Draw Your Route. Get the Whole Plan.
Every other number on this site starts from two facts: how far, and how much climbing. Instead of hunting for them in guidebooks, trace your trail on the map — distance, ascent, grade, and the elevation profile appear as you draw, and a complete hike plan builds itself below.
The drawing map requires a pointer or touch. If you navigate by keyboard, enter your route's distance and elevation directly into any calculator — every number the planner produces can also be typed in.
Trailomen — Full Hike Plan
Planning estimates, not guarantees — build in margin. trailomen.com/route-planner
How the measurements work
Distance is the sum of great-circle (haversine) segments between your points — the standard for geographic measurement. Elevation comes from the open Open-Elevation terrain service, sampled at up to 100 points along your line. Ascent and descent are accumulated through a 5-meter deadband filter so terrain-data noise doesn't inflate the climbing figure — the same technique GPS apps apply to barometric tracks.
The Full Hike Plan feeds those measurements into the same formulas as the individual calculators — Naismith with terrain corrections for time, NPS hydration guidance for water, the Pandolf equation for energy — personalised by the fitness, temperature, and weights you set. Each number links to its calculator with your route pre-filled for fine-tuning.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the measured distance?
The line you draw is measured with the haversine formula — exact for the points you place. Accuracy therefore depends on how faithfully you trace the trail: zoom in and add points on every switchback and the result lands within a few percent of GPS-recorded tracks.
Where does the elevation data come from?
From the open Open-Elevation service, which serves global SRTM-derived terrain data. We sample about 100 points along your line and filter small fluctuations with a 5-meter deadband — the same approach GPS apps use to avoid inflating ascent with sensor noise.
Why does my ascent differ from a guidebook figure?
Ascent is the most method-sensitive number in hiking. Different smoothing filters, data resolutions, and route lines produce figures that vary by 10–20%. Our deadband method is deliberately conservative; treat guidebook numbers within that band as agreeing with it.
Can I save my routes?
Yes — Save route stores up to 20 routes in your browser (never on our servers), and they survive closing the tab. Because they live in local storage, clearing browser data removes them, and they do not sync between devices.
Does the planner work offline on the trail?
The measurements and plan you generate persist in the page after loading, and the printable Full Hike Plan is designed to be saved as a PDF or screenshot before you leave. Drawing new routes needs a connection for map tiles and elevation data.