Another popular way to navigate is using GPS recordings of hiking routes (GPX format). There are many web sites / databases from which you can download thousands of GPS logs of existing hiking routes:
https://hiking.waymarkedtrails.org/ (already present in OSM)
https://www.wikiloc.com/ (mostly touristic routes)
https://www.ramblr.com/ (popular in the Sahyadri)
https://www.strava.com/ (running, hiking, cycling routes)
https://www.openstreetmap.org (uploaded GPS traces)
Many hiking blogs share hiking logs
For example, let’s search and download a GPS log for say “Kedarkanta” and import the same into OSMAnd for additional analysis / routing. Open “wikiloc.com” on your mobile or laptop, search and download the GPS log for any Kedarkanta hike listed.
Import GPS logs
Click on the downloaded GPX file to open in OSMAnd. It will be shown on the map view. You can find a list of all imported GPX logs in “My Places” where you can show / hide them. Choose Analyze on map to bring up additional details like an elevation profile. Similar to the built in OSM hiking routes you can navigate your way along these imported GPS routes now shown on top of the OSM basemap.
Routing GPS logs
OSMAnd can automatically route along imported GPS logs. While routing chose Options – Follow Track and select the specific GPX file you which to route along. After doing so OSMAnd will route along the GPX file instead of OSM trails. Useful info like distance, ascent, descent and elevation profile will be shown.
Creating Routes
You can also manually create routes in OSMAnd using the “Plan Route” option in the main menu. Next, select subsequent points along the planned route. In the below example we plan to follow a gradual ridgeline. Once complete, the newly created route will be shown in the “My Tracks” screen. Just like an imported GPS log you can now route along the manual created route by selecting the same in the Follow GPX track routing option.
GPS Traces in OSM
Many users are uploading GPS logs (traces) onto Open Street Maps. These are NOT shown by default. You can to enable “Public GPS Traces” in the bottom right corner to show all uploaded (public) GPS logs on the map screen. The trails are shown in varying colors as per elevation gain of each trail section (blue/green – gradual, orange/red – steep section).
As you zoom out across the Western Himalayas you’ll find a large number of GPS traces. These have not yet been added as regular trails on OSM for various reasons. Either the user might now know how to add hiking routes in OSM or some might have been digitized from other map sources and still to be verified on the ground).
The “GPS Traces” window (top menu) shows you the recently uploaded GPS logs. Unfortunately there is no way to download these for a particular region through the main map screen. GPS logs are also NOT downloadable for offline navigation either.
Still it’s a good idea to record and upload (if not yet present) your hiking routes as public GPS traces in OSM so more knowledgeable users can add them as standard hiking routes in OSM for the benefit of the entire hiking community.
Assignment
Download and import below GPS recording of a recent trek I complete into OSMAnd. Route from start to end across the imported GPX file. Show the map screen with statistics / elevation profile. Upload the screenshot in a public folder for my review:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sLgILqYBSNThFwWFzTpYVJ5c2m3M9t0d/view?usp=sharing
(Download and click to import)