Create a Route with Garmin Explore, Import to Zumo XT. Follow With Turn by Turn Navigation

In this video, I show you how to create a route using Garmin Explore, import it into your Zumo XT, and follow it using turn by turn navigation. A route in Garmin Explore is a series of points that you would like to navigate to. You can create the route in the Garmin Explore Phone App or on the website. Then you can use your Garmin Zumo XT to follow the route.
Link to Garmin Video on how to set up your Zumo XT and enable Garmin Explore Sync:
• Support: Garmin Drive™... (Part about Garmin Explore is near the end of the video)

[@absorbtheride]

Really helped me, many thanks for taking the time to make and share this tutorial. Spent hours yesterday and I couldn't get the Zumo XT to even plot a route, but using Explorer and sending it to the nav via bluetooth did it. Some things had changed slightly as the software has updated but it was all intuitive after it. Thanks again, I can now go explore the route I wanted to try :)

[@joseaugusto6255]

Hi! extraordinary video!! thank you very much for the information, I´m from Brazil and you made me try to use Garmin Explore! I always use Basecamp, but I think Explore is more "realistic", and another point is that you show me, or better, you explain finally to me what is a route!!! I always use tracks instead of routes but you´ve changed my mind about it!! thank you again!

[@PeterVred]

I downloaded Explore, and to an incompatible notice for my Zumo XT. is it working for you?

[@LeMortso]

Thanks! new Garmin owner here good tips! GREAT road too!

[@ez1.global186]

Thx for you hands down video! You prefer tracks to routes - this gives the Garmin no freedom to react to traffic problems etc. Routes have the advantage that you will be directed to your must-see-points but leave room for navigation to react to traffic. At least in Germany this is often helpful. Also, there are whta Garmin calls Shaping points versus Waypoints that must be visited in the planning of a route. Maybe you can use these shaping points to create a desirable route and leave room for the GPS / Garmin to react flexible to traffic infos tec. Safe travels, Carsten

[@nemindakarunaratne2291]

You asking me.. this video helped me very much. Thanks mate.

[@seethebutter]

Great video. Thank you for doing this! Your reviews convinced me to buy one and I am very happy that I did!

[@Poshgoondas]

Lifesaver helpful. Thank you.

[@virginiatrailcameravideos]

Thank you very much for this video. Appreciate the help.

[@Trumpets4me]

Greetings from England. Brilliant tutorial, do you think you'll do another tutorial about Collections and how to set them up, plus all the other functions that you can use with Garmin Explore. I'm new to all this and I've a lot to learn. Just mastered Basecamp, thanks to Ez Moto Tim. Done a few experimental routes following your instructions and they worked a treat. Thanks for taking the time to do these tutorials. I too have the 650 V Strom, great bikes they are too. Take care and thank you again.

[@thedriftlessrider]

I can look into doing something on collections/Garmin Explore

[@Trumpets4me]

@@thedriftlessrider That'll be great. Have a nice weekend.

[@imgonzo]

Thanks for the vlog, really helped figuring out plotting routes.

[@donn5188]

Nice video. It's just easier to do routing on the XT itself. Why Garmin complicates routing is beyond me.

[@albertsanchez8007]

Nice video. Think it would be immensely practical if Garmin Explorer could snap the straight route lines to the actual roads which the GPS unit will use to navigate. This would enable the user to preview the roads that the Garmin GPS will actually use. Some roads are better than others or preferable to others. Or, am I missing something?

[@thedriftlessrider]

Yea looks like you can't snap to the roads when creating routes. If you make a route, then navigate it on the Zumo XT, it'll keep you on known roads/trails. I was messing with the Polaris Ride Command Mapping features online and they have the snap to road/trail feature.

[@albertsanchez8007]

@@thedriftlessrider Well, the workflow is as your video shows: to plot the route in Garmin Explore, then sync to Zumo XT, then inspect the route on Zumo. Make adjustments as necessary in Garmin Explore then re-sync. Iterative process is easy enough to do, with cloud-based Garmin Explore.

[@snatr]

​@@thedriftlessrider I think it depends on the type of map your routing within the explore app. If it's a road map you can just select the starting point and ending point and Explore will route the roads for you. At least that's been my experience.

[@CruiseReport]

Right out of the bag at 0:53 I am lost because when I click the + sign I do not have an option (on my phone app) for Add Route. I have Create Waypoint, Create Course and Import GPX File. On the computer side, I come from BaseCamp, which appears to be far more sophisticated than the Explore website. No way to see the calculated route on my computer. Apparently, I can only see the calculated route on the zumo. Also, how do I edit an existing Route? Compared to how I used to create and transfer routes in BaseCamp, this is a huge step backwards.

[@mrstwhite100]

Thank you for your video. I'm still baffled as to why Garmin won't give the option to just enter known addresses, scrolling around and hoping your pin selections are close enough to your destination seems odd not to mention time consuming. I was hoping the Explore would replace Basecamp for trip planning but, it looks like that was not the intent.

[@virginiatrailcameravideos]

Your video was very helpful but I'm struggling with how to edit a previously created route. I see on their instructions that to keep adding more stops on the route you have to click a point that's not the first or last. All I end up with is a bunch of moving lines all around. Aside from creating say Route 2, Route 3, etc., is there a way to add more stops on a previously existing route? Thank you.

[@deanchild9848]

The strange thing is that Exploeror tells me the Zumo XT device is not compactable with the Application not sure what is going on?

[@antonystinson3079]

Not sure what I’m doing wrong but mine won’t sync says unsupported device . Asked garmin who said it won’t sync as explore is built into the Zumo xt and I need to use garmin drive ???

[@NiekkieNick]

Huh? When I open the Garmin Explorer app and I check which devices are supported, it says that the Zumo XT is not supported. Why does yours work??

[@RamblinManMoto]

I'm confused. My Garmin Explore says it is not compatible with the Zumo XT. Did something change?

[@andyhelstrip5002]

Great, thank you.

[@user-np5rb9gj7g]

we can set a route on the garmin explore website on our laptop no problem. the issue we have is syncing it to the zumo. It just will not do it. the cable is fine. we can do it from our phones but its just too small a screen. any ideas would be greatly received!

[@bob53820]

Hard to believe that in 2023 everything Garmin is still so clunky. Made the wrong choice when choosing between a tablet or dedicated device for sure.

[@selophane43]

Very nice video but I was wondering if Garmin came up with an easy to use computer based application? Besides Basecamp, the worst piece of software ever created.

[@BrockWarwick]

Silly question here, but is the Garmin Explore web based - as in do you access from the PC or is it an app on the phone only? Asking because I have a Garmin ID, but cannot log in on the PC. Thanks Driftless!

[@santinogiacalone]

Thanks.

[@krzysztof_tactix]

I have a ready gpx route with points to visit but these points are not displayed to me only the route from a to b ??

[@alansoriano2434]

Nice tutorials but I tried It on my android phone but no routes on the menu just waypoints,

[@rso1411]

After watching your video I downloaded Garmin Explore to use with my Garmin Zumo XT. However, the Explore app says that the Garmin XP is not supported and will not sync. Am I missing something here?

[@thedriftlessrider]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmmrn3-QoJWtd7s Here is a link to a video from Garmin. When you pair your phone to the Zumo XT using the Garmin Drive App, there is an option at the end of the setup to allow Garmin Explore to sync. That should get it to work.

[@rso1411]

@@thedriftlessrider Thank you!

[@SKYAL75]

Hi. After download the APP on my iPhone, it says that the Zumo XT is not a compatible device. Can you explain this please? Regards

[@Kingcactus20000]

How do you edit a route after you have made it? The only thing I seem to be able to edit is the name of the route.

[@jameseby-ny3eu]

What happened to the turn by turn are they reliable !!!

[@ItsOnlyAid]

I've just come back from a weekend in Wales, UK. I planned a 140 mile Loop with Explore, and it transferred to the ZUMO XT with no problem, however when I wanted to start the route, I selected to go to the start point, but it some how would only direct me to the start point, and never actually started the route once i was at the start point.... any clues as to why?

[@thedriftlessrider]

Did you have it as a track or a route? Tracks won't get you turn by turn navigation once you're on the line.

[@ItsOnlyAid]

@@thedriftlessrider it was as a route

[@gregluther9088]

Great Video Alex, but I tried the exact same with my new Zumo XT using Explore on my PC. The Route does get transferred to my Zumo, however a red triangle with exclamation point appears with it (in the Zumo Route list) click on that triangle yields "Garmin Explore Route is currently being converted for use with the Zumo XT device. Try again later". Called Garmin Support; they had no solution other than convert to a track (my routes converted to tracks ARE useable). Tried several different Routes, short and longer with no success. Any ideas? Garmin Support even told me that I must DELETE Explore from my phone (I-Phone X); said Routes could NOT be created on a cell phone and transferred to Zumo XT. I told them to watch your Vid.... Any help would be appreciated.

[@RedfoxCGLM]

I used this video to initially set up the zumo. For some reason when I click + now the only options are create waypoint, create course and import GPX file. No route option. I created a course turned it into a track but it won’t send from the iPad to the zumo. Help pls? I did an upgrade last night.

[@ThaYewTuber]

Having the same problem. Was there a recent update? This seemed like an actual easy way to create routes and sync them with the Zumo.

[@jamocam9656]

I have the same issue , can only create waypoint, create course and import GPX file

[@justinasteisutis975]

Great video, thanks. When I create route in garmin explore it draws only lines (doesnt create real route on roads). Also when I try to find it on my device , come message that says route is still converting. Also it appears in routes section, not tracks as yours. Where do I go wrong? Thanks

[@thedriftlessrider]

When you make a route in Garmin Explore, it will just do straight lines between the points you put down, when navigate the route on your GPS, the GPS will find the roads for you to hit the points. My routes were in the routes section, not tracks. Was your GPS connected to wifi when you tried converting? I had a problem once were it didn't convert and I was out in the middle of nowhere. Not sure if internet was the issue or not but its just a thought.

[@michaelpalmer9132]

do you have any routes for colorado. we are going in august.

[@thedriftlessrider]

In my other videos, the 4 states 5 national parks ones, I have a link to the route (in Google maps) we took through Colorado and Utah. The segment between Montrose and the Utah border was some great forest riding.

[@cconwayott]

Hi, The video goes from you driving down the road, to some map on your phone? How did you get this map to show up? When I open the app and connect the phone, all the phone does is give me a "where to" same as is on the Zumo. How did you get the map? The "where to" on the Garmin Drive App is the same "Where to" thats on the Garmin Zumo. Am I missing something....

[@thedriftlessrider]

Yes, if I understand your comment correctly you were using only Garmin Drive. The map app is Garmin Explore and is a separate app (also available as a website).

[@cconwayott]

@@thedriftlessrider great thanks for the response. Garmin has so many programs and apps, should only be one for everything... to complicated

[@SS-qb7np]

@@cconwayott I was hoping Explore would replace Basecamp. Explore needs to do the road selection after you finish building your route. It is much easier to error check on your computer than on the XT. It is much more difficult and inconvenient to adjust your route on the XT, or discover once you are on your ride that it did not route the road you want.

[@EZMotoTim]

When creating a route on the phone as you showed, does the route get stored in the Explore cloud?

[@thedriftlessrider]

Yes and then you can view it on the explore website.

[@nose2wind872]

Can Garmin explore be loaded on a PC?

[@thedriftlessrider]

It's a web based application

[@RedfoxCGLM]

Garmin explore says my sumo is unsupported??? Any ideas?

[@thedriftlessrider]

Yea it says that. But if you follow the process in this video from Garmin, your zumo xt will sync with explore automatically kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmmrn3-QoJWtd7s Go to the 2:30 timestamp where it shows how to enable Garmin explore. You might have to repair your zumo xt through the Garmin drive app.

[@RedfoxCGLM]

Thanks very much

[@billroberts9182]

My Garmin XT will not allow importation of tracks or routes. It is WAY too complicated and convoluted. I blame the Pimply Programmers and young design team. Do you know how your refrigerator condenser works? No, you use the cold box so you can eat your fruit loops with cold milk!

[@NateSail82]

How the hell are you doing this? I tried getting explore on my Note 10+ and my Tab S7+ both say the Zumo XT is unsupported.

[@williamhenry4542]

The Zumo XT is not supported by the Garmin Explore app on a smartphone. The CT does not connect to the Explore system via the Garmin Explore app. The connection from the Zumo XT to the Explore site / system is provided by the Garmin Drive app running on a smartphone which is BlueTooth connected to the XT. It’s a bit convoluted, but it’s basically … 1. Create a route either on the Explore app or on the Explore web site. 2. Ensure Garmin Drive app is running on your smartphone. 3. BlueTooth connect the XT to the smartphone. 4. The XT will synch via Garmin Drive to the Explore routes.

[@danschiltroth1576]

V-Strom?

[@thedriftlessrider]

Yes, 2005 V-Strom 650.

[@curtkautsch]

this app no longer supports the XT, Garmin is garbage when it come to usability, they have 30 + apps to service their devices. Dumb!