How to import .gpx or .tcx files as courses in Garmin Connect

I'm using a macbook pro but I'm guessing the same applies to Windows.
Once you've saved the file, connect the Fenix to the charging cable and laptop/PC then you need to open it in My Computer/Finder and 'show hidden files/folders' to navigate to a folder on the watch called New Routes or something like that (not done it in a couple months now so can't remember exactly - but a bit of folder hopping will find the one that makes sense) and drop the file in there. This folder will be empty I believe. When you disconnect the watch it will update and load the new file into memory (next time when you navigate back to that 'new' folder your route will be gone but don't be alarmed - essentially the watch looks there when it boots up and moves the file somewhere else).
One annoyance is that the watch face will reset back to standard or a random face, so if you've got a heavily customised watch face all those fields will be reset and you'll have to do it again. Very annoying BUT you'll have your route loaded ready to use at least :)

MacBook Pro here also. Hope Garmin will add the option of uploading .gpx files from other sources. I've tried to recreate a Strava route into Garmin Connect but Garmin's map is much less detailed that Strava's so can't find some foot paths that are present in Strava

Import Courses

The facility to import is there (its the plus sign at the top right) but it only works for courses for some people and there has been a lot of chat on the forums about this since I had my Garmin 410 about 4 years ago. It is very fussy about file formats and rejects ALL of the attempts I have made despite having read lots of advice and tried many, many tricks to convert courses created elsewhere to a format it won't reject. My view of Garmin Connect is that is a poor cousin of the devices we pay hundreds of pounds to use with it. Garmin's response to the hundreds of requests to repair and improve its interface is limited at best. When I do have the resources to replace my watch, it will not be with a Garmin device for this reason.

There seems to be consensus that the absence of certain details from courses planned in other software make GC wary of them, timestamps etc. Some people have made courses uploadable by using GPSsies to convert them to TCX files. I have tried GPSies and loads of other editors and converters including editing the text myself to mimic a course I had created in GC but to no avail. I revisit the issue every six months or so in the hope that Garmin may have opened their eyes to the problem or to try new suggestions on the web but to no avail. Good luck and if you crack it please let me know how.

Tried with the + sign of course but didn't mention it since it always says "the file has already been uploaded" for the .gpx which is not true. For the .tcx file it say "an error occurred bla bla..."

Creating a course from external site, sending to GC and Garmin device

The facility to import is there (its the plus sign at the top right) but it only works for courses for some people

You cannot directly import a course into GC. Essentially you have to either use an existing activity or import an activity, then "save as" course. In order to do that you have a few options:

• Draw the course by hand using GC's Course Creator.
  
• Use an already saved activity within GC (your's or some other user's), then "save as course."
  
• Create a file in some external application/site, then import it as an activity into GC, then save as course.
  

It is very fussy about file formats and rejects ALL of the attempts I have made despite having read lots of advice and tried many, many tricks to convert courses created elsewhere to a format it won't reject.

#1 and #2 are easy and are the recommended method for getting a course onto your device.
#3 requires several steps. It works. I've used this method numerous times.

I have tried GPSies and loads of other editors and converters including editing the text myself to mimic a course I had created in GC but to no avail.

Good luck and if you crack it please let me know how.

Below is the method I'm using to create a track on GPSies >> save as GPX >> run it thru GOTOES >> import into GC >> save as course >> send to 920XT

• Go to GPSies track creator
  
• Create the desired track or open an existing track
  
• Click on Download as >> GPX Track >> download
  
• Go to GOTOES Add Time Stamps to GPX Files (This is the site used to "fake out" GC into thinking you've completed the GPX as an activity)
  
• Enter the desired activity start time (needs to be a date/time in the past)
  
• Enter the local time zone
  
• Enter the desired average speed
  
• Check “Convert a Route to a Track”
  
• Choose Export Format GPX
  
• Click Choose Files
  
• Locate your downloaded GPSies GPX track
  
• Click Upload
  
• Click “Click Here” to download your time stamped track
  

You should have something like this:

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• Open GC and go to the Import Data page
  
• Browse to the file you just exported from GOTOES
  
• Click Import Data
  
• Click View Details
  
• Click Save as course
  
• Make any changes desired, click save
  
• Click send to device
  
• Enjoy your course ;)
  

Once you've successfully done this, I suggest deleting the fake activity from GC to prevent erroneous reporting.

Have you tried looking at alternate sites like plotaroute.com?

After playing around with plotaroute.com, I've realized that much of my steps listed above can be eliminated.
Create the route
Download as GPX
In GC import file
Save as course
Send to device

Thank you michaeljswann!

Duuude, plotaroute is spectacular !!! Simply the best I've ever seen. It has loads of options, it's very intuitive, it allows you to personalise the route in every possible way and GC + Strava imported the file as an activity which I then saved as a route (deleted the activity afterwards because it was not real). Thank you very much !!!

Just wondering why a much smaller company like Wahoo is has this pretty good implemented. All Strava routes are sync automatically. Garmin come on...

If you create it as an activity and create a course that way, don't forget to go around any sites that connect to Garmin Connect to receive workout data, and clean up the activity history there.

If I do it this way, I'd have to remember delete the fake activity from Garmin Connect, Strava and TrainingPeaks or it'll skew various stats.

Or you could just implement proper course import (sigh)...

That said, thanks for the link to plotaroute - I'd not heard of it before but it really is excellent.

Noted that in some instances strava detected that the activity was fake. Sometimes not. Felt bad that I was receiving kudos on fake activities. :(