How to Load a GPX File into AllTrails, Gaia GPS or Your Phone (iPhone & Android)

By the HikeSupply Co. team · Updated October 18, 2026

A GPX file turns your phone into a trail map with a blue dot on the exact route. This guide shows the current steps for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, a free app and a Garmin watch, on iPhone and Android, and which steps need a paid plan.

What is a GPX file?

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is a small, universal file that stores a route as a line of GPS coordinates, often with elevation and waypoints. Almost every hiking app and GPS watch can read it. Once it's loaded, the app draws the trail on the map and shows your live position against it, so you can check you're on route at junctions, on faint trails and on the way back in fading light.

Which app should you use?

App	Import a GPX	Offline maps	Good for
AllTrails	Website (free account) or app	Plus or Peak membership	Hikers who already use AllTrails for trail reviews
Gaia GPS	iPhone, Android or gaiagps.com	Premium membership	Detailed topo maps and backcountry trips
Organic Maps	Open the file with the app	Free	A no-subscription option
Garmin watch	Garmin Connect, as a course	Depends on the watch	Keeping your phone in your pack

Plans and menus change. We checked each app's official help pages in October 2026; if a button has moved, look for "Import" or "Upload".

How do I load a GPX file into AllTrails?

On the website (works with a free account)

1. Log in at alltrails.com.
2. Hover over Explore in the top bar and choose Build custom route.
3. Choose Upload a route, then drag in your .gpx file or browse for it, and click Upload.
4. Wait for the "Route uploaded" message. Custom routes you save on a computer sync to the app automatically.

AllTrails made Custom Routes on desktop free for all members in November 2025. Files can be up to 20 MB, and GPX tracks, routes and waypoints are all supported.

In the app (iPhone and Android)

1. Save the .gpx file to your phone (Files on iPhone, Downloads on Android).
2. Tap Saved in the bottom toolbar, then open Custom routes under the Lists tab.
3. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right and choose Upload route.
4. Pick the file. The route appears in your Custom routes folder.

Some in-app custom route tools are part of AllTrails Peak, the top plan. If you don't see Upload route, use the website method above.

Make it work offline

Open the route, tap the download arrow on its card and choose the map type. Downloads appear under Saved, then Downloads. AllTrails says offline maps are included with Plus and Peak memberships.

How do I use GPX files in Gaia GPS?

iPhone

1. Save the .gpx file to your phone, for example in Files or iCloud Drive.
2. Open Gaia GPS and tap Saved in the bottom menu.
3. Tap the three dots in the top right and choose Import File.
4. Select the file and wait for "All imports complete". It appears in your saved folders.

Android

1. Save the .gpx file to your phone's storage.
2. Open Gaia GPS and tap Saved at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the three-dot menu at the top right and choose Import File.
4. Tap the file. When you see "Successfully Imported File", it's in your saved folders.

On a computer

Go to gaiagps.com/map, click Import Data on the right toolbar (or drag the file onto the map), then click Save Item. Gaia accepts GPX, KML, KMZ, GeoJSON and FIT files, up to 1,000 features per file. Sync your phone with the website to see the import in the app.

Importing files is covered on Gaia's help pages with no plan mentioned, but downloading maps for offline use needs a Gaia GPS Premium membership.

How can I have a GPX track on my phone for free?

Organic Maps is a free app with offline maps built in. Download the map region first, then:

• Android: find the .gpx file in Downloads, tap and hold it and choose Open with Organic Maps.
• iPhone: find the file in Files or iCloud Drive, tap the share icon and choose Import with Organic Maps.

You'll see "Bookmarks loaded successfully!" and the track appears on the map and under Bookmarks and Tracks.

Can I put a GPX file on a Garmin watch?

Yes, on watches that support courses. In Garmin Connect on the web, open Courses and use Import to upload the .gpx file, save it as a course and send it to your device. On the watch, start an activity and choose the course to navigate. Check your watch's manual for its exact menus.

Test it before you go

1. Put your phone in airplane mode at home and open the route. If the map and the route line still show, you're ready.
2. Check the start point matches the trailhead you're driving to.
3. Charge everything and bring a small power bank. GPS navigation uses battery quickly, especially in the cold.
4. Carry a backup. A printed map or route guide still works when a phone doesn't.

Where to get GPX files you can trust

A GPX file is only as good as the data behind it. Ours are built from National Park Service trail data and OpenStreetMap, with elevation from the US Geological Survey, and each comes with a printable route guide: route map, elevation profile, trailhead details and local tips. They're digital downloads, so you get the files right after checkout.

• Great Smoky Mountains — 10 Best Day Hikes GPX Route Collection ($14.99)
• Utah's Mighty 5 — 10 Best Day Hikes GPX Route Collection ($14.99)
• Beginner-Friendly Trails USA — GPX Route Collection ($12.99)

Planning a whole trip? The Smokies Trip Pack and the Utah's Mighty 5 Trip Pack ($19.99 each) add a trip planning guide to the GPX collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can you import GPX files into AllTrails for free?

Yes, on the website. Building and uploading custom routes on alltrails.com is free for all members, and the routes sync to the app. Offline map downloads need a Plus or Peak membership.

Does a GPX file work without cell service?

Yes. Your phone's GPS works without cell signal or data. What needs internet is the map underneath, so download the offline map for the area before you lose coverage.

Why won't my GPX file open on my iPhone?

Tapping a .gpx file in Files usually just shows a preview. Import it from inside the hiking app instead (Gaia GPS: Saved, three dots, Import File) or use the share icon and pick the app.

Is Gaia GPS free for GPX files?

You can import GPX files into Gaia GPS on your phone or at gaiagps.com. Downloading maps for offline use requires Gaia GPS Premium.

What's the difference between a GPX track and a route?

A track is a detailed line of recorded points, like a breadcrumb trail. A route is a shorter list of points the app connects. For hiking, a track follows the real trail more closely.

What changed on October 18, 2026: we rewrote the AllTrails and Gaia GPS steps from each app's current help pages, added separate iPhone and Android steps, a comparison table and which features need a paid plan.