Does this kind of walking route app exist?

September 23, 2023 11:42 AM

Hi everyone -- I'm walking more for fitness lately and I'm hoping to find an app with a very specific functionality: I want to be able to request a loop of 1, 3, 5 or more miles from a specific point, and then through some sort of GPS wizardry the app (or website) would automatically generate a map for a route that meets approximately that specific distance. Does this exist?

A few additional notes:
- OSX
- I want the walk to begin and end at the same place (closed loop)
- I'm happy to pay for this, but not a ton and not a subscription
- If it counts steps and other metrics, elevation, etc., that's fine but not a must
- If there's a way to adjust or customize the route to go past a particular site like a post office or the library, that'd be ideal
- I'm in the U.S. and mostly walking in a city

Thanks!

posted by mochapickle to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

I'd love to see this, but haven't found it either. You might try inRoute. I set my start point (home), 2 or more way points some distance from home, then set home as the destination. It takes some playing to generate a specific distance, as that is only available to see after setting your route (shows on the map or as a pop-up chart, which also shows elevation). The free version lets you set routes with 8 stops/way points, so that should be good enough for the average walk.
posted by maudlin at 12:53 PM on September 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Garmin Connect let's you do the N mile loop exactly. It's great for cycling, running, and trail running. I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be great for walking too.

AFAIK t doesn't let you add an errand waypoint.
posted by KevCed at 12:53 PM on September 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

(Selfishly commenting to see if anyone can recommend a Android-compatible app along with the OP's request.)
posted by avocet at 3:31 PM on September 23, 2023 [4 favorites]

The website PlotARoute.com has this feature. It's entirely browser based, so the OS isn't an issue. A free account allows you something like two routes every 24 hours; you can pay for a "premium" account to get more. It also appears to allows you to insert "via points" if there's a particular spot you want to include on your route.

I am not hugely familiar with this app; I just found it by Googling "generate loop route on map" and it was result #3.
posted by Johnny Assay at 8:21 PM on September 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Routeshuffle (previously on Metafilter)
posted by Syllepsis at 11:19 PM on September 23, 2023 [3 favorites]

Only in the UK/Ireland, I'm sad to say, but Go Jauntly is pretty close to this in case anyone on these isles comes looking.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:51 AM on September 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

I do this with so many apps I'm not sure I can think of them!

Komoot has a route planner which plots the elevation and permits you to add waypoints.

Guru Maps does the same thing, although I prefer the turn by turn navigation it provides whilst I am running.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned Stava yet. Although originally started for running and cycling, it caters for walkers very well, and 'heatmaps' and popularity routing ensure that you go where others consider it best / safest / whatever.

I am sure that I have quite a few others if these aren't suitable

Map My Walk might suit you, as might Maps.Me.

Enjoy your adventures!
posted by Flashduck at 7:10 AM on September 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

TrailRouter?
posted by James Scott-Brown at 2:05 PM on September 26, 2023