How to Use

What you can do

Route Elevation Checker shows the distance, elevation range, total ascent, and an elevation profile for a route you draw on the map or load from a GPX file. It is handy for scouting cycling, running, walking, and hiking courses.

• See the highest and lowest elevation and the elevation range at a glance
• Read climbing (total ascent) and descending (total descent) separately
• Spot where the hills are and how steep they get on the profile
• Works on your phone, so you can check on the go

Two input modes

Choose Draw on map or Load GPX under Route input method.

• Draw route — Click the map to draw a route yourself. Use it when you are planning where to go.
• Load GPX — Load a GPX file recorded or created in another app. Use it to check the elevation of a track you have walked or ridden.

Draw route

Choose how points connect

Under Connect the next segment, choose Straight line or Follow roads. For roads, choose Walk, Bike, or Car, then add points on the map. Existing segments keep their connection.

• Straight — Connects two points with the shortest straight line. Best for a quick distance estimate or going off-road.
• Walk — Follows walking paths. Good for walking and running courses.
• Bike — Follows cycling-friendly roads. Good for cycling courses.
• Car — Follows roads for cars. Good for drives and scouting.

Add and edit points

Each click on the map adds a point, and the points connect in order to form a route. Fine-tune it with the actions below.

• Click the map — Adds a point to the end of the route.
• Drag the route — Grab a spot along the line to add a via point and fine-tune the shape. Inserted via points inherit the original segment’s connection.
• Drag a point — Move an existing point to adjust its position.
• Right-click a point — Removes a point you no longer need.
• Undo — Undo the last action.
• Clear all — Clear the whole route and start over.
• Move to current location — Centers the map on where you are so you can start drawing from there.
• Save as GPX file — Downloads the route you drew as a GPX file that other apps and devices can read. Elevation data is not included.

Load a GPX file

Click Choose file or drag and drop a GPX file onto the box. Tracks (trk) and routes (rte) are supported. Load a GPX file exported from Strava, Garmin, or a mapping app to check the elevation along your route.

• GPX with elevation — Uses the elevation stored in the file as-is, with no extra lookup.
• GPX without elevation — Fills in elevation automatically from map data.

Reading the profile and numbers

Results open over the map from the start. Draw a route or load GPX to see the elevation range, total ascent, and profile. Use Results and elevation profile on the lower right to open or close them. Resize with the top handle or up/down keys. Results stay closed until you reopen them.

• Distance — The total length of the route.
• Duration — An estimated travel time from the walk, bike, and car segments. Not shown for straight-line-only routes.
• Max elevation — The elevation of the highest point on the route.
• Min elevation — The elevation of the lowest point on the route.
• Elevation range — The difference between the highest and lowest elevation.
• Total ascent — The sum of the uphill sections only — a measure of how much climbing there is.
• Total descent — The sum of the downhill sections only.

Move your pointer over the profile to highlight the matching spot on the map. On a touchscreen, drag across the profile. Move your pointer over the route on the map to highlight the matching point on the profile, so you can see where the hills are.

Frequently asked questions

• What is elevation range? — The difference between the highest and lowest elevation.
• What is total ascent? — The sum of the uphill sections only — a measure of how much climbing there is.
• How accurate is the elevation? — Elevation, total ascent, and slope are all approximate. Treat the numbers as a rough guide. For disaster prevention, mountaineering, or safety decisions, always check official information and the actual conditions as well.

Before you rely on the numbers

• Elevation, total ascent, and slope are all approximate. Treat the numbers as a rough guide.
• For disaster prevention, mountaineering, or safety decisions, always check official information and the actual conditions as well.
• Elevation data comes from Google, or from the GPX file you loaded.