Mapping your own adventure: best iOS apps for custom routes

Australia's vast landscape invites a particular kind of exploration. From the coastal cliffs of the Twelve Apostles to the red dirt tracks winding through the MacDonnell Ranges, custom route planning has become a near-essential part of how locals and visitors experience the continent. Whether plotting a multi-day hike in the Australian Alps or sketching out a Sunday arvo cycle along the Yarra, the right iPhone or iPad application can turn scattered ideas into a reliable, shareable map.

The country itself shapes the way these tools get used. Vast distances measured in kilometres, patchy mobile reception past the suburbs, and a strong culture of bushwalking and beach rambling mean Australians often need apps that perform just as well offline as they do online. Heat, dust, salt spray and the occasional roo jumping in front of the bike all add their own demands to any navigation companion.

Over the last few years, the category has matured well beyond simple turn-by-turn directions. Modern route builders let users trace paths with a fingertip, import GPS files, layer topographic overlays, and share the result with a link, an image or a live tracking session. Some lean toward outdoor adventure, others toward urban discovery, and a handful offer a balance that suits both weekend warriors and dedicated expedition planners.

This look at the iOS ecosystem focuses on what works well for Australian conditions, how each app handles the practicalities of long-haul travel, and which tools make the act of sharing routes with family, friends or fellow travellers genuinely painless.

Walking the Tan or trekking the Larapinta: AllTrails leads the pack

AllTrails remains the go-to companion for millions of walkers worldwide, and Aussie users form one of its most active communities. The iPhone and iPad apps pull from a library of more than 400,000 user-generated trails, including favourites like the Overland Track in Tasmania, the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk and the steep climbs of the Blue Mountains. For anyone wanting to discover rather than invent, the curated database often saves hours of planning.

Where AllTrails truly shines for route creators is in its simplified editing tools. A user can sketch a new path directly on the map, snap it to existing roads or footpaths, and instantly see elevation gain, total distance and an estimated completion time. The Australian community has been particularly active uploading bushwalks in national parks like Karijini and Grampians, which means even relatively unknown routes are often already documented.

Filtering options cater to the local appetite for challenge. Users can search by difficulty, by dog-friendliness (a frequent request for Sydney and Brisbane dog owners), and even by suitability for kids or prams. The Navigator feature on the paid tier adds live GPS turn-by-turn directions on custom maps, which is handy when the trail signage is patchy, as it often is on lesser-known South Australian loops.

For sharing, a generated route can be sent through a simple link, embedded into a message, or printed as a downloadable PDF. Trip photos can be added after the walk, turning the route into a mini travel diary that the whole group can revisit long after the sausage sizzle at the trailhead.

Komoot for two-wheeled adventures across the country

Cyclists and gravel riders across the country have embraced Komoot as their planning tool of choice. The German-built app has carved out a strong following in Melbourne's inner suburbs, Perth's hills, and the climbing roads around Mount Wellington in Hobart. Its routing engine understands the difference between sealed paths, gravel fire trails and singletrack, which makes it especially useful for adventure cycling along routes like the Great Victorian Rail Trail.

Planning a custom route in Komoot feels closer to drawing than typing. Users highlight a starting point, then tap waypoints along the way, and the app automatically stitches together a path that respects one-way streets, bike paths and the kind of quiet backstreets that locals know but visitors rarely find. The Highlights feature surfaces viewpoints, cafes and watering holes that other users have flagged, which is gold for planning a long ride through regional Victoria or a multi-stop tour along the Murray.

The app handles off-road segments intelligently. When the route passes through a national park with restricted vehicle access, Komoot recommends pushing the bike or carrying it, rather than simply plotting an illegal road crossing. This kind of practical awareness has earned it trust among bikepackers tackling routes like the Munda Biddi in Western Australia.

Sharing happens through public links, embedded widgets on websites, or direct invites to other Komoot users. Multi-day tours can be exported as a printable booklet with turn-by-turn navigation cards, which doubles as a paper backup when phone batteries inevitably surrender to the cold or the heat.

Gaia GPS and the call of the remote outback

When the destination drifts beyond mobile coverage, Gaia GPS becomes the app of choice. Popular with four-wheel drivers, canyoning enthusiasts and search-and-rescue volunteers, it combines topographical maps, satellite imagery and public land overlays into a single, deeply customisable interface. For anyone planning a Simpson Desert crossing or a side trip into the Kimberley, this is the kind of detail that genuinely matters.

The base app is free, with an optional premium subscription that unlocks the higher-resolution map sources. Australian users particularly value the Hema Maps layer, which provides reliable coverage of remote tracks, station roads and Indigenous lands where access rules are subtle and important. Layering multiple map types on the same screen, say topographic lines plus a satellite view, is as simple as tapping two icons.

Offline downloads are unlimited on the premium tier, which is critical for travellers heading into the Flinders Ranges or the Pilbara, where reception can vanish for days. Users can mark waypoints for campsites, water sources and historic ruins, then draw lines between them to create a custom route that respects the terrain rather than the road network. Elevation profiles and slope analyses appear in real time as the route is drawn.

Sharing options are practical rather than flashy. GPX and KML files can be exported to radios, inReach devices or a partner's iPhone, which matters when the group includes someone using a different app or hardware. Thea, a popular NSW-based overlander, summarises the appeal neatly: "Out here, your map is your life. Gaia gives me the confidence to keep going when the signs run out."

Strava turns route sharing into a social sport

Strava built its reputation among runners and cyclists, but in Australia it has quietly become one of the strongest route-sharing networks. The app's Route Builder lets users create paths anywhere on the map, then publish them for friends, clubs or the broader community. Melbourne's coffee-punctuated running routes and Brisbane's riverside loops now circulate as much through Strava links as they do through word of mouth.

The social layer adds a different dimension to map creation. A new route inherits the kudos and comments from anyone who completes it, and segment data reveals exactly which sections of a path are most loved, most dreaded, or most contested. This kind of community feedback shapes which routes get shared further, and which ones quietly disappear into the archive.

Heatmaps are arguably Strava's most underrated feature for route designers. They show where other users have actually travelled, highlighting popular shortcuts, informal trails and the unofficial park connectors that planners sometimes miss. For someone designing a new urban walking tour through Adelaide or Hobart, a heatmap view often reveals more than any official tourism map.

Sharing is effortless: a route link opens in any browser, and the activity itself can be embedded into blogs, club newsletters or training plans. Local clubs often share their weekly group rides as pre-built routes, so newcomers can simply tap to follow without needing navigation expertise. The free tier covers most features, while the subscription adds advanced analysis tools that competitive athletes appreciate.

Offline-friendly alternatives for Aussie travellers

Beyond the household names, a handful of lesser-known apps deserve a spot on any Australian traveller's home screen. Maps.me offers detailed offline maps for nearly every country on earth, with reliable coverage of regional towns and tourist routes alike. It is particularly handy for road-trippers who want a lightweight companion that does not chew through the data allowance.

Footpath Route Planner stands out for walkers and joggers in dense suburbs. It prioritises footpaths, park paths and quiet residential streets, then generates a loop or out-and-back route of any chosen distance. Sydneysiders planning a new beachside walk or Brisbanites sketching an evening riverside jog will find it unusually accommodating.

Guru Maps combines vector and raster maps with a flexible route editor, plus support for importing GPX files from older devices or community forums. It also has a strong track-recording feature, which doubles as a backup when the primary navigation app misbehaves.

For serious cartographers, Avenza Maps remains a quietly powerful choice. It uses georeferenced PDFs, which means anyone can load custom topographic sheets, geological surveys or historical maps and turn them into a personal route overlay. Bushwalkers tackling the Australian Alps Walking Track often carry an Avenza map alongside a more conventional GPS app, layering information in ways that consumer-oriented apps simply cannot match.

Here is how the main contenders compare for Australian conditions:

Quick picks for Australian travellers:

• Choose AllTrails if bushwalking is the priority, especially across national parks with established trail networks and active community uploads.
• Choose Komoot if cycling dominates the diary, with gravel, touring or bikepacking rides that span multiple regions.
• Choose Gaia GPS for outback travel, remote-area four-wheel driving, or any expedition where mobile reception cannot be guaranteed.
• Choose Strava for the social experience, club rides and urban running routes where community feedback adds genuine value.
• Choose Maps.me for budget-friendly international travel, short road trips or as a lightweight backup that lives quietly on the device.

Whichever app earns a place on the home screen, the real reward comes when a freshly drawn route translates into a memorable day outside. Sketching the loop on a Saturday morning arvo, sharing the link with a mate in Perth, then following the blue dot through the gum trees the following weekend, captures something that a paper map never quite could. The next adventure is only a few taps away, so download a few of these apps, plot a route somewhere new, and see where the map leads.