Strava can now show popular trail routes near you, complete with start locations, and can record trail running, gravel biking, mountain biking, and e-MTB activities. The four new trail sports are available to all Strava users, while the trail routes are accessible to subscribers.
Off-road sports have seen a real boon since the start of the pandemic, with more people than ever heading off the beaten path. Strava says the number of hikes logged by its users has doubled over the last two years, and Garmin's 2021 Connect Fitness Report showed a particularly big increase in the popularity of gravel biking.
Trail route suggestions will vary depending on your chosen activity – whether you want to try an all-day hike, a mud-soaked 10k run, or devour a downhill on your bike – and you'll get tips to make sure it's as fun as possible. The Strava app will estimate how long the route will take, and how crowded it's likely to be so you can plan your trip accordingly.
King of the mountains
Strava will also estimate the route's difficulty, complete with graphics showing the gradient, so you don't get caught out by sneaky hills. If you do conquer a particularly tough climb, you can now show it off with a 3D map on your activity upload. Only subscribers can choose to add 3D maps, but all Strava members can view them and marvel at your physical prowess.
Right now, you can subscribe to Strava from $5 / £4 per month (down from the usual price of $7.99 / £6.99) when billed annually, and high school and college students qualify for a 50% discount off the annual price.
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