Uploading GPX track files onto the Garmin 820 from a Mac

In this post, I’ll specifically talk about how to get routes from RideWithGPS (Strava etc will be similar) onto a Garmin 820 Explorer from a Mac.

If the post looks familiar it’s because it’s a tidy up of a previous post.

Process

The simplest way I know of to reliably get a route onto the Garmin 820 from a Mac is through a USB connection. To do this …

First get the Garmin device connected

1) Connect the Garmin device to Mac with a USB data cable¹, e.g. the one that the unit shipped with or similar.

2) Wait a few seconds for the device to mount and show up in Finder, or on the Desktop

What the Garmin unit will look like if it has successfully mounted

Hint: if it doesn’t mount within a minute it is probably not going to happen. Try successively; an alternative data cable, rebooting the Garmin, restarting the Mac.

The Garmin device volume that has successfully mounted and is now showing on the Desktop

3) Open the Garmin volume by selecting in the Finder sidebar or double-clicking on the Garmin volume icon that appears on the Desktop

Hint: In Finder preferences, check General->External disks is ticked if no desktop icon and Sidebar->External disks if not in Finder’s sidebar.

4) Navigate the Garmin volume to the “Garmin/New Files” folder.

The location in the same Garmin device volume of the New Files folder

Then download the route’s GPX track file to the computer

5) In a web browser, find the route in RideWithGPS and get it up in a route View page.

6) On the RHS of the route view page make sure that the Export tab is visible and then click “GPX Track (.gpx)” download link.

Next, store the GPX track file in the Garmin/New Files folder, eject and disconnect the device

7) Either directly store, or subsequently move/drag, the resultant downloaded GPX track file into the Garmin/New Files folder.

8) Eject the Garmin volume from the Mac by either Right mouse click on the Garmin volume in Finder or on the Desktop and selecting the Eject “Garmin” option.

9) Wait a few seconds, and the Garmin unit should boot to its normal home screen.

10) Disconnect the USB cable from the device.

Finally, locate and use route on the Garmin device

11) The newly downloaded course should be available to navigate with on the Garmin device under Courses->Saved Courses location.

Garmin 820’s normal home screen. All being well, the freshly downloaded route will be found under Course/Saved Courses.

12) Go for a ride.

[1] Many cables are only for charging devices, and unfortunately, there are no standards for labeling them as such. Often, they contain fewer wires internally and are a bit thinner than those that are data compatible, but not always.