Is it possible to make a custom route on Apple Maps?

Custom Routes: Walking Paths vs Driving Directions

Planning your path in Apple Maps offers flexibility for outdoor activities, though the functionality differs based on your travel mode. Understanding how to utilize custom path creation helps you design unique routes for walking or hiking, while driving navigation remains restricted to standard turn-by-turn directions. Learn how to make a custom route on Apple Maps.

Is it possible to make a custom route on Apple Maps?

Creating a custom route on Apple Maps is possible, but your options change significantly depending on how you are getting around. If you are walking or hiking, you have the flexibility to draw paths off the beaten track. However, if you are driving, the experience is more structured, relying on adding specific stops to influence the path.

Customizing Routes for Walking and Hiking

For hikers and pedestrians, the ability to map a custom path is a game-changer. This functionality allows you to move beyond pre-calculated paths, giving you total control over exactly where you walk.

To build your own route, drop a starting pin by holding down on any point on the map. From there, you can tap subsequent points to manually stitch together a path. As you build it, the app tracks your total distance and elevation changes in real-time. You can reverse the direction, close loops, or even save the entire route to your library for offline access later.

The Reality of Custom Driving Routes

If you are behind the wheel, Apple Maps does not currently offer a draw-on-map feature to create freehand driving paths. You cannot simply drag a route line to force it down a specific scenic road, which is a frequent pain point for users who want more control over their navigation.

Instead, you must shape your journey by adding specific stops. After entering your destination, use the Add Stop feature to select locations along your preferred path. You can include up to 15 stops to effectively force the navigation to follow the roads you want. It is not as fluid as drawing a line, but it achieves the same result by stitching together connected segments.

Comparison of Custom Route Capabilities

Walking vs. Driving Customization

The tools available for custom navigation differ sharply between travel modes.

Walking/Hiking

1. Freehand path drawing
2. Elevation and distance
3. High - can go off-road

Driving

1. Waypoint selection
2. Max 15 added stops
3. Low - must follow road networks

Minh's Hiking Adventure

Minh, a photography enthusiast in Da Nang, wanted to map a specific trail to a hidden waterfall that didn't appear on standard navigation apps. He tried using simple directions, but they kept leading him to a blocked private road.

Frustrated, he spent 20 minutes failing to find a way to drag the map line to the correct trail head. His phone battery dropped 10% because he kept turning the screen on and off while standing in the humidity.

Then, he discovered the custom route feature. By dropping pins manually across the terrain, he mapped exactly the rocky trail he needed. The elevation data even warned him that the incline was much steeper than he expected.

The result was a perfect, safe hike. Now, he saves these custom paths in his library, making his weekend photography trips faster to plan since he doesn't have to re-map the area from scratch. ^[2]