GPS tracks in the Alps
Recorded tracks from a GPX file, coloured by activity type. GPX is the one format that arrives with lines already, so the import path is short — but elevation, timestamps and activity type all need somewhere to live.
Start an editable copy with this data and your current map styling.
What to look at
- GPX track points become LineStrings; waypoints become markers.
- Activity type drives a categorical colour, with a legend naming each one.
- The terrain relief in the Terracotta theme makes the ascent figures legible.
Source columns
These fields describe the example data. CSV and Excel use first-row headers; GIS formats store geometry and feature properties. Required geometry depends on the map type.
| Column | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| name | text | Track 7 |
| distance_km | number | 18.4 |
| ascent_m | number | 640 |
| type | text | ride |
Rebuild it with your own data
- 1
Get your GPX file ready
The example fields are name, distance_km, ascent_m, type. For CSV or Excel, put headers in the first row. GIS files carry geometry and feature properties. Prepare any grid, catchment or route geometry before import.
- 2
Drop it into the studio
MapCrafter detects the geometry, counts the features, and shows the layers it found.
- 3
Style the imported layer
Pick which column drives colour, and which drives size or width where relevant.
- 4
Pick a basemap theme
Terracotta is used here. 15 other basemaps are available, including official OpenFreeMap styles. Switch using Layers & basemap.
- 5
Share or export
Publish a link, embed the map, or export a PNG at print resolution.
Questions about this example
- What file format does this route map use?
- This example illustrates GPX data. The live preview uses GeoJSON geometry. MapCrafter reads GPX directly, along with Excel, CSV, KML, KMZ, GPX, GeoJSON, TopoJSON and zipped Shapefile. No conversion step and no desktop software.
- What columns does the source data need?
- The file used here has 4 columns: name, distance_km, ascent_m, type. For tabular imports, supply coordinate columns, WKT or GeoJSON geometry, or address columns for an explicit geocoding step. Polygon and line files carry their geometry separately from these attributes.
- Can I use my own data with this map type?
- Yes. Open the studio, drop in your file, and MapCrafter detects the geometry and applies a starting style. Then style the layer and choose which property drives colour, size or width. The studio can render a point heatmap, but grids, routes and catchment polygons must be prepared before import.
- Can I export or share the finished map?
- Each map can be published to a short share link, embedded in another page with an iframe, or exported as a print-resolution PNG. The cleaned-up geometry can also be exported as GeoJSON. All of that is available on the free tier.
- Where does the data in this example come from?
- Track geometry is generated from a seeded walk between points near real Alpine city coordinates.
More route maps examples
Gallery (314)- CSVFlight routes from an origin-destination tableRoutes drawn from a table with from and to columns, matched against a built-in place index. Origin-destination tables are the most common shape of transport data, and requiring pre-built line geometry rules out most of it.
- KMLIntercity rail linesA network diagram in geographic space, with line weight carrying service frequency. Line width is a free visual channel that most tools leave unused, and it is the right one when the data is a count of something moving along the line.
- GPXCycling routes around ZürichDashed lines for recreational routes, which is the standard cartographic convention for paths that are not roads. Dash patterns separate route types without spending a colour, leaving colour free for the data that matters.
Last updated 2026-10-22