How to View Your GPS Tracks in Google Earth

Due to my upcoming 12 hour attempt of the 38.5 mile Waterloo-Pinckney Trail, I have decided to start using my Oregon 400t tracks to analyze my performance. Therefore as I start my training and scouting of the Waterloo-Pinckeny Trail, I will be utilizing GPS tracks in Google Earth. I can then view my trip digitally in "real time", with an elevation versus speed plot. This is all very useful information for me to know as I plan my trail run attempt.

Here is how you can do this for your own GPS logs. I will be writing this from the perspective of a Garmin Oregon 400t and a MacBook Pro. However, it is applicable to anyone.

Step 1. Clear your track before hitting the trail. Here's how on the Oregon 400t 

    Setup -> Tracks -> Reset -> Clear Current Track

Step 2. Set the record interval, the time between each point that your Garmin GPS records on the map. The more often it records a point, the faster your track log will fill up. If you want to record a very long track, set your record interval to "less often" or "least often" if you want a very detailed track, set your record interval to "more often" or "most often".

Step 3. Hike the trail.

Step 4. Save your track on the Garmin GPS unit. If you've followed the directions up till now, you should've started the trail with a clean slate on your track log. To save your track you just walked with a unique name to make it easier to find later, follow these directions:

    Track Manager -> Current Track -> Save Track -> (name your track)

Step 5. Turn on your Garmin GPS unit then plug unit into the computer.

Step 6. Download Google Earth.

Step 7. Open your Garmin GPS unit's drive in Explore (Windows) or Finder (Mac) in my case, the drive mounts as "Garmin".

Step 8. Navigate to Drive "Garmin" -> Folder "Garmin" -> Folder "GPX"

Drive "Garmin"

Folder "Garmin"

Folder "GPX"

Custom name GPX File Located in the "GPX" Folder

Step 9. Your track file will be located in the "GPX" folder where you're currently looking as (customname).gpx as long as you've followed all the directions. Copy this file to your desktop so it's easier to find. If you followed this procedure, go to Step 11.

Step 10. If you didn't clear your track log before hitting the trail it's still possible to recover just the trail segment.

Follow these instructions on your Garmin unit to save your trail hike as a unique track:

     Track Manager -> Current Track -> Save Portion -> Determine which portion was your trail hike      

    by analyzing the date, time, and distance fields -> (name your track)

Now go back to Step 8.

Step 11. Open Google Earth, then select:

    File -> Open -> Desktop -> Customname.gpx

It will ask you some preferences about how Google Earth should import your customname.gpx file, leave the options as they are and hit OK. Google Earth will import your GPX file and covert it to a Google Earth KML file for you.

Now you can view your GPX Garmin track as a Google Earth KML file overlaid on Google maps, it will even "play" it for you and show you exactly where you were hiking, and at what time. You can open the elevation plot by right clicking the track in the "My Places" bar on the left.

Best Android Outdoor Apps

Everybody's heard of the Android smart phones. If you're an hiker, biker, backpacker or any kind of outdoor traveler these phones can do work for you. You no longer need a stand-alone GPS since most smart phones have on-board GPS systems. They also, generally, can give turn-by-turn directions to any location on Google Maps. The possibilities are endless!

Maybe you're like me and having something to quantify your adventures is appealing. I like to be able to share my adventures with friends, and to be able to look back on my recent exploits. I tend to get down on myself about not being outdoor enough but having recorded tracks of y outdoor activities reminds me, "Hey, you were out hiking just the other day... for 6.7 miles at 2.98 mph average... etc." It's kinda fun.

Here's a list of my favorite Android Outdoor Apps:

1. Endomondo

Endomondo QR code

    This app is fun! It can track your activities, record a map, keep averages and statistical data and then upload it to Facebook as soon as you're done. Then you can show all your friends how much better you are at mountain biking than they are. Booyah! The pro-version of this app has a personal coach which will provide you with all the vocal encouragement you need to beat your previous run, hike, or bike time. Also very fun. Endomondo can be a little inaccurate in speed statistics sometimes, that's really its only drawback. Download here.

2. My Tracks

My Tracks QR code

    This app is more functional than Endomondo but a little less user friendly. It's not as easy as Endomondo to upload to social networking sites. However, it does track your activities using GPS for distance, elevation, speed, averages, etc. It provides more accurate overall statistics (Endomondo has shown me going over 20 mph on cross country skis!).

3. Trimble Outdoors

Trimble QR code

    This one doesn't come in the "free" version and, you know me, that means I haven't tried it. As far as I'm concerned the other two apps have got all my needs covered and they're free so why pay more? Trimble does look like a nice app, though. If any of you have used it and want to put up a review either comment or email me. I'll be happy to check it out!

4. c:geo ~ geocaching for Android

C:geo QR Code

    You've probably heard of geocaching. It's a GPS guided outdoor hide and seek game where you're seeking hidden boxes in the woods filled with random items. Really quite childish and simple yet highly entertaining! Geocaching.com is the "official" geocaching website, although they don't in any way "own" the activity. They simply have assembled the largest and most user friendly database of geocache locations. With an Android smartphone, one can simply download c:geo and access this database for free! The GPS on c:geo isn't very accurate but for free... I like it. Geocaching.com asks for $30 a year to access their database. With c:geo it's free... I know this seems like a scam, but I don't ask questions and everybody's happy. Got it? You can sort caches by their proximity to you and they are very commonly found in cities. Great urban adventure!