GPX Track Viewer

View GPS tracks, routes, and waypoints from GPX files on an interactive map with elevation profile.

Tested tool guide Tested browser tools Checked August 16, 2026

What GPX Track Viewer does, with a checked example

GPX Track Viewer opens a GPX document and reads its track, route, and waypoint coordinates into an interactive map, then presents available track elevations as a profile. It helps confirm where a recorded or planned path lies and whether height samples were included. The usual surprise is that a valid mapped track does not necessarily have a useful elevation graph: latitude and longitude identify each track point, while elevation is optional. Because GPX files may expose precise travel history, this viewer handles the file entirely in the browser rather than uploading it.

Worked example

A concrete input and expected output from the current implementation.

Input

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="example" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1">
  <trk><name>Two points</name><trkseg>
    <trkpt lat="40.0000" lon="-74.0000"><ele>10</ele></trkpt>
    <trkpt lat="40.0010" lon="-74.0000"><ele>20</ele></trkpt>
  </trkseg></trk>
</gpx>

Expected output

The map contains one northbound track segment from 40.0000, -74.0000 to 40.0010, -74.0000. Its elevation profile contains samples at 10 m and 20 m, giving an endpoint rise of 10 m.

The two trkpt elements have the same longitude and increasing latitude, so they form one northbound segment. GPX ele values are meters, and 20 - 10 = 10 m.

How the result is produced

GPX feature structure

Track geometry comes from ordered trkpt elements inside each trkseg. A file may contain multiple trk or trkseg elements, while rte contains ordered rtept elements and each standalone wpt represents one location. The viewer maps these coordinate-bearing elements according to their GPX roles. Segment boundaries remain meaningful when examining gaps or separate recording sessions.

Elevation samples

Each ele child records elevation in meters for its containing point. The elevation profile follows those samples along the track-point sequence. If some track points omit ele, their latitude and longitude still define map geometry, but elevation coverage is incomplete. Optional timestamps, names, descriptions, and extension data do not supply missing heights.

Good uses

Preview a hiking or cycling export to confirm that the recorded track follows the expected roads, paths, and endpoints.
Examine a GPS recording for separate track segments, isolated waypoints, or an unexpected geographic jump before sharing the file.
Inspect a planned route from another device and verify that its route points and accompanying waypoints are in the expected locations.

Limits and checks

A line on the map represents the coordinates stored in the file, not proof that those coordinates are accurate or that the path was traveled.
Endpoint rise is not the same as total ascent. A longer track can climb and descend repeatedly while ending near its starting elevation.
Elevation samples may be missing, sparse, or noisy. The profile reflects stored ele values and should not automatically be treated as surveyed ground height.

Common questions

Why does my track appear on the map without a complete elevation profile?

Latitude and longitude are required for every GPX track point, but the ele element is optional. A file can therefore define a complete map line with no height samples. If only some points contain ele, the profile may be incomplete. No, the viewer cannot recover the original measured elevations from coordinates alone.

Does viewing a GPX file upload my location history?

No. The GPX file is read locally in your browser and is not uploaded. That is especially relevant when a track includes home, work, or travel locations. The rendered map does not make the source file public, although anyone who already has access to the file can still read its stored coordinates.

References and verification

The example and behavioral notes were checked against the browser implementation. Standards and primary references below define the relevant format, formula, or platform behavior.