Zumo User Forums

I have a Garmin Zumo XT that I bought for using off-road while ATVing in the midwest of the United States.

Last year a bought a Gazelle Ultimate C380+ e-bike and started using the Garmin Zumo XT on there, too.

I am looking for bike maps that show bicycle trails.

There are some trails shown on the TopoActive PowerSports Maps, but I would like to get more detail.

I have seen some bike maps online.

Can anybody here recommend any bike maps that will work with Garmin Zumo XT?

Also, do I need to use Garmin Base Camp for installing on the Garmin Zumo XT itself?

I haven't used Mapsource for years, but I gather that it could be used to install maps on a micro SD card?

Welcome to the forums Jim

Jim1348 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:30 pm I have a Garmin Zumo XT that I bought for using off-road while ATVing in the midwest of the United States.
Last year a bought a Gazelle Ultimate C380+ e-bike and started using the Garmin Zumo XT on there, too.
I am looking for bike maps that show bicycle trails.

Open Source maps are pretty good in some areas for showing trails. That's a long answer needed to explain that, but I am going to leave that to someone who may have experience of using OSM maps int he mid-west.

Jim1348 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:30 pm There are some trails shown on the TopoActive PowerSports Maps, but I would like to get more detail.
I have seen some bike maps online.
Can anybody here recommend any bike maps that will work with Garmin Zumo XT?

I can't believe that I am going to say this. I am not a fan of Garmin Explore - but then, I don't use if for trails.
You create a Garmin account for yourself at Explore.garmin.com and use that.
It shows maps, more detailed maps, much more detailed maps and satellite imagery
You can access it from a web browser on a PC or an Apple in a web broswer, but it really offers better functionality if you load it as an app on a tablet or phone (Android or iOS). Whereas the web based version only allows you to build tracks using straight lines (it offers some pretty good tools to fit it to the actual curves of the trail on the screen), the app version has a magnet tool which makes the route attract itself to the nearest road, path or trail - resulting in curves.

With this, you end up with a track which can be synchronised with your XT. For this you need your smartphone set up with explore and the free Garmin Drive app, so that the App can talk to your XT. The track gets put into your track folder, and the if the trail has been created as navigabel on the map, then the XT can navigate that track (you have to convert it to a trip on the XT). If it is not navigable, you can still get the XT to fllow the plotted magenta line and if you deviate it will show you the direction and distance that you need to be heading in ordert to rejoin the intended path.

Useful link to a few pages. I haven't mentioned anything about the magnet tool. Find it on one of the apps, and play. But it jusmpt to the nearest path, trail of road. It makes no distinction, so you have to be very careful to watch what it jumps to.

https://www.zumouserforums.co.uk/app.php/ZXT-P69

Jim1348 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2023 6:30 pm Also, do I need to use Garmin Base Camp for installing on the Garmin Zumo XT itself?
I haven't used Mapsource for years, but I gather that it could be used to install maps on a micro SD card?

No - Mapsource is not a lot of good for the XT. It doesn't work int he same way. Basecamp is good for on road navigation, but for trails, not so good. Not round here anyway. It has hardly any naviagable off road routes.

You might want to try the OSM maps available at openmapchest.org. The midwest region is available at https://www.openmapchest.org/maps/unite ... s-midwest/. This map works in Basecamp and on my XT and shows much more detail than the standard maps, including many hiking and biking trails that are not on the standard XT maps, though they do not distinguish between the two.

You might also find other maps for the XT here: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM ... n/Download

Disclaimer: I've used the OSM maps on the XT briefly, but mainly use them on my phone for hiking. For motorcycling, they have a bit too much detail and do not have the speed limit display provided by the City Navigator maps.

I bought the Garmin TOPO U.S. 24K North Central maps.

It states it will: "Contains many routable trails, rural roads, city neighborhood roads, major highways and interstates."

How to I use it to route on a trail without routing me on a nearby road?

Last night, when I was on a bicycle trail, I tried routing to another location on the trail, but it routed my via city streets.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/27613/pn/010-C1130-00

I reached out to Garmin with some questions and got a very helpful response:

Hello James,

We don't have a set time or schedule for the map updates so unfortunately, we do not know when the next update will come out. For our City Navigator maps, those update up to three times a year.

The Zumo XT does not have the ability to route just off road exclusively without you creating routes and sending it over to the GPS. You can use Garmin Explore to create routes. You will also want to change your calculation mode to off-road/straight line. Here is information on our Explore website and how to create and send data and other resources:

Overview of the Garmin Explore Website
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=R ... XPOzi5WJk7

Items that Sync Through the Garmin Explore App
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=3 ... lkw0tzKJDA

Importing Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks Into the Garmin Explore Website
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=k ... AhusE7WED8

Track, Route, and Waypoint Limits for the Garmin Explore Website
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=Y ... EG0I0nppq9

Transfer User Data To and From the Garmin Explore Website
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=i ... lcxnoGJNN6

Syncing, Adding, and Deleting Garmin Explore App Data on the zūmo XT GPS Navigator
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=W ... HitmCIRtc9

Creating and Editing Waypoints, Routes, Tracks, and Activities on the Garmin Explore Website
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=O ... 1shKxsMpo6

You can also use third party GPX routing files to send to the device for routing:

Importing and Sending GPX Files onto a zūmo XT GPS Navigator
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=v ... OvcxESjqh7

Thank you for choosing Garmin,

Lisa
Product Support
Garmin International
For 24-hour access to support videos, manuals, FAQs & more, visit the Support Center.