit of motivation that doesn’t cost anything.

Where It Falls Short

The map is seriously buggy, and it ruins the experience. Just last weekend, I was trying to get driving directions to a trailhead the app suggested. The GPS pin was placed in the middle of a residential street about half a mile from the actual parking lot. Worse, when I tried to recalculate the route, the whole app locked up on me. I had to force quit it. The ads are the other huge problem. They’re not just banners; they’re full-screen video ads that blast sound every time you switch between the map and a saved list or check a challenge. It completely pulls you out of the moment and feels incredibly cheap.

Is It Worth the Price?

It’s free, so I guess you get what you pay for. But the way they push the “Pro” subscription feels sneaky. You get a pop-up for it after closing one of those obnoxious video ads. For $5 a month, it promises to remove ads and give you better maps. I’m not paying that. The free version is so unstable that I wouldn’t trust the paid features to work any better. The value just isn’t there for me. I’ll tolerate the ads if the core app is solid, but when the core app is glitchy, the ads become unbearable. They’re basically charging you to fix an experience they broke.

Developer & Support

The developer is listed as Nagwana. I had an issue where all my saved spots vanished after an update. I emailed support through the app. I got an automated reply the next day asking for my device info, which I sent. Then… nothing for a week. I sent a follow-up. Two days later, I got a one-line response that just said “This should be fixed in the next update.” No apology, no explanation. The spots did come back eventually, but the complete lack of helpful communication left a really bad taste in my mouth. It feels like they took my money (well, my data for the ads) and ran.

Privacy & Safety

The app asks for location access, which makes sense for a hiking map. I only give it permission while I’m using the app, not “always.” It also wanted access to my photos to let me upload my own, which I denied. I’m not super comfortable with that. The privacy policy is a typical long legal document; I skimmed it and it talks about sharing data with advertisers, which is obvious given all the ads. I don’t think it’s doing anything super shady, but it’s definitely tracking what you look at to serve those ads. For trail safety, I wouldn’t rely solely on its buggy map data. Always have a backup plan.