Quick Summary
🛤️ GPS Tracks (Preferred)
- • Actual GPS breadcrumb trail
- • Precise point-by-point path
- • Perfect for off-road navigation
- • Shows exact path taken
- • Consistent across all devices
📍 Routes (Auto-Converted)
- • List of waypoints to visit
- • Device calculates path between points
- • Often follows roads, not trails
- • May vary between devices
- • RideMerge converts to tracks
GPS Tracks vs Routes: The Complete Guide
Understanding the difference between GPS tracks and routes is crucial for safe and accurate off-road navigation. This guide explains why tracks are superior for trail sharing and how RideMerge handles both formats.
Table of Contents
1. The Fundamentals
🛤️ GPS Tracks
A GPS track is like a breadcrumb trail - it's the actual path someone took, recorded as a series of GPS coordinates with timestamps.
Key Characteristics:
- Precise Path: Shows exactly where someone walked, rode, or drove
- Dense Points: Hundreds or thousands of GPS coordinates
- Time-Stamped: Each point includes when it was recorded
- Elevation Data: Often includes altitude information
- Consistent: Same path displayed on any GPS device
Perfect for: Hiking trails, mountain bike paths, off-road routes, any non-road navigation
📍 Routes
A route is a list of waypoints (destinations) that you want to visit. Your GPS device calculates the path between these points.
Key Characteristics:
- Waypoint List: Just the key points you want to visit
- Calculated Paths: Device figures out how to get between points
- Road-Based: Usually follows roads and established paths
- Variable: Different devices may calculate different paths
- Planning Tool: Great for navigation planning, not precise guidance
Best for: Road navigation, city driving, general waypoint navigation
Think of it this way:
🛤️ A Track is like...
Following footprints in the sand. You can see exactly where someone walked, step by step, including where they stumbled, took shortcuts, or avoided obstacles.
📍 A Route is like...
Getting directions to visit several stores in town. You know where to go, but your GPS decides the best path between stops based on roads and traffic.
2. Why Tracks Are Superior for Off-Road Navigation
🎯 Precision & Accuracy
Tracks show the exact path taken, including every twist, turn, and deviation. This is crucial for:
- • Navigating narrow singletrack trails
- • Finding the correct path through complex trail systems
- • Avoiding dangerous or impassable sections
- • Following seasonal route variations
🔄 Consistency Across Devices
A track looks identical on every GPS device, app, and platform. Routes can vary dramatically:
- • Garmin might choose one path between waypoints
- • Your phone's GPS app might choose a completely different path
- • Tracks eliminate this guesswork entirely
⚠️ Safety Considerations
This is critical: Routes can lead you onto dangerous or inappropriate paths:
- • May route through private property
- • Could suggest roads where trails exist
- • Might miss seasonal closures or hazards
- • Can create paths through impassable terrain
Safety Rule: For off-road activities, always prefer tracks from someone who has actually completed the route successfully.
📊 Rich Data & Context
Tracks contain valuable information that routes simply can't provide:
- • Speed variations: See where to slow down
- • Elevation profiles: Understand the climb difficulty
- • Time stamps: Know how long sections take
- • Direction changes: Spot tricky navigation points
- • Stop points: See where others rested
- • Surface types: Implied by speed and direction
3. How RideMerge Handles Routes
🔄 Automatic Route Conversion
When you upload a GPX file containing routes, RideMerge automatically converts them to tracks using the Mapbox driving profile. This ensures consistency and provides a usable path.
⚠️ Important Limitation:
The conversion uses road-based routing. If your original route was intended for off-road use, the converted track may follow roads instead of trails. Always verify the converted path matches your intended route.
What RideMerge Does
- ✅ Detects route data in GPX files
- ✅ Converts routes to tracks using Mapbox
- ✅ Preserves original route data
- ✅ Shows conversion warnings
- ✅ Maintains waypoint information
- ✅ Creates browsable track data
What You Should Do
- ✅ Upload actual GPS tracks when possible
- ✅ Verify converted routes match your intent
- ✅ Check that paths follow trails, not roads
- ✅ Edit track details if conversion is imperfect
- ✅ Add notes about any route limitations
- ✅ Consider re-recording as a true track
The Conversion Process
Detection
RideMerge analyzes your GPX file and identifies route waypoints
Route Calculation
Mapbox calculates the best path between waypoints using driving/walking profiles
Track Creation
The calculated path becomes a series of GPS points (a track)
Warning & Preservation
RideMerge shows a warning and preserves the original route data
4. Technical GPX Details
Track GPX Structure
<gpx>
<trk>
<name>My Trail</name>
<trkseg>
<trkpt lat="40.7128" lon="-74.0060">
<ele>10</ele>
<time>2024-01-15T10:00:00Z</time>
</trkpt>
<trkpt lat="40.7129" lon="-74.0061">
<ele>11</ele>
<time>2024-01-15T10:00:05Z</time>
</trkpt>
<!-- Hundreds more points... -->
</trkseg>
</trk>
</gpx>Key elements: Dense trackpoints with lat/lon, elevation, and timestamps
Route GPX Structure
<gpx>
<rte>
<name>My Route</name>
<rtept lat="40.7128" lon="-74.0060">
<name>Start Point</name>
</rtept>
<rtept lat="40.7150" lon="-74.0080">
<name>Waypoint 1</name>
</rtept>
<rtept lat="40.7200" lon="-74.0100">
<name>End Point</name>
</rtept>
</rte>
</gpx>Key elements: Sparse route points - just the key waypoints to visit
Typical File Characteristics
🛤️ GPS Track Files
- • Size: 50KB - 2MB+ (depending on length/duration)
- • Points: 500-10,000+ GPS coordinates
- • Data density: Point every 1-10 seconds
- • Accuracy: 3-5 meter precision
📍 Route Files
- • Size: 1-10KB (very small)
- • Points: 5-50 waypoints
- • Data density: Only key destinations
- • Accuracy: Depends on routing algorithm
5. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I upload route files to RideMerge?
Yes! RideMerge accepts GPX files containing routes and automatically converts them to tracks. You'll see a warning message explaining that the route was converted, and the system preserves your original route data while creating a navigable track.
Why does my converted route follow roads instead of trails?
RideMerge uses Mapbox's routing engine, which primarily uses road and path networks. If your original route waypoints were intended for off-road travel, the conversion may suggest road-based paths between waypoints.
Solution: For off-road activities, try to obtain or create actual GPS tracks instead of routes.
How do I create a GPS track instead of a route?
To create a GPS track, you need to actually travel the path with a GPS device or smartphone app that records your movement. Popular options include Garmin devices, Gaia GPS, AllTrails, Strava, or even basic smartphone GPS apps.
What's the difference between a waypoint and a trackpoint?
Waypoint: A destination or point of interest you want to visit. Used in routes.
Trackpoint: A GPS coordinate recorded during actual movement. Used in tracks.
Are converted routes safe to follow?
Converted routes should be used with caution. Always review the suggested path before following it, especially for:
- • Off-road or wilderness activities
- • Mountain biking or hiking
- • Any activity where precise navigation matters
Remember: Converted routes may not account for trail closures, seasonal conditions, or private property.
Can I edit a converted route?
Once a route is converted to a track, it becomes a series of GPS points that can be viewed and shared like any other track. However, you cannot edit the individual GPS points through RideMerge. If the conversion isn't accurate, consider uploading a proper GPS track instead.
Which GPS devices create tracks vs routes?
Devices that typically create tracks:
- • Most Garmin GPS units (when recording activity)
- • Smartphone GPS apps (Strava, AllTrails, Gaia GPS)
- • Fitness watches and activity trackers
- • Any device in "recording" or "activity" mode
Devices/software that typically create routes:
- • Route planning software (BaseCamp, Route Planner apps)
- • GPS units when using "route planning" features
- • Online mapping tools when planning trips
6. Best Practices
📤 When Uploading Tracks
- ✅ Prefer actual GPS tracks over planned routes
- ✅ Record the entire journey including approach and exit
- ✅ Use appropriate recording intervals (1-5 seconds for trails)
- ✅ Include elevation data when possible
- ✅ Add detailed descriptions about trail conditions
- ✅ Note any hazards or closures you encountered
🧭 When Using Downloaded Tracks
- ✅ Review the entire track before starting your trip
- ✅ Check upload date - older tracks may have outdated information
- ✅ Read track descriptions for important details
- ✅ Have backup navigation methods available
- ✅ Verify the track matches your intended route
- ✅ Pay attention to conversion warnings
⚠️ When You See Route Conversion Warnings
- ⚠️ Carefully review the converted path - does it make sense?
- ⚠️ Check if the route follows roads vs trails
- ⚠️ Look for missing segments or impossible connections
- ⚠️ Consider the original creator's intent
- ⚠️ Use extra caution in unfamiliar territory
- ⚠️ Have alternative navigation ready
🛡️ Safety Reminders
- 🛡️ Never rely solely on digital navigation
- 🛡️ Carry paper maps and compass as backup
- 🛡️ Tell someone your planned route and return time
- 🛡️ Check current trail conditions and closures
- 🛡️ Understand your GPS device's limitations
- 🛡️ Practice using your navigation tools before heading out
Ready to Navigate with Confidence?
Now that you understand the difference between GPS tracks and routes, you're equipped to make better navigation decisions and share more accurate trail information with the RideMerge community.