【Yoshihiro Tanbara Archives】

Google added a neat feature for cyclists in Google Maps in 2014. Whenever you asked for directions from point A to point B,Yoshihiro Tanbara Archives Maps would also provide a little map with an estimated elevation for each part of the route.

Now the same is true for walking directions. For each set of directions, you'll get a little interactive map that shows you elevation changes and the overall climb and descent of the route.

SEE ALSO: New Google Maps feature helps you avoid traffic hell

We're not sure how long the feature has been live (we've asked Google to clarify), but we definitely haven't seen it before. It worked for several people at Mashablein several regions, so we assume it's live for everyone.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

UPDATE: July 20, 2017, 8:34 a.m. CEST According to a Google spokesperson, the feature has been live for about a month.

The feature, however, works only the desktop version of Google Maps. None of us were able to access it on our smartphones.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The neat little feature could be a life-saver for people with mobility issues, who can now choose alternative routes to avoid steep climbs. It's also very useful to hikers who can now plan for tougher/easier routes depending on their fitness and skill level.

---

Featured Video For You

---

Google Earth Timelapse shows how man has altered the planet in 32 years

---

Topics Google

• Tech
• Science
• Life
• Social Good
• Entertainment
• Digital Culture
• Deals
• Games

• Stablecoin bill advances in U.S. Senate as Trump critics call to end his crypto dealings
• The Most Expensive Word in History
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1927
• Marvel's VFX workers are pushing to unionise
• AMD Radeon RX 550 + Intel Pentium G4560
• The Beauty of Meaningless Writing
• What We’re Loving: Archives, Architects, the Arctic Sky
• The Dark Galleries
• The Best Gaming Concept Art of 2016
• On Epitaphic Fictions: Ben Franklin, W. B. Yeats

• Literary Vigilantes, and Other News by Sadie Stein
• The October Game by Sadie Stein
• With the Rushes by Sadie Stein
• Rowan Ricardo Phillips Wins 2013 Osterweil Award by Sadie Stein
• Man with Van of La Mancha, and Other News by Sadie Stein
• Taiye Selasi, Rome, Italy by Matteo Pericoli
• Typewriter, Tip, Tip, Tip by Sadie Stein
• Ghostwriting Tom Clancy by Sadie Stein
• Awards Season Fever! And Other News by Sadie Stein
• This Is Spinal Fusion by Rebecca Buckwalter

• Episode 4: The Wave of the Future
• 'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for August 9
• 'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for August 9
• The Morning News Roundup for April 21, 2014
• Best robot vacuum deal: Get the Roborock Q5 Max for 53% off at Amazon
• An Oral Biography of García Márquez, Part Four
• The Most Expensive Word in History
• On Epitaphic Fictions: Ben Franklin, W. B. Yeats
• Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum: $120 off at Amazon
• The Beauty of Meaningless Writing

• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 12, 2025
• The Morning News Roundup for April 24, 2014
• The Oral Biography of Gabriel García Márquez
• Why Children’s Books Matter
• Best vacuum mop combo deal: Save $140 on the Tineco Floor One S5
• The Most Expensive Word in History
• How to change your Instagram password
• I've been single for a decade. Here's what I've learned.
• How to Settle Down with Dystopia
• The Smithereens of Collapse: An Interview with Bill Cotter