Skip to main content
viewmygpx

How to open a GPX file in AllTrails

AllTrails accepts GPX uploads through its Custom Maps feature on the web — but only on the paid AllTrails+ subscription. The free tier is search-and-browse-only against AllTrails' community-curated trail database; it does not accept custom GPX uploads. Sign in to AllTrails+, navigate to Custom Maps, click Create Custom Map, and import your .gpx — the route saves to your account and syncs to the mobile app for offline use.

Try it — drop a GPX file

The viewer below runs in your browser. Drop a .gpx, see the route, then upload to AllTrails+ on the web (the chip is not pre-wired since AllTrails import is a paid feature).

Drop your GPX file here

or browse to choose

Don't have a GPX handy?TryShort hike5 km · AcadiaMarathon42 km · roadCycling50 km · CA

Parsed locally · never uploaded

AllTrails+ vs free — what changes for GPX users

GPX upload is gated to AllTrails+. The free tier is useful for different things — searching curated trails, reading reviews, seeing photos. But for importing a custom route from a GPX file you got somewhere else, AllTrails+ is required. The relevant feature differences:

  • Free tier: browse AllTrails' trail database, save trails to favorites, view photos and reviews, record activities on the mobile app. No custom GPX import, no offline maps, no map downloads, ads in the mobile app.
  • AllTrails+: all of the above plus custom GPX import (the topic of this guide), offline map downloads for both curated trails and custom routes, wrong-turn alerts on the mobile app, real-time location sharing, ad-free.

For occasional GPX use without paying for AllTrails+, the free alternatives are Komoot, Strava, Garmin Connect, and Ride with GPS — all of which accept GPX uploads on their free tiers (offline use is gated behind paid tiers on most, similar to AllTrails).

Steps

  1. Open viewmygpx and drop the GPX onto the viewer. Visit viewmygpx.com and drag the .gpx in. Verify the route looks right before sending it to AllTrails.
  2. Sign in to AllTrails with an AllTrails+ subscription. Free-tier signups can browse curated trails but cannot import custom GPX. Upgrade at alltrails.com/plus.
  3. Navigate to Custom Maps. From the navigation menu, find Custom Maps. The exact location moves between AllTrails redesigns; if the link isn't in the top nav, look under your account avatar dropdown.
  4. Click Create Custom Map, then choose Import GPX. The import dialog opens.
  5. Drop the .gpx file or browse for it. AllTrails processes the file and renders the route on its base map. Distance and elevation are recomputed against AllTrails' DEM.
  6. Add a title and description. Save. The custom map appears under Custom Maps in your account.
  7. Sync to the mobile app for offline use. Open AllTrails on iPhone or Android with the same account. The custom map appears in the Custom Maps section. Tap Download for Offline to use without cell service.

What AllTrails does well with imported GPX

  • Trail-context overlays. AllTrails shows your custom route on top of its trail database — useful for spotting where your route intersects established trails, where there are connector paths, where the underlying trail network is denser than your file suggests. None of the other GPX-import platforms have AllTrails' community-mapped trail depth.
  • Wrong-turn alerts on the mobile app. While following a custom map, AllTrails+ alerts you when you stray more than a configurable distance off the route. Useful for unmarked-junction terrain where you might miss a turn.
  • Offline downloads with high-quality imagery. AllTrails' offline maps include topographic contours, satellite imagery, and the trail network — a richer offline experience than most other platforms' free tiers.
  • Family / friend route sharing. Custom maps can be shared with another AllTrails+ account; the recipient can download the map offline and follow it on their phone.
  • Activity recording on top of the route. The mobile app can record a new activity while following your custom map, capturing your actual time, pace, and deviations from the planned line.

What AllTrails handles less well

  • Cycling-specific workflows. AllTrails is hike-first. Cycling routes work but lack the cycling-specific affordances of Komoot or Ride with GPS — no cue sheets, no cycling-specific surface classification, no head-unit push to Garmin or Wahoo.
  • Off-trail / cross-country routes. AllTrails renders the polyline as-is, but the wrong-turn alerts and offline-map context are weakest in unmapped terrain. For backcountry, Gaia GPS is more honest about the limits of its data.
  • Activity logging social feed. The activity-feed surface is thinner than Strava's; for fitness-focused users who want to see followers' recent activities, Strava is the more natural primary account with AllTrails as a secondary tool for trail context.
  • Free tier exclusion. The GPX-import-requires-AllTrails+ gate is a real friction point — every other major GPX platform (Strava, Komoot, Garmin, RWGPS) accepts uploads on free tiers and gates other features. For occasional GPX users, AllTrails+ is a relatively expensive subscription for one feature.

Common pitfalls

"Custom Maps" option missing from the menu

Confirm you're signed in with an AllTrails+ subscription and not just a free account. The Custom Maps feature does not appear in free-tier UIs. Account → Subscription should show AllTrails+ active.

File rejected with parse error

AllTrails' parser is fairly tolerant but rejects files with non-standard GPX 2.x namespaces (no published 2.0 schema) or hand-edited XML with malformed tags. Open the file in the viewmygpx viewer first; if it parses there, downloading the re-saved GPX from viewmygpx's editor often fixes the issue.

Custom map doesn't sync to the mobile app

Force-quit and reopen the AllTrails mobile app while signed into the same account. Custom Maps sync on app launch; if the sync was interrupted, restarting it usually pulls the new map down within a few seconds. Confirm the account in the app matches the one you uploaded under.

Elevation totals look very different from the GPX

AllTrails recomputes against its DEM by default. To compare against the file's recorded elevation, drop the GPX into the viewmygpx viewer — the stats panel shows the file's own values. Both numbers are valid for different definitions of elevation gain; AllTrails' DEM-based number tends to be lower than GPS-altimeter recordings because it smooths out measurement noise.

Wrong-turn alerts going off too aggressively

The alert distance is configurable in the AllTrails+ mobile app settings. For routes on narrow trails or in canyons where GPS jitter is high, increase the threshold. For straight paved sections where small drift triggers false alerts, the same fix applies.

Alternatives

  • Komoot for free GPX import with voice navigation. Free tier accepts uploads; offline maps are gated similarly to AllTrails+ but voice navigation is included. Strongest for cycling and hiking on mapped routes.
  • Strava for fitness tracking with route following. Activity-focused; the social feed and segment matching are unique. Free tier accepts GPX uploads.
  • Gaia GPS for backcountry and unmapped terrain. Strongest for off-trail routes; topo overlays, USGS quads, no platform opinions about what a trail should look like. Subscription required for full features.
  • The viewmygpx viewer for a quick preview. No account, no subscription, nothing uploaded. Drop the file, see the route, leave.
Is AllTrails free for GPX uploads?

No. GPX upload is an AllTrails+ paid feature. The free tier is search-and-browse only — it shows AllTrails' database of community-mapped trails but does not let you import a custom GPX. Confirmed by AllTrails' published feature comparison: 'Custom Maps' (the import feature) is gated to AllTrails+. If you don't subscribe, the realistic alternatives for getting a GPX onto a phone are Komoot, Strava, Gaia GPS, or any of the other platforms that do support free GPX import.

What does AllTrails do that other GPX-import platforms don't?

Community-curated trail database. AllTrails has photos, written reviews, and condition reports for hundreds of thousands of trails across the US, Europe, and beyond. After uploading a custom GPX, you can compare your route against the community-mapped trail in the same area — useful for spotting where your route diverges from the established trail, where alternative trail networks intersect, or where conditions reports apply. The other platforms (Strava, Komoot, RWGPS) don't have AllTrails' depth of community-content per trail.

Will my elevation data from the GPX show up correctly?

AllTrails recomputes elevation against its DEM by default, similar to Strava and Komoot. The displayed gain/loss may differ from the values your GPX file contains; both are valid. The custom map view shows AllTrails' computed values; the original file values are preserved in storage for export.

Can I use my custom GPX route offline on the AllTrails mobile app?

Yes within AllTrails+. The mobile app lets you download custom maps for offline use, same as the curated trail database. The download includes the offline base map for the area and the custom route polyline; navigation and position tracking work without cell service. Free-tier accounts cannot download offline maps.

Will my custom GPX trail appear in AllTrails' community-curated database?

No. Custom Maps are private to your account by default and don't get added to AllTrails' public trail database. To submit a new trail to the community database, AllTrails has a separate 'Submit a Trail' workflow with editorial review — uploading a custom GPX is for personal use, not for community contribution.

What's the difference between AllTrails' Custom Maps and Saved Trails?

Saved Trails are bookmarks of trails from AllTrails' community-curated database — the trails AllTrails has data on, like 'Half Dome via Mist Trail' or 'Trolltunga'. Custom Maps are routes you uploaded yourself from a GPX file or hand-drew in AllTrails' planner. Both appear in your account, both can be downloaded for offline use on AllTrails+, but they come from different sources and have different metadata. Custom Maps don't have community photos, reviews, or condition reports; the curated trails do.

Why do my named waypoints look different in AllTrails?

AllTrails renders waypoints as map pins along the route. The names are preserved but the visual symbols are flattened — custom GPX symbols (waterfall, viewpoint, parking) are mapped to AllTrails' standard pin set. The polyline geometry and waypoint positions are exact; the symbology is normalized. For routes where waypoint metadata matters more than position, Komoot's Highlights or Garmin Connect's Course Points preserve more of the GPX's original styling.

Related guides