When you plan a hike in Goat Maps, the distance is calculated along the trail lines on the map. Sounds straightforward—but there’s a catch: many trails aren’t mapped with survey-grade precision. That’s the main reason a planned route can end up shorter than the distance you actually walk.
Looking for the companion article about recorded track distances? See: Why does my track distance seem wrong?
The core issue: simplified trail lines
Most digital trail maps—including public datasets and many park sources—use lines that are generalized (simplified) so maps render quickly and stay readable. Generalization removes tiny bends and straightens tight wiggles. On a curvy trail, that makes the line a little shorter than the real path on the ground.
Common reasons planned distance underestimates reality:
Cartographic simplification. Switchbacks and small curves are “smoothed” or partially straightened.
Sparse source data. Some trails were traced from old aerials or coarse GPS logs with few points.
Mismatched alignments. The mapped line follows the “idea” of the trail, not every micro-meander cut by feet and water.
Route tools snap to centerlines. Even if you place points carefully, snapping follows the simplified geometry.
Why we don’t “just add a factor”
It’s tempting to multiply every planned distance by, say, 1.05. But that would be wrong as often as it’s right:
Some trails are mapped very accurately (little to no bias).
Others are highly simplified (bigger bias).
The same park can have a mix of both.
Because we don’t know the mapping accuracy for every segment, a universal fudge factor would overcorrect some routes and undercorrect others.
What Goat Maps does (and doesn’t) do
We report the distance of the line you plan on. No hidden multipliers.
We avoid global corrections precisely because mapping accuracy varies by place.
We keep improving base data as better sources become available, and we prioritize high-use trails for updates.
Planning smarter: how to reduce surprises
Build in a cushion. For itineraries, plan time/energy with a 5–15% buffer depending on how curvy or switchback-heavy the trail appears. This is a planning margin, not a correction we apply.
Zoom in and look at satellite imagery. Lots of tight bends? Expect the real distance to be longer than the plan.
Cross-check sources. If available, compare our trail line with satellite imagery or official park maps. Big mismatches hint at underestimation.
After the hike, compare. Recording your track lets you see how the planned distance differed on that trail, which helps you calibrate expectations for similar routes nearby.
Bottom line
Planned distances are measured along map lines, and those lines can be simpler than the real trail, especially in curvy or switchbacky terrain. Because the amount of simplification varies by trail, there’s no single multiplier that makes every plan “correct.” Our goal is to give you the clearest possible plan distance and the context to interpret it—so you can set smart expectations, add a sensible buffer, and enjoy the hike.