How to Create a Route with Strava’s Route Builder

Strava's Route Builder is a simple way to map races and events, or simply plan your next hike.

From any account with an active Strava subscription, you can create new routes from scratch by clicking the Create New Route button near the top of the My Routes page or clicking the plus in the upper right of the header and selecting “Create a Route” from the drop-down menu.

When you enter the route builder, first use the panel on the left-hand side to set your preferences.

• If the map is not hovering over your current location, or you'd like your route to start elsewhere, you can use the search bar to center the map where you’d like to create a route.

• Choose between running, riding, walking, mountain biking, hiking, trail running, or gravel biking to generate routing optimized for each sport. If you choose a trail sport, dirt surfaces will be favored during route planning.

• Start building your route by clicking to the correct places on the map.

If you have a GPX file of the exact course handy, you can quickly and easily import the entire route into the Route Builder by clicking this button in the floating control panel and following the simple steps that appear on the screen. 

While creating your route, you can click on the map to create waypoints. 

• You can use the search bar on the left to search for a location, landmark, or address you’d like to add to the route.  

• You can also select “Add waypoint” at any time to populate a new search bar. Search for a place or address in that new search bar, hit enter, and a waypoint will be added for the chosen location. 

• You can drag these waypoints on the map.

• You can also drag and drop the order of the waypoints on the left to reorder your route.

• If you click on a waypoint on the map, you’ll have the option to delete that waypoint. You can also delete waypoints in the left-hand sidebar by clicking the 3 dot menu just to the right of the waypoints. 

Strava’s Custom Waypoints feature allows you to tell users about key points of interest along a route. This can keep users informed of what’s coming up on the route or where they may be able to access key services like aid stations and water sources.

1. To customize a Waypoint, simply click on it to reveal this menu.

2. Select “Customize” then add the details about the waypoint and click save

3. If there isn’t a waypoint at the exact location of the key route feature, you can always click on the route, then select “insert waypoint.” From there you can customize the waypoint as shown in the previous steps. 

On the map, you’ll find a floating control panel

• As you build your route, you may find it helpful to undo or redo a step.

• If you’d like to completely start over, click the trash can button

When your route is complete click “Save route” in the floating menu. Be sure to add a title & description then set visibility to “public” so other Strava members can view and save it to their own profiles.