Custom Routes are a fantastic way to plan for your next adventure. There are two ways to create a custom route in the app and one on the desktop website that we will cover in more detail. The primary method in both places is the Measure Tool (see: Measure Tool Article) but in the app you can also use the "Create Custom Route" tool to create your own custom route. Once you have created your own custom route; you can save it for use later, add lots of details, and share it with others.
Creating a new custom route using the Measure Tool
To create a custom route using the measure tool (or the Custom Route option in the app), it helps begin by zooming in close to the area the trail(s) are in. The tool will snap to any trail/road in the area and will snap using the shortest possible route, so by zooming in it makes it easier to control the route you would prefer. Also note that the measure tool will work for creating custom routes off-trail but since the tool is designed to 'snap' to existing trails, it does take more work/precision to create them off-trail.
Drawing/Creating Your Route
Using the Measure tool is the same in both the app and on the desktop site. To use the tool, you will start by clicking the 'measure' icon in the top right corner (this is the same icon and location on both the app/desktop site). From there, tap or click near the trail or trailhead that you want to start taking a measurement. If your measurement is near a trail, the tool will automatically 'snap' to the trail. Continue clicking along your desired route until you get to the end. Note, it is easiest to click on the route you want every time there is a trail/road intersection so the tool stays on your desired path.
For the example below, multiple trails/segments were used to create a custom route. The image below is the same as above where you can clearly see this combined multiple different trails into one custom route. The process is the same if you stick to just one trail. Also note the small 'X' in the red box, this is the indicator of the last trail segment you selected. If at any point along the route or at the very end, you wish to change the route, you can click on the 'X' and it will delete the last segment, enabling you to redraw it as you wish.
Once you are done editing the route and are ready to move to the next step, you can save the route. If you'd like, you can also generate an elevation profile-which shows you the elevation gain and loss before saving the route.
Using the Save the Route option (shown in red below) is what allows you to begin to add a lot more information and customization to the route.
Saving your route
Once you click the Save as Route button, you will be directed to select which activity type you intend to use on this trail (this can be changed at any time by editing your route.)
Once you choose the activity type, COTREX automatically saves the route for you. The image below is how it will appear:
Finding your route
Once you have created and saved your route, it will appear in your "Custom Routes" list. This list automatically syncs between the web and mobile app, so you should find your route in this list regardless of where you created it.
To find your route, navigate to your profile by clicking in the top right corner. In the app, tap on the profile icon on the bottom menu.
Scroll down on your profile until you see Custom Routes. Click or tap on the listing to see all of your custom routes.
Adding other details to your route
If you would like to add details to your custom route, such as a description and photos, scroll to the bottom of the route and select the 'Edit Route' option.
You can add various information to your route based on your preferences.
Title
Subtitle
Activity Type
Description of your route
Difficulty level: this your own rating on the difficulty of the route
Visibility Level: There are 4 different visibility levels you can choose from:
- Private - The default visibility level, which means it is only visible to you.
- Public - Anyone who uses the app/site can see it or search for it
- Unlisted - Visible to anyone you share the route with, but does not show up in search results or on the map. You can share your route in the app by tapping the "Share" button at the top of the route. On web, you can simply copy the URL in your browser. Every route has a unique URL. This is a great option for sharing something with a friend who doesn't have COTREX, as they'll still be able to access the route on a web browser.
- Only People Tagged - In general we suggest you use "Unlisted" as the easiest way to share a route with friends. This option will make the route visible for specific existing COTREX users that you tag
Tagged People: If you have friends you follow or who follow you on COTREX, you can tag them in this route to share within COTREX.
Photos: You can add as many photos as you would like from anywhere along the route. When you add photos you will see a box that asks if they are your photos or not and what kind of rights they have. If you do not make it public or share with others, no one else will see the photos
Adding notes along the route
The last 'edit' you can make is by adding notes along your route. This can be anything from a particularly difficult section, to an area of interest you would like to visit, to a great place for photos. To create a note, right click (on the website) and the following box will appear:
Once you click on the 'Drop Note Here' option (shown in the red box above), you will see the following box appear:
You can add the name, the classification, and the visibility level. The classification box lets you choose from a wide range of pre-selected options, if you do not see one that you would like to include, you can skip it. Once you are done editing your note, click on the 'Add Note' button shown in the red box above.
Once you click on the 'Add Note' button, it will appear on the map exactly where you placed it. It's the orange indicator shown in the red box below.
Finish Custom Route
Save your route. You can now share it with friends, download the map/block for offline use, share the gpx track, and enjoy!
Using Your Route Offline
By default your custom routes do not save to your phone for offline use. In order to download your route for use outside of cell service, navigate to your custom route and tap on the "Offline" option at the top. This will download the route as well as the general area the route is in.