I also have the Garmin eTrex Vista HCX.

The screen isn't big, but you can see where you've been, so it's not difficult to turn around and "follow the squiggly line" back home. You can also create a "track" using various websites and download it as a .gpx file. Then use the Garmin software to send it to the GPS. I used that method to plot a 4-day tour (up to two tracks per day).

If you want maps, you'll need to purchase the map, and an micro-SD card.