The below image is an example of a saved activity on the map in the Garmin Explore™ website.
Select your product to confirm this information applies to you
What are Tracks, Routes, Waypoints, Activities, and Courses on Garmin Outdoor Watches?
Garmin watches have various features available for recording trips, navigating, and saving locations. Depending on the Garmin model, these features include tracking, route navigation, marking waypoints, activity recording, and course navigation.
What is an Activity?
An activity is a set of coordinates connected together (breadcrumb trail) and their associated data (elevation, time, distance, heart rate, etc.). Activities are saved in a .FIT file format which can be used for reviewing fitness related data in Garmin Connect™ account or other platforms that read .FIT files.
What are Activities Used For?
Activities are used for recording and saving a path that you have taken during an activity such as backpacking, hiking, running, etc.
The activity that is saved is a fixed line of points connected together that can be used for reviewing where you went, reviewing activity data, or for future navigation.
Activities can be used for navigating a fixed path.
Activities can be useful for helping you find your way back to your starting location.
What is a Course?
A course is a pre-defined path created from a group of location points entered into the watch in the sequence you desire to navigate them. Courses are saved in a .FIT file format which can be used for reviewing or editing the course in platforms that read .FIT files.
Courses are best used for reaching a specific destination, set of destinations, and creating a pre-defined path to navigate.
When navigating a course, the course will be highlighted for you to follow. The course will show as a straight point-to-point path or an automatically calculated path depending on device capabilities, mapping, and course settings.
Course settings allow you to control how the course will calculate during navigation. When the Direct Path option is selected, there will be no map adjustments and no recalculations during navigation. When the Roads & Trails option is selected, the course will adjust to follow map data and the course will be recalculated as needed during navigation.
Example Course
The below image is an example of a course made using the Direct Path setting on a Montana® 700 handheld.
What is a Track?
A track is a set of coordinates connected together (breadcrumb trail) and their associated data (elevation, time, distance, etc.). Tracks are saved in a .GPX file format which can be used for reviewing track data in platforms that read .GPX files.
What are Tracks Used For?
Tracks are used for recording and saving a path that you have taken during an activity such as backpacking, hiking, running, etc.
The track that is saved is a fixed line of points connected together that can be used for reviewing where you went, reviewing track data, and for future navigation.
Tracks can be used for navigating a fixed path. When leaving the path, most watches will alert you that you are off course, but the path will not be altered to re-route you.
Tracks can be useful for helping you find your way back to your starting location.
The red line showing in the below image is an example of a track recorded on a Montana® 700 handheld.
What is a Route?
A route is a pre-defined path created from a group of location points entered into the watch in the sequence you desire to navigate them. Routes are saved in a .GPX file format which can be used for reviewing or editing the route in platforms that read .GPX files.
Routes are best used for reaching a specific destination, or set of destinations, when the path being taken is not important.
When navigating a route, directions will be provided to the destination(s). The directions will be provided as a straight point-to-point path or on an automatically calculated path depending on device capabilities, mapping, and routing settings.
If you go off course on a route, the path will recalculate based on your current location. When using routable mapping, the route will recalculate you on available roads and/or trails.
The below image is an example of a route made with routable mapping on a Montana® 700 handheld.
What is a Waypoint?
A waypoint is a saved location at specific GPS coordinates. Waypoints are saved in a .GPX file format which can be used for reviewing waypoint data in platforms that read .GPX files.
Waypoints are used for marking and saving coordinate locations.
Waypoints can be useful for marking your starting location if you are not using tracking. The waypoint can then be selected to help you navigate your way back to your start location.
The below image is an example of a waypoint on the map in the Garmin Explore™ website.
