Create a cycling route
How to Plan a Cycling Route
1. Set Your Starting Point on the Map
How do I set my starting point? Search for an address, city, region, mountain name, or parking area, or use your current location. You can also zoom in on the map to set the start of your bike ride and find convenient parking nearby.
Explorer
2. Set a Time or Distance Limit
Only have 1 hour for your bike ride or want to limit your distance? Enter your limits and see how far you can ride. The calculated area considers elevation and road types for realistic planning.
3. Map Your Cycling Route
I have my trailhead set, how do I draw my bike route? Click or tap once to set your start point, then add waypoints. The route will follow roads and paths suitable for biking. You can undo your last point or return to the start via the shortest path. Prefer miles instead of kilometers? Just change the unit in the header and everything will update instantly.
Generate a Loop Cycling Route
No route in mind? Set a target distance or riding time and let the planner generate a loop cycling route that starts and finishes at your chosen point, following bike-friendly roads. Don't like it? Generate a new loop in one click until it fits your ride.
5. Analyze Elevation Gain for Your Bike Route
View the elevation profile of your route including max and min altitude, total elevation gain and loss, and slope percentage. Easily understand route difficulty before you go.
Categorized Climbs and Elevation Profile
Planning a hilly ride? Every climb on your route is automatically detected and categorized (HC, Cat. 1 to 4) with its length, elevation gain and average and maximum gradient. Read the full elevation profile to pace your ascents and prepare your bike route like a race.
Edit and fine-tune your route
Drag the line to reroute your ride, insert a point with a click, or draw freehand and snap to bike-friendly roads. Reverse the direction, make it an out-and-back, and nudge a point with the arrow keys.
See the surface and terrain of your route
Colour your ride by surface to see how much is paved, gravel or path, highlight the steep sections by slope, and colour each leg of the route.
Add stops and points of interest
Add numbered stops along your ride and drop points of interest with photos. Let the planner suggest supplies, water points and parking near your route.
Explorer
Replay your route in 3D
Watch an immersive 3D fly-over of your bike route, following the climbs and relief. Replay it any time and share a link that plays automatically.
Choose the Best Map for Cycling
Use cycling-friendly maps like OpenCycleMap or outdoor maps to identify bike paths and suitable roads.
Export as GPX, TCX or KML and Sync Your Devices
Export your ride as GPX, TCX or FIT and sync it to your Garmin, Wahoo, COROS or bike computer to follow your route and climbs on the road.
Explorer
Follow Your Ride in Real Time
Track your real-time position and orientation directly on the map using Explorer mode. Stay on your route, navigate easily, and never get lost during your activity.
Plan your bike rides — climbs, distance and terrain
From a Sunday loop to a long training ride, MapPlanner builds cycling routes that match your legs. Preview every climb, the total elevation and the distance, and pick the roads and paths that suit your bike.
- Draw your ride or auto-generate a loop for the distance you want
- Analyse each climb, gradient and total elevation gain before you ride
- Choose road, gravel or quiet lanes with the right surface
- Estimate your ride time and average speed
- Save and reuse your favourite loops and long rides
- Export to GPX for your bike computer
What our Explorer users say
I planned a 5-mile running loop around my neighborhood in minutes. The distance and pace estimate were spot on for my morning run before work.
With the isochrone mode, I plan my hikes in no time! I instantly see how far I can go with my available time. GPS tracking keeps me on trail in the Rockies.
We prepared a 25-mile cycling loop with friends and exported the GPX track. Everyone followed the same route on their Garmin without getting lost. Perfect organization!
Before a hike in Shenandoah, I checked the elevation and duration. The route followed real trails, which saved me from unpleasant surprises. Very reliable!
I wanted an easy walk for my kids. I set a short max distance and MapPlanner helped me create the perfect loop. We had a wonderful family afternoon.
I love planning my outings in advance. I saved several routes for the weekends. It saves me so much time compared to figuring it out on the go.
By exploring the routes around my area, I discovered great trails I didn’t know about. MapPlanner opened new places for me to explore right in my backyard.
I keep track of my progress with the history feature. Comparing my running pace and distance over the months keeps me motivated and accountable.
For our MTB group ride, we created the route and sent the GPX to everyone. Nobody got separated — the whole group stayed together from start to finish.
I love taking photos while hiking. MapPlanner automatically places my pictures on the map. It’s awesome to review the route and share it with friends.
Depending on the activity, I switch the map style: topo for the mountains, street for the city, satellite to scout terrain. It makes route planning super intuitive.
MapPlanner now estimates my times based on my own pace. I know exactly how long my next run will take. Perfect for squeezing in a workout on a tight schedule.
Want to Use All of MapPlanner's Features?
Unlock all premium features and enhance your route planning
Frequently Asked Questions
How far did I run, walk or cycle?
Draw your route on the map and the distance calculator adds up every segment instantly, in kilometres or miles. Move a point to adjust and the total updates live.
How long does it take to walk a mile?
At an average pace of about 3 mph, walking a mile takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes — so 5 miles is about 1h15 to 1h40. Draw your route on the map to get the exact walking time for any distance.
How long does it take to run 5K?
Running a 5K takes about 25 to 35 minutes at a moderate pace, depending on your speed. Draw your route on the map to estimate your time and pace for any distance.
Can I view and import a GPX file?
Yes. Import any GPX, KML or FIT file to view your route on the map, see its distance and elevation profile, edit it and export it again — a free online GPX viewer and editor.
How do I measure the distance between two points on a map?
Click your starting point, then each point along the way. MapPlanner follows the roads and paths and shows the exact distance between them.
Is the map distance calculator free?
Yes. Measuring distance, elevation gain and duration on the map is free and unlimited, with no account required.
Explore routes by destination
Discover community routes near you and get inspired.