How to Program Garmin With Specific Routes

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Garmin GPS devices are designed to find routes based on user preferences such as fastest trip or shortest distance, but they also allow users to enter and save specific routes. To configure a specific route, take advantage of the option to select an intermediate, or mid point. This intermediate point will force the Garmin GPS to compute a route that is, or is close to, the specific route you had in mind since it must navigate from the selected beginning to end points going through the selected mid point. This will let the device configure the route based on your specific preferences, not the device's mapping preferences.

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Step 1

Power on the Garmin GPS and select "Tools."

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Step 2

Access the specific route configuration option. Depending upon the Garmin model, this option may be available by selecting "My Data" from the "Tools" menu on the home screen, then selecting "Routes," "Manage My Routes" and "Create a New Saved Route." Or, by selecting "Tools" or "Where to?" on the home screen, then choosing "Routes" and "New."

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Step 3

Choose a beginning point for the route. Select either the "From Find Menu," "Find on Map" or "Use Current Location" option. Follow the prompts to select the point to begin the route.

Step 4

Choose the end route point. Again, select from either the "From Find Menu," "Find on Map" or "Use Current Location" option. Follow the prompts to save the end route point.

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Step 5

Select "Yes" or "No" to choose an intermediate destination point. An intermediate point can help customize a very specific route. Again, select from either the "From Find Menu," "Find on Map" or "Use Current Location" option to enter the intermediate point, if selected.

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Step 6

Select the type of route the device should compute: "Faster Time," "Shorter Distance" or "Off-Road." If there are multiple options for mapping out the route, the Garmin will determine which one will be faster even if it is longer in distance, which one is the shortest distance even though it may take longer to drive, or which route is off-road. Select the preferred option.

Step 7

Press "Finish" or "Save" and the Garmin will save the new specific route.

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