How to Create an Elevation Profile: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

What Is an Elevation Profile?

An elevation profile is a cross-sectional view of a route that shows how the terrain rises and falls along a path. It is displayed as a chart where the horizontal axis represents the distance along the route and the vertical axis represents the elevation above sea level. Think of it as slicing the landscape along your route and looking at it from the side.

Elevation profiles are essential tools for anyone planning outdoor activities. They reveal far more about a route than a flat map ever could. A trail that looks short on a map might actually involve hundreds of metres of climbing. An elevation profile makes that immediately obvious by showing every climb, descent, and flat stretch along the way.

The chart typically shows a filled area or line graph with key metrics displayed alongside it: total elevation gain, total elevation loss, maximum elevation, minimum elevation, total distance, average grade, and maximum grade. Together, these numbers give you a comprehensive picture of what a route demands physically.

NZ Elevation Tools generates elevation profiles using LINZ LiDAR data, which provides sub-metre vertical accuracy. This is significantly more precise than the elevation data recorded by consumer GPS devices or smartphones, which can be off by 10 to 20 metres or more.

Method 1: Draw a Route on the Map

Drawing a route directly on the interactive map is the quickest way to create an elevation profile. This method is ideal when you want to explore a new area, plan a route from scratch, or quickly check the elevation along a particular path.

Step 1: Open the Elevation Profile Tool

Navigate to the NZ Elevation Tools homepage and select the Elevation Profile mode. The map will load centred on New Zealand, and you will see drawing controls appear on the interface.

Step 2: Navigate to Your Area of Interest

Use the map controls to zoom in and pan to the area where you want to create your elevation profile. You can zoom using the scroll wheel, pinch-to-zoom on touch devices, or the plus and minus buttons. The more you zoom in, the more detail you will see in the underlying terrain and satellite imagery, which helps you place your route points more accurately.

Step 3: Place Your First Point

Click on the map to place the starting point of your route. A marker will appear at the location you clicked. This is the beginning of your elevation profile, the zero-distance point on the horizontal axis of the chart.

Step 4: Continue Adding Points Along Your Route

Click additional points on the map to trace out your desired path. Each click adds a new waypoint, and a line is drawn between consecutive points to show the route. Place points at every turn, junction, or change of direction to accurately represent the path you intend to follow. Straight-line sections between waypoints are fine for roads and trails that run in a consistent direction, but curves and switchbacks need more closely spaced points.

Step 5: Review and Adjust

As you place points, the elevation profile chart updates in real time. Watch the chart build up as you extend the route. If you make a mistake, you can remove the last point and reposition it. Take time to review the route against the map to ensure it follows the actual path you intend to travel, especially in areas with switchbacks or complex terrain.

Step 6: Analyze the Completed Profile

Once your route is complete, the elevation profile chart displays the full cross-section. Hover over or tap on the chart to see the exact elevation and distance at any point along the route. The corresponding location is highlighted on the map so you can see exactly where each part of the profile corresponds to on the ground.

Method 2: Upload a GPX File

If you already have a GPS track from a previous trip, a route planned in another application, or a track downloaded from a website, uploading a GPX file is the fastest and most accurate way to create an elevation profile. This method uses the exact coordinates from the file rather than relying on manual point placement.

Step 1: Prepare Your GPX File

Ensure you have a GPX file ready on your device. GPX files can come from GPS devices such as Garmin, Suunto, or Wahoo units, from apps like Strava, AllTrails, or Komoot, or from route planning websites. The file should contain either a track (a series of recorded GPS points) or a route (a series of planned waypoints). Most GPS files you encounter will be in GPX format, which is the universal standard for GPS data exchange.

Step 2: Open the Elevation Profile Tool

Navigate to NZ Elevation Tools and select the Elevation Profile mode. You will see an upload area where you can submit your file.

Step 3: Upload Your File

Drag and drop your GPX file into the upload area, or click to browse and select the file from your device. The tool accepts standard GPX files of any size. Once uploaded, the route is automatically plotted on the map and the elevation profile begins generating immediately.

Step 4: Wait for Processing

The tool processes your GPX file by sampling elevation data from the LINZ LiDAR dataset at each point along your route. This typically takes just a few seconds, even for long and complex routes. The elevation values from the LiDAR data replace or supplement any elevation data that was originally in the GPX file, ensuring maximum accuracy.

Step 5: Review the Results

Your route appears on the map with the elevation profile chart displayed below. The profile uses the high-precision LiDAR elevation data rather than the potentially inaccurate GPS-recorded elevations from your original file. Hover over the chart to inspect specific points, and review the summary metrics for a quick overview of the route.

Reading Your Elevation Profile

Once your elevation profile is generated, understanding how to read the chart is essential for extracting useful information. The chart communicates several layers of data simultaneously.

The horizontal axis (x-axis) represents the distance along your route, measured in kilometres. This is the cumulative distance from the start of the route to the end. It is measured along the path itself, not as a straight-line distance, so winding routes will show a longer distance than they appear on the map.

The vertical axis (y-axis) represents the elevation above sea level, measured in metres. The scale adjusts automatically to fit the elevation range of your route, so a route with dramatic elevation changes will have a wider vertical range than a relatively flat route.

The profile line or filled area shows how the elevation changes along the route. Steep upward slopes indicate climbs, steep downward slopes indicate descents, and horizontal sections indicate flat terrain. Roller-coaster patterns with repeated ups and downs indicate undulating terrain that adds to your cumulative elevation gain even if the start and end points are at similar elevations.

Total elevation gain and loss are displayed as summary figures. Total elevation gain sums up every uphill section along the route, while total elevation loss sums up every downhill section. These numbers are often more important than the maximum elevation when assessing route difficulty, because a route with many small climbs and descents can be far more demanding than one with a single sustained climb.

The gradient at any point tells you how steep the terrain is. Gradient is typically expressed as a percentage, where 10% means you gain 10 metres of elevation for every 100 metres of horizontal distance. Gradients above 15-20% are considered steep for most activities, and anything above 30% is extremely steep.

Key Metrics Explained

Your elevation profile includes several important metrics that help you understand the character of the route:

• Total Elevation Gain: The cumulative amount of climbing across the entire route. Every uphill section is added together, regardless of descents in between. This is often the single most important metric for assessing route difficulty. A route with 1,500m of total elevation gain is a serious undertaking regardless of the distance.
• Total Elevation Loss: The cumulative amount of descending. On an out-and-back route, this will roughly equal the elevation gain. On a point-to-point route, it may differ significantly. High elevation loss puts strain on knees and requires careful footing, especially on steep terrain.
• Maximum Elevation: The highest point reached along the route. This is important for weather planning, as conditions at altitude can be significantly different from the start point. In alpine areas, routes above the bushline are exposed to wind, cold, and reduced visibility.
• Minimum Elevation: The lowest point along the route. Together with maximum elevation, this defines the elevation range and helps you understand the overall vertical scale of the route.
• Average Grade: The overall steepness of the route calculated across the full distance. This gives a general sense of whether the route is predominantly flat, gently rolling, or consistently steep. An average grade of 3-5% is moderate, while 8-10% is steep for a sustained route.
• Maximum Grade: The steepest section encountered anywhere along the route. Even on routes with a modest average grade, the maximum grade reveals challenging pinch points. A route with a 2% average grade but a 25% maximum grade has at least one very steep section you need to be prepared for.
• Distance: The total length of the route measured along the path. This is the ground distance you will actually travel, accounting for the winding nature of the route. Combined with elevation metrics, distance gives you a complete picture of the physical demands.

Tips for More Accurate Profiles

While the LINZ LiDAR data is highly accurate, the quality of your elevation profile also depends on how you define the route. Here are some tips to get the best results:

• Zoom In for Precision: When drawing a route on the map, zoom in as close as possible before placing points. This lets you follow the actual trail or road more accurately. A point placed 50 metres off the actual trail could pick up the elevation of a nearby hillside or valley floor instead of the trail itself.
• Add More Points on Complex Terrain: Switchbacks, winding trails, and routes with frequent direction changes need more closely spaced waypoints. If you place only two points on a section with multiple switchbacks, the elevation profile will show a straight line between them and miss all the intermediate climbs and descents.
• Use GPX for Exact Routes: If you have a GPS recording from a previous trip, uploading it as a GPX file will always give you a more accurate profile than drawing by hand. The GPX file contains dozens or hundreds of points per kilometre, capturing every twist and turn of the actual route.
• Check the Route on the Map: After creating your profile, visually verify that the route shown on the map matches the actual path you intend to follow. Look for places where your drawn route cuts across terrain features instead of following the trail.
• Consider the Activity Type: Different activities follow different paths. A hiking trail might switchback up a hillside while a road goes straight up. Make sure your route reflects the actual path for your chosen activity.

Sharing Your Elevation Profile

NZ Elevation Tools provides a shareable URL feature that makes it easy to share your elevation profiles with others. This is useful for trip planning with friends, sharing route information with a tramping club, posting routes on forums, or sending a profile to someone who wants to replicate your route.

After generating your elevation profile, look for the share button or shareable link option. Clicking this generates a unique URL that encodes your route. Anyone who opens this link will see the same map view and elevation profile that you created. They do not need to re-draw the route or upload a file, as the route is embedded in the URL.

The shareable URL is a permanent link. You can bookmark it for your own reference, embed it in a blog post, include it in a trip plan document, or send it via email or messaging apps. The recipient sees the full interactive profile with the ability to hover over the chart and explore the route on the map.

Practical Applications

Elevation profiles are not just for curiosity. They serve practical purposes across a wide range of activities and professions:

Trail and Route Planning

Before setting out on a hike, trail run, or bike ride, an elevation profile helps you understand exactly what lies ahead. You can identify where the hardest climbs are, plan rest stops at flat sections, and estimate how long the route will take. For multi-day trips, elevation profiles help you break the route into manageable daily sections with appropriate distances and elevation gains.

Race and Event Preparation

Runners, cyclists, and mountain bikers use elevation profiles to prepare for races and events. Knowing the exact elevation profile of a racecourse allows you to train on similar terrain, plan pacing strategies for different sections, and mentally prepare for key climbs and descents. Many New Zealand trail races and cycling events traverse challenging terrain where elevation is the deciding factor in performance.

Teaching Geography and Earth Science

Elevation profiles are valuable educational tools. Teachers can use them to illustrate concepts like topography, erosion, tectonic landforms, and watershed characteristics. Students can create profiles of local features like rivers, ridgelines, or volcanic slopes to connect classroom learning with the real landscape around them.

Property and Land Assessment

Landowners, developers, and surveyors use elevation profiles to understand terrain characteristics for building sites, access roads, drainage planning, and agricultural suitability. An elevation profile across a property reveals slopes, flat areas, and elevation differences that inform land use decisions.

Data Accuracy

The accuracy of your elevation profile depends on the quality of the underlying elevation data. NZ Elevation Tools uses LINZ LiDAR data, which is collected by flying aircraft equipped with laser scanners over the terrain. This method produces a detailed three-dimensional model of the ground surface.

LINZ LiDAR data has a typical vertical accuracy of plus or minus 0.5 to 1 metre. This is an order of magnitude better than the elevation data from consumer GPS devices, which typically have vertical accuracy of plus or minus 10 to 20 metres. The difference matters: a GPS-based elevation profile might show a flat section where there is actually a 15-metre hill, or exaggerate elevation changes due to signal noise.

LiDAR also has the advantage of measuring the actual ground surface rather than the GPS antenna height. In forests and areas with dense vegetation, GPS signals bounce off the canopy and produce unreliable elevation readings. LiDAR pulses penetrate through gaps in the canopy to reach the ground, providing a true terrain model regardless of vegetation cover.

It is worth noting that LiDAR coverage in New Zealand is extensive but not universal. Most populated areas, recreational areas, and major natural features have high-resolution LiDAR coverage. In remote areas without LiDAR coverage, the tool falls back to other available elevation datasets which may have lower resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it free to create elevation profiles?

Yes. NZ Elevation Tools is free to use. You can create as many elevation profiles as you want by drawing routes on the map or uploading GPX files. There are no usage limits or account requirements.

What file formats can I upload?

The primary supported format is GPX (GPS Exchange Format), which is the universal standard for GPS data. GPX files can be exported from virtually every GPS device and route planning application. If you have a track in another format, many free online converters can transform it into GPX. You can also add elevation data to your GPX files using our dedicated enrichment tool.

How long does it take to generate a profile?

Elevation profiles are generated in just a few seconds. The processing time depends on the length and complexity of your route, but even long routes with thousands of GPS points are typically processed within 5 to 10 seconds.

Can I create profiles for routes outside New Zealand?

NZ Elevation Tools is specifically designed for New Zealand and uses LINZ LiDAR data for maximum accuracy. Routes outside New Zealand are not supported, as the high-resolution LiDAR dataset covers only New Zealand territory.

Why does my elevation profile look different from my GPS data?

If the elevation profile generated by NZ Elevation Tools differs from the elevation shown by your GPS device or app, it is almost certainly because the LiDAR data is more accurate. Consumer GPS elevation readings are notoriously unreliable, with errors of 10 to 20 metres being common. The LiDAR-based profile represents the true terrain more faithfully. See our guide on GPX elevation correction for more information.

Can I create an elevation profile for a round trip?

Yes. Simply draw your route as a loop that returns to the starting point, or upload a GPX file from a round trip. The elevation profile will show the complete out-and-back or loop route with all the climbs and descents in both directions.

Related Resources

Explore our other guides for more elevation tools and activity-specific advice:

• Elevation Profile Generator - Overview of the elevation profile tool and its capabilities
• Elevation Profiles for Hiking - Trail-specific guidance for tramping in New Zealand
• Elevation Profiles for Running - Analyze running routes and plan training
• Elevation Profiles for Cycling - Road cycling route analysis and climb categorisation
• Elevation Profiles for Mountain Biking - MTB trail elevation analysis
• Add Elevation to GPX Files - Enrich your GPS tracks with accurate LiDAR elevation data
• GPX Elevation Correction - Fix inaccurate elevation data in your GPS files