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Is there a way to show KML tracks in Google Maps?
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Mitch Kaufmann
Sep 30, 2015, 8:39:12 PM9/30/15
to
I have a kmz file taken from Google My Tracks on my Android cellphone.
Loading the hiking track into Google Earth allows me to save it as a KML file.
I want to send the file to people who don't have (& don't want) Google Earth.
They just need to load the track into Google Maps in their web browser.
How can we load a KML hiking track in Google Maps using a web browser?
Loading the hiking track into Google Earth allows me to save it as a KML file.
I want to send the file to people who don't have (& don't want) Google Earth.
They just need to load the track into Google Maps in their web browser.
How can we load a KML hiking track in Google Maps using a web browser?
Hans-Georg Michna
Oct 1, 2015, 2:14:05 AM10/1/15
to
consisting of that track, and share it directly or publish it to
everybody and send out the link.
Look for Menu, My Maps in Google Maps.
Hans-Georg
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 1, 2015, 3:28:33 AM10/1/15
to
On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 08:14:06 +0200, Hans-Georg Michna wrote:
> Not perfectly sure, but I think you can create your own map,
> consisting of that track, and share it directly or publish it to
> everybody and send out the link.
>
> Look for Menu, My Maps in Google Maps.
Thank you for clarifying. There is a Google app for Android & iOS
> Not perfectly sure, but I think you can create your own map,
> consisting of that track, and share it directly or publish it to
> everybody and send out the link.
>
> Look for Menu, My Maps in Google Maps.
called "MyMaps" which seems to "create" maps, but then I'm not sure
how to give everyone that map, since all I really want is to give
them a URL to open a map with the track on it already.
I just want any user, even a user that does not happen to have a Google
account, to be able to load the track into Google Maps (that is, the
browser URL www.maps.google.com).
Using your suggestion of looking for help with "My Maps", I found this:
KML content isn't available in Google Maps
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/41136?hl=en
Which refers to this:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/splash?app=mp
Which, unfortunately, requires a Google login.
Chris Blunt
Oct 1, 2015, 5:40:02 AM10/1/15
to
On Wed, 30 Sep 2015 20:39:11 -0400, Mitch Kaufmann
- Go to https://www.google.com/mymaps
- Click on "Create a new map"
- In the box on the top left, click on "Import"
- Drag or select the .kmz file you want. The tracks should be
displayed on the map.
- Click on "Share" near the top of the box on the top left
There's is a link there that you can share with others. You can also
choose the privacy options for the link. Share with everyone, only
with people who have the link, or keep it private for yourself only.
Hope that helps.
Chris
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 1, 2015, 9:02:58 PM10/1/15
to
On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 17:40:00 +0800, Chris Blunt wrote:
> Hope that helps.
Hi Chris,
That was PERFECT help!
Thanks for taking the time to write it up.
To give back to the ng, here's what I'm writing up, as a first
pass anyway, to give to my recipients (some of whom are not techies).
How do these instructions look?
Are they clear enough for a wide variety of "normal" people?
This is the only known way to show our GPS tracks on Google Maps:
a. Go to https://www.google.com/mymaps on any web browser.
b. Click on "Create a new map" (mandatory google signin, sorry).
c. Or, register a new google account name (it has to be done, sorry).
d. Once signed in, you will see "Untitled map" & "Untitled layer" at top left.
e. Press the "Import" link below "Untitled layer" at top left.
f. Drag or select the desired CSV, XLSX, KML, KMZ or GPX track file.
g. Your hiking track will show up in the browser in the "Base" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/4JHmuwv.jpg
h. Change the Base map to "Terrain" in the bottom of the top-left box.
i. That same track will show up in the browser in the "Terrain" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/0ysdaGi.jpg
Unfortunately when you zoom to about a half mile, terrain goes blurry.
k. To export the track as a KML, locate the Export to KML button.
j. To share this track with others, click on "Share" in the top left box.
> Hope that helps.
Hi Chris,
That was PERFECT help!
Thanks for taking the time to write it up.
To give back to the ng, here's what I'm writing up, as a first
pass anyway, to give to my recipients (some of whom are not techies).
How do these instructions look?
Are they clear enough for a wide variety of "normal" people?
This is the only known way to show our GPS tracks on Google Maps:
a. Go to https://www.google.com/mymaps on any web browser.
b. Click on "Create a new map" (mandatory google signin, sorry).
c. Or, register a new google account name (it has to be done, sorry).
d. Once signed in, you will see "Untitled map" & "Untitled layer" at top left.
e. Press the "Import" link below "Untitled layer" at top left.
f. Drag or select the desired CSV, XLSX, KML, KMZ or GPX track file.
g. Your hiking track will show up in the browser in the "Base" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/4JHmuwv.jpg
h. Change the Base map to "Terrain" in the bottom of the top-left box.
i. That same track will show up in the browser in the "Terrain" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/0ysdaGi.jpg
Unfortunately when you zoom to about a half mile, terrain goes blurry.
k. To export the track as a KML, locate the Export to KML button.
j. To share this track with others, click on "Share" in the top left box.
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 1, 2015, 10:44:42 PM10/1/15
to
On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 09:24:39 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:
> Absent a Google account, your "people" can load it in Google _Earth_
> if they have that on their computers (OS X, Windows, Linux). It's
> a program worth having for many people for many uses in any case.
>
> Not sure about other devices (iOS / Android) Google Earth.
Thanks for that advice about Google Earth being better than Google Maps
especially for viewing hiking tracks on hilly terrain.
I have Google Earth, but, I can't suppose my recipients will have it.
But I can presume that they can get to Google Maps with a web browser,
so that's why I had asked how to show a track on terrain on a browser
loaded to Google Maps instead.
However, to give back to the ng, here is a procedure for loading that
same hiking track into a US topographic terrain map inside Google Earth.
How to view our GPS hiking tracks on a topographic map on Google Earth:
1. To view your KML file in Google Earth satellite view, simply load it in:
Start Google Earth:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
http://i.imgur.com/PdNIe7T.jpg
You can tilt the view so that you can better see heights:
http://i.imgur.com/dm5HzQ6.jpg
2. To better see the elevation lines, obtain USA USGS topographic maps:
Point your web browser to http://www.earthpoint.us/TopoMap.aspx
Press the "View on Google Earth" button
This will Download USGS topo maps named "EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml"
3. Load the USA USGS topographic map into Google Earth on Linux:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml
GoogleEarth: View > Sidebar
4. Select the Earth Point Topo Map USGS Quandrangles:
GoogleEarth: Places > Earth Point Topo Map > USGS Quadrangles
5. Load your KML track which will now topographically show on GE:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
You will see your tracks on a topographic map.
http://i.imgur.com/Y43qPId.jpg
You can tilt this topo map, but I always have issues with tilt.
6. If you loaded a KMZ file, you can save as KML for portability:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kmz
GoogleEarth: File > Save > Save Place As > MyTrack.kml
7. To return to satellite view, uncheck what you checked above:
GoogleEarth: View > Sidebar
GoogleEarth: Places > Earth Point Topo Map > USGS Quadrangles
> Absent a Google account, your "people" can load it in Google _Earth_
> if they have that on their computers (OS X, Windows, Linux). It's
> a program worth having for many people for many uses in any case.
>
> Not sure about other devices (iOS / Android) Google Earth.
Thanks for that advice about Google Earth being better than Google Maps
especially for viewing hiking tracks on hilly terrain.
I have Google Earth, but, I can't suppose my recipients will have it.
But I can presume that they can get to Google Maps with a web browser,
so that's why I had asked how to show a track on terrain on a browser
loaded to Google Maps instead.
However, to give back to the ng, here is a procedure for loading that
same hiking track into a US topographic terrain map inside Google Earth.
How to view our GPS hiking tracks on a topographic map on Google Earth:
1. To view your KML file in Google Earth satellite view, simply load it in:
Start Google Earth:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
http://i.imgur.com/PdNIe7T.jpg
You can tilt the view so that you can better see heights:
http://i.imgur.com/dm5HzQ6.jpg
2. To better see the elevation lines, obtain USA USGS topographic maps:
Point your web browser to http://www.earthpoint.us/TopoMap.aspx
Press the "View on Google Earth" button
This will Download USGS topo maps named "EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml"
3. Load the USA USGS topographic map into Google Earth on Linux:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml
GoogleEarth: View > Sidebar
4. Select the Earth Point Topo Map USGS Quandrangles:
GoogleEarth: Places > Earth Point Topo Map > USGS Quadrangles
5. Load your KML track which will now topographically show on GE:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
You will see your tracks on a topographic map.
http://i.imgur.com/Y43qPId.jpg
You can tilt this topo map, but I always have issues with tilt.
6. If you loaded a KMZ file, you can save as KML for portability:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kmz
GoogleEarth: File > Save > Save Place As > MyTrack.kml
7. To return to satellite view, uncheck what you checked above:
GoogleEarth: View > Sidebar
GoogleEarth: Places > Earth Point Topo Map > USGS Quadrangles
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 1, 2015, 11:05:18 PM10/1/15
to
Thank you for your help.
Here is the summary of what I will send out to the recipients.
TO VIEW OUR GPS TRACKS IN A GOOGLE MAPS BROWSER (TERRAIN/TOPO):
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
1. To view your KML file in Google Earth satellite view:
Here is the summary of what I will send out to the recipients.
TO VIEW OUR GPS TRACKS IN A GOOGLE MAPS BROWSER (TERRAIN/TOPO):
------------------------------------------------------
a. Go to https://www.google.com/mymaps on any web browser.
b. Click on "Create a new map" (mandatory google signin, sorry).
c. Register a google account name (it has to be done, sorry).
b. Click on "Create a new map" (mandatory google signin, sorry).
d. Once signed in, you will see "Untitled map" & "Untitled layer" at top left.
e. Press the "Import" link below "Untitled layer" at top left.
f. Drag or select the desired CSV, XLSX, KML, KMZ or GPX track file.
g. Your hiking track will show up in the browser in the "Base" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/4JHmuwv.jpg
h. Change the Base map to "Terrain" in the bottom of the top-left box.
i. That same track will show up in the browser in the "Terrain" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/0ysdaGi.jpg
Unfortunately when you zoom in to about a half mile, terrain goes blurry.
e. Press the "Import" link below "Untitled layer" at top left.
f. Drag or select the desired CSV, XLSX, KML, KMZ or GPX track file.
g. Your hiking track will show up in the browser in the "Base" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/4JHmuwv.jpg
h. Change the Base map to "Terrain" in the bottom of the top-left box.
i. That same track will show up in the browser in the "Terrain" Google Map.
http://i.imgur.com/0ysdaGi.jpg
k. To export the track as a KML, locate the Export to KML button.
j. To share this track with others, click on "Share" in the top left box.
TO VIEW OUR GPS TRACKS IN GOOGLE EARTH (TERRAIN/TOPO):
j. To share this track with others, click on "Share" in the top left box.
------------------------------------------------------
1. To view your KML file in Google Earth satellite view:
Start Google Earth:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
http://i.imgur.com/PdNIe7T.jpg
You can tilt the view so that you can better see heights:
http://i.imgur.com/dm5HzQ6.jpg
2. To better see the elevation lines, obtain USA USGS topographic maps:
Point your web browser to http://www.earthpoint.us/TopoMap.aspx
Press the "View on Google Earth" button
This will Download USGS topo maps named "EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml"
3. Load the USA USGS topographic map into Google Earth:
GoogleEarth: File > Open > MyTrack.kml
http://i.imgur.com/PdNIe7T.jpg
You can tilt the view so that you can better see heights:
http://i.imgur.com/dm5HzQ6.jpg
2. To better see the elevation lines, obtain USA USGS topographic maps:
Point your web browser to http://www.earthpoint.us/TopoMap.aspx
Press the "View on Google Earth" button
This will Download USGS topo maps named "EarthPointTopoMap_012701.kml"
Hans-Georg Michna
Oct 6, 2015, 4:29:59 AM10/6/15
to
On Thu, 01 Oct 2015 03:28:32 -0400, Mitch Kaufmann wrote:
>Which, unfortunately, requires a Google login.
Yes, logging on to Google is required. From Google's point of
>Which, unfortunately, requires a Google login.
view that is understandable.
You could just provide the KLM file and perhaps also a version
converted to GPX, so everybody can make use of the file however
they like. They can use Google or something else.
Hans-Georg
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 6, 2015, 2:34:07 PM10/6/15
to
On Tue, 06 Oct 2015 10:30:04 +0200, Hans-Georg Michna wrote:
> Yes, logging on to Google is required. From Google's point of view that
> is understandable.
>
> You could just provide the KLM file and perhaps also a version converted
> to GPX, so everybody can make use of the file however they like. They
> can use Google or something else.
Thanks for that advice.
> Yes, logging on to Google is required. From Google's point of view that
> is understandable.
>
> You could just provide the KLM file and perhaps also a version converted
> to GPX, so everybody can make use of the file however they like. They
> can use Google or something else.
Up until today, I had never used GPX, but, I'm slowly coming to the
realization that the GPX format is apparently the most common standard
format for tracks and routes when one has multiple map applications.
Hans-Georg Michna
Oct 7, 2015, 2:40:54 AM10/7/15
to
On Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:34:06 -0400, Mitch Kaufmann wrote:
>Up until today, I had never used GPX, but, I'm slowly coming to the
>realization that the GPX format is apparently the most common standard
>format for tracks and routes when one has multiple map applications.
Yes. Nearly every mapping or tracking program can import GPX
>Up until today, I had never used GPX, but, I'm slowly coming to the
>realization that the GPX format is apparently the most common standard
>format for tracks and routes when one has multiple map applications.
files.
I publish some data that way. Check http://michna.com/gps/ for
some examples. I also publish Google maps with similar data
there, but Google has some limitations.
Hans-Georg
Mitch Kaufmann
Oct 7, 2015, 7:24:24 PM10/7/15
to
On Wed, 07 Oct 2015 08:40:51 +0200, Hans-Georg Michna wrote:
> Yes. Nearly every mapping or tracking program can import GPX files.
>
> I publish some data that way. Check http://michna.com/gps/ for some
> examples. I also publish Google maps with similar data there, but Google
> has some limitations.
Hi Hans-Georg,
> Yes. Nearly every mapping or tracking program can import GPX files.
>
> I publish some data that way. Check http://michna.com/gps/ for some
> examples. I also publish Google maps with similar data there, but Google
> has some limitations.
I use both iOS and Android GPS devices while hiking off trail.
Here is my iOS desktop, with a folder for hiking & roadmap apps:
http://i.imgur.com/wjekDng.gif
Here is my Android desktop, with a folder for hiking & outdoor apps:
http://i.imgur.com/Qe4Kvro.gif
Looking at your excellent outdoor mapping web site (http://michna.com/
gps)
I saw your request for iOS mobile device apps that requested: "If you
know a very good one that runs on the iPhone, please let me know".
I'm not an iOS expert, but, I have asked the experts in the past for the
best apps that fit an outdoorsman's needs for GPS tracking, routing, and
guidance.
Given all their wonderful help, the best we could find, for the iOS
devices, is shown in this screenshot:
http://i.imgur.com/Ru7QOx0.gif
Where the iHikeGPS program works just barely OK:
- It has offline USGS topographical maps
- It can record tracks & waypoints & routes on that map
- It can provide rudimentary statistics (i.e., elevation/distance charts)
The TopoReader freeware program is similar, but even less functional.
- It can zoom further into USGS topo maps than iHikeGPS can
- But it's not otherwise very functional
- The freeware has super obnoxious ads (worse than any I've ever seen)
The rest, such as Commander Compass Lite, KMZ Loader, DrawArea, Tracks
Loger, and MapPath are just useful for one or two specialty items, and
barely worth installing otherwise.
By way of comparison, I have asked the same questions of the Android
users, where they suggested the following similar GPS mapping apps:
http://i.imgur.com/sZ7M6dT.gif
Since you're trying to help both your iOS and Android users with your web
page advice, I have added the iOS experts to this cc list so that they
can *improve* upon our collective knowledge for the best iOS mapping apps
for outdoor backcountry offroad use.
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