Route Planner: Freehand vs Directions Planning
Routes: Freehand vs Directions Planning
TrailNote gives you two ways to create routes: freehand drawing and directions planning. The right choice depends on whether you need an exact path shape, a calculated route, or a fast visual draft.
For the broader product workflows, see Hiking Route Planner and Freehand Route Drawing.
When to use this guide
Use this when you are about to create a route and are not sure which tool fits the job. Choosing correctly at the start saves cleanup time later.
Quick decision guide
Use freehand drawing when:
- The trail is missing from routing data
- You are tracing an off-road path, ridge, park loop, or informal connector
- You care more about communicating the route shape than turn-by-turn accuracy
- You want to sketch an idea quickly before refining details
Use directions planning when:
- The route follows roads or mapped paths
- You want distance and duration estimates based on a routing profile
- You are planning walking, cycling, or driving segments
- You need a cleaner line that follows known network geometry
Before you start
Decide what the route is supposed to answer:
- "Where are we going?" Freehand may be enough.
- "How far is this?" Directions is usually better when routing data exists.
- "Can I export this to another device?" Either can work, but cleaner geometry matters.
- "Will someone else review this?" Use styling and naming so the route is understandable.
Step-by-step: choose and build
1. Inspect the map area first
Zoom into the area before choosing a method. If the path is visible and follows known roads or mapped trails, start with directions. If the path is missing, broken, or informal, use freehand.
2. Start with the main segment
Do not build every side trip immediately. Create the main movement first, then add alternates later. This keeps the route easier to review.
3. Use directions for mapped sections
Choose the relevant profile, such as walking, cycling, or driving. Add only enough waypoints to force the route through important points. Too many waypoints can make the route harder to edit and may cause calculation failures.
4. Use freehand for missing or custom sections
For off-road trails, zoom in and draw slowly. Short, careful strokes usually produce cleaner geometry than fast drawing at a low zoom level.
5. Combine methods when needed
Many real trips are hybrid. For example, use directions from town to the trailhead, then freehand the ridge section, then directions again for the road return. Keep each meaningful segment named clearly.
6. Style routes by meaning
Use route styling to explain status:
- Main plan: strong color
- Alternate option: different color
- Old reference route: lower opacity
- Risky or uncertain section: clearly named and visually distinct
What the result looks like
A good route plan is not just a line. It should have a meaningful name, readable style, and enough structure that another person can understand why the line is there.
Common issues
Directions will not calculate. Move waypoints slightly, reduce waypoint count, or switch the travel profile.
The calculated route takes the wrong road. Add one or two strategic waypoints instead of many small corrections.
The trail is missing. Use freehand for that section rather than fighting the routing provider.
The freehand line looks jagged. Zoom in, draw more slowly, and avoid very short accidental strokes.
I need an accurate distance. Directions is usually more reliable for mapped roads and paths. For freehand, treat distance as a practical estimate based on your drawn geometry.