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Using Our Maps

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  10. Surface Detection

Surface Detection

On some routes, the map marks the sections it thinks are unpaved. Click one to see what’s known about its surface.

Spotting unpaved sections

  • Unpaved sections are drawn with a dashed white line along the route. Paved sections are a plain line.
  • Zoom in if you can’t see the dashes.
  • The Elevation Profile also shades unpaved sections more lightly.
A close-up of the Badlands 2026 route near Lugros. On the left the route is a blue line with a dashed white line along it, for unpaved sections; on the right, through Lugros, it is a plain blue line. Distance markers 65 and 755 and direction arrows sit on the route.
Unpaved sections are dashed; paved sections are a plain line.

Seeing the surface details

  1. Click or tap a dashed section.
  2. A small pop-up shows what’s known about that section.

It can include:

  • Name: the track’s name, if it has one.
  • Surface: for example Gravel or Dirt.
  • Type: for example Track.
  • Track Type: a grade from 1 (firm) to 5 (soft).
  • Length: the length of the section.

A line only appears when that detail is known.

A dashed section of the Badlands 2026 route with a small pop-up reading Name: Camino A Velefique, Surface: Gravel, Type: Track, Track Type: Grade 2 and Length: 12.69 Km.
The surface pop-up for an unpaved section on Badlands 2026.

How accurate it is

The map works out the surface from OpenStreetMap data. Some roads and tracks there have a reported surface, but many don’t, so the map has to make educated guesses from several clues. It will never be 100% accurate. It’s far more reliable where the data is good, or where public roads are almost always paved.

When you might not see it

  • Not every route shows surface data.
  • Free-route events usually have no route. GPX Segments don’t show surface data.

Last reviewed: October 2026

On this page

  • Spotting unpaved sections
  • Seeing the surface details
  • How accurate it is
  • When you might not see it
  • Related articles