Create a hiking route
How to Plan a Hiking Route
1. Set Your Starting Point on the Map
How do I set my trailhead? 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 define your hiking starting point and locate nearby parking for easy access.
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2. Set a Time or Distance Limit
Only have 1 hour for your hike or want to limit your distance? Enter your constraints and see how far you can go. The zone takes elevation, terrain, and hiking speed into account for accurate distance estimation.
3. Draw Your Hiking Route on the Map
I have my trailhead set, how do I draw my hike or trail route? Click or tap once to set your start point, then add waypoints. The route will follow roads, forest paths, and trails. 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 Hiking Route
No trail in mind? Set a target distance or duration and let the planner generate a loop hiking route that starts and finishes at your starting point, following trails and paths. Not ideal? Generate a new loop in one click until it matches the hike you want.
5. View Elevation Gain and Trail Slope
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.
Technical Difficulty and Multi-Day Trek
Is the trail within your reach? The planner rates the technical difficulty of the terrain (easy, technical, very technical) from the maximum gradient, on top of the effort level. Planning a long trek? Set a distance or time per day and it splits your route into daily stages with overnight and bivouac stops, showing each day's distance and elevation gain.
Edit and fine-tune your route
Drag the line to reroute your hike, insert a point on the trail, or draw freehand and snap to paths. Turn it into an out-and-back, undo any change, and nudge a waypoint with the arrow keys for precision.
See the surface and terrain of your route
Colour your trail by surface to see the share of path, trail and road, spot the steep sections by slope, and give each leg its own colour.
Add stops and points of interest
Add numbered stops, bivouacs and overnight stops along your hike, and drop points of interest with photos. Let the planner suggest water points, mountain huts, shelters and viewpoints near your trail.
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Replay your route in 3D
Watch an immersive 3D fly-over of your hike, following the mountains and relief. Replay it any time and share a link that plays automatically.
Choose the Best Map for Hiking and Trails
Use detailed maps like USGS Map, OpenTopoMap, OS Maps, or SwissTopo to analyze terrain, trails, and elevation for your hike.
Export as GPX, TCX or KML and Sync Your Devices
Export your hike as GPX or KML for your GPS, or print a PDF roadbook with the map, elevation profile, numbered waypoints and daily stages to take on the trail.
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Follow Your Hike 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 hikes from A to Z — over one day or several
MapPlanner makes hike planning simple and practical, whether it's a half-day loop or a multi-day trek. Trace your itinerary on the map, break it into stages, and know exactly what to expect before you set off.
- Find the best trail for your level and the terrain, following waymarked hiking routes and paths
- Plan every stage of a multi-day hike and split your route day by day
- Mark each point of interest — viewpoints, huts, water sources, campsites
- Add photos to your route to remember the best spots and share them
- Check elevation gain, difficulty and estimated hiking time before you go
- Export your hike as a GPX file for your GPS watch or phone
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?
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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.
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