Make GPS Art for Strava: ArtTrails Is Now on iOS & Android
ArtTrails is live on iOS and Android. It’s a free app for planning GPS art routes — pick a shape, snap it to real roads or draw freehand, and export a GPX file that Strava, Garmin and Komoot all accept. Whatever you wanted to draw on your next long run, you can now plan it on your phone in about ninety seconds.
What is GPS art?
GPS art is what happens when your route is the artwork. You plan a path that, traced from above, looks like something — a duck, a heart, the word HELLO, the silhouette of your dog. You then run, ride, or walk it. The GPS trace becomes the picture; the Strava upload is the canvas.
It started as a joke on Strava and grew into a small community of people doing it seriously. The good ones plan for hours and run for more. The bad ones look like an unfortunate Rorschach test. Both are valid.
Why GPS art is harder than it looks
The two ways most people try GPS art are:
- Drawing it in a desktop route planner. Slow, fiddly, road-locked, and you’re tied to a laptop.
- Eyeballing it on the day. You end up with a mediocre shape, no record of intent, and a long run with nothing to show for it.
ArtTrails was built to solve both. It’s a phone-first GPS art tool that does the planning where you already are.
What ArtTrails does
- Shape generator. Pick from built-in shapes — stars, hearts, letters, animals — and the app lays them on a map near you.
- Freehand drawing. Draw any shape with your finger. No road snapping, pure visual control.
- Snap to roads. When you do want a real route, the app aligns your shape to actual streets and trails so you can follow it on a watch.
- GPX export. One tap exports a standard GPX file. Drop it into Strava, Garmin Connect, Komoot, Wahoo — anywhere that takes routes.
- Distance preview. See the route length before you commit so you don’t accidentally plan a 38 km cat.
How to make GPS art for Strava in five steps
- Open ArtTrails and tap to plan a new route.
- Pick a shape from the generator, or switch to freehand and draw your own.
- Position it on the map over an area you can actually walk, run, or ride.
- Snap to roads if you want it on real streets, or leave it freehand for parks, beaches and trails.
- Export as GPX and import into Strava (or follow it live from your watch).
Who it’s for
- Runners who want to make their long run more interesting than a loop.
- Cyclists planning a memorable century or charity ride.
- Hikers, hill-baggers and trail walkers who treat the route as part of the experience.
- Couples and friends doing a one-off occasion route — proposals, birthdays, anniversaries.
- Anyone who wanted to do GPS art but bounced off the desktop tooling.
Get it
ArtTrails is free on the App Store and Google Play.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make GPS art for Strava?
Plan the shape in ArtTrails, export it as GPX, then upload to Strava as a route or follow the route in the Strava app on your phone or watch. The GPS trace from your activity becomes the artwork.
Does it work with Garmin and Komoot?
Yes. The exported GPX file is the standard format used by Garmin Connect, Komoot, Wahoo, RidewithGPS and most other route tools. Drop the file in, follow the route.
Is ArtTrails free?
Yes — free download, no subscription, no account required.
Can I draw freehand or do I have to use a shape?
Both. The shape generator is the fast option; freehand drawing is for when you want full control or the perfect shape isn’t in the library.
ArtTrails is one of the products from zen magpie, a small product studio. If you make something with it, send it over — we collect the good ones.