AllTrails Peak now offers advanced tools for backpacking, helping you build a multi-day route and customize every mile. With Custom Routes, you can create or adjust a route, break it into days, compare route options, and use map tools to better understand the terrain and points of interest along the way.
You can also plan your trip with guidance from AllTrails' trail experts and global community of explorers, using waypoints, route details, and map layers to make more informed decisions before you head out.
What you can do
With AllTrails' backpacking planning tools, you can:
Build a custom route from scratch or customize an existing route
Split a longer route into multiple days
Adjust day boundaries as your plan changes
Link or unlink route segments while editing
Keep the original route visible while making changes
Use smart route-planning tools to help divide a route based on factors like distance, elevation, and route alerts
Add or review waypoints for key stops like campsites, water sources, parking, and viewpoints
Use map layers, including slope angles and US public lands, as well as community waypoints to evaluate a route more confidently
Label important planning points like water sources, resupply stops, and bail-out points
Which membership includes these features?
While many of these new features are AllTrails Peak-specific, all AllTrails members can access trail pages, save trails, and build custom routes on AllTrails.com, while AllTrails Plus members still have access to tools that can support your backpacking trip once you've planned it, including:
Please note that the newer Custom Routes experience in the mobile app and the advanced multi-day backpacking planning tools are part of AllTrails Peak.
Accessing Custom Routes
On AllTrails.com:
Hover over Saved
Select Custom routes & maps
Open an existing route or select Build custom route
In the AllTrails mobile app:
Tap Saved
Select Lists
Tap Custom routes & maps
Open an existing route or tap Build custom route
How to plan a multi-day route
1. Create or open a route
Start by creating a custom route from scratch or opening a route you already saved. You can also customize an existing verified route if you want to use it as the base for your backpacking trip.
2. Open the route editing tools
Once your route is open, enter editing mode to begin refining your trip. From there, you can make changes to the route itself and begin organizing it into multiple days.
3. Split your route into days
Use the available route-planning tools to divide your route into day-by-day segments. This can help you break a longer trip into more manageable sections and adjust your plan based on mileage, climbing, and expected stops.
Depending on your route, you may see different ways to split your trip:
Split equally: Divides the route into segments based on distance only. This is the simplest option if you want each day to cover a similar number of miles.
Suggested split: Uses route details like distance, elevation, and points of interest to recommend a more balanced day-by-day plan.
Describe your ideal route: Lets you choose the number of segments and add your preferences, so AllTrails can suggest a split that better matches the type of trip you want to take.
4. Refine each segment
After splitting the route, you can adjust the boundaries between days, update connected segments, and fine-tune the route as needed. If you want to compare your edits against your original plan, you may also be able to keep the original route visible while you work.
5. Add planning details
As you finalize your route, add or review waypoints for places that matter to your trip, such as:
Campsites
Water sources
Trail junctions
Parking areas
Viewpoints or landmarks
Resupply stops
Bail-out points
You can also use map layers and community waypoint information to better understand the terrain and plan each day more confidently.
6. Save your route
When you're finished, save your route so it appears in Custom routes & maps and stays available across your devices.
Tips for planning a backpacking trip
Start with the full route, then break it into days once you have a clear overall plan
Pay attention to elevation gain, not just mileage, when deciding where to split each day
Use waypoints to mark critical stops before you head out
Review terrain, route details, and map layers carefully if you're planning in unfamiliar areas
Revisit and update your route as conditions or trip plans change
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