Drawing a route

Drawing a route

There are two main ways to draw routes in Footpath, using the “draw” button and tracing the map, and long-pressing the map to route between points.

Tracing the map

Tap the pencil button to enter “draw” mode, then you can trace the paths with your finger. Tracing the map on an iPhone or iPad will let you choose the exact roads and trails you want for your route.

Pro-tip: Footpath will snap more accurately if you zoom in closely. You can also edit your trace if Footpath snapped to the wrong road or path.

Calculate a route between points

You can also build routes by having Footpath calculate a route between two points.

Just tap and hold the map, and Footpath will generate a route to that point. You can repeat this as many times as you’d like to create a complex route.

This is great if you’re unfamiliar with an area and just need the best route between two points of interest. Cycling routes in particular will tend to use a route that avoids steep hills and prefers dedicated bike paths.

Disabling “Snap to Map”

By default, Footpath will snap your traces to roads and trails on the map. This makes it quick to create custom routes.

If Footpath is unable to create a route to your liking, you can tap the magnet button to temporarily disable Snap to Map and manually trace the map.

This is particularly useful if you are planning a route off established paths and trails, such as along snow, sand, or water.

Then, once you’re satisfied, you can re-enable snap to roads and continue mapping your route along known roads and trails.

Tip: switch your map to Satellite and zoom in for the best results while manually tracing the map with Snap to Map turned off.

Editing a segment

You can quickly edit your route by tracing back over the segment with your finger.

Read more about all of the editing tools here.

Undo a segment

Tap the button in the lower left to undo your last segment.

Pro-tip: You can long press on the undo button for a menu to redo the last segment, or clear the map altogether.

Finishing a route

Tap on the start or end point of the route for a menu of options that will let you “finish” your route:

Current route

Tap the endpoint for a list of options.

Loop

Calculate a route directly back to the starting point. This will let you create a circular round-trip loop.

Out & Back

Follow the route you've created in the reverse direction back to the starting point.

Reverse

Reverse the current direction of the route.

Saving your route

Tap the button in the upper right to save or share your route.

Colors and markers along the route

• Blue dots: Mile or kilometer markers
• Purple dots: turnaround points indicating you need to make a u-turn at this point. If there are purple turnaround markers that you don’t expect along the route, using the eraser tool over this section to clean up any duplicate segments or unexpected turns.
• Yellow/orange/red segments along the route: when you have the elevation profile visible, these indicate steep slopes along the route.

Troubleshooting common issues

• Footpath is snapping to roads rather than paths:
  • Try zooming in and using your finger to trace your intended path. Footpath’s snapping gets more accurate as you zoom in.
• My route seems longer than I’d expect:
  • Double check that there aren’t any unexpected purple turnaround markers that might indicate an overlapping segment. You can clean these up with the eraser tool.
• Footpath isn’t able to snap to a road or path I see on the map:
  • The road may not allow your chosen activity (e.g. many highways will not allow pedestrians). Try temporarily switching activities using the settings button in the lower right.