How long is the cactus route in Houston?

The cactus covers 17.0 km with 20 m of ascent and 20 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 103 minutes plus stops.

Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?

Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, climb figures and kilometre splits on this page are free to view; the interactive elevation profile is part of the subscription too.

How accurate is the drawing?

The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 2.3 km east to west and 2.3 km north to south across Houston.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 29.71655, -95.36247 — roughly 5.2 km south of the centre of Houston. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

United States › Houston › GPS art route

Cactus GPS Art Running Route in Houston — 17.0 km

A 17.0 km loop through Houston that draws a cactus when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 20 m in total, and covers a footprint about 2.3 km wide by 2.3 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance17.0 km

Elevation gain20 m

Elevation loss20 m

Estimated time103 min

DifficultyModerate

Average gradient0.1%

Route map and elevation

Elevation profile

Loading elevation…

Along the line: 20 m of ascent and 20 m of descent across 17.0 km, an average gradient of 0.1%.

Start point: 29.71655, -95.36247 — about 5.2 km south of the centre of Houston. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs north-west	0 m	14–15 m
km 2	Runs west	+2 m	14–16 m
km 3	Runs north-east	-1 m	14–16 m
km 4	Runs north-north-east	0 m	14–16 m
km 5	Runs west-north-west	0 m	15–15 m
km 6	Runs west-south-west	+2 m	15–17 m
km 7	Runs west-south-west	0 m	15–17 m
km 8	Runs south	0 m	16–19 m
km 9	Runs south-east	-4 m	10–18 m
km 10	Runs east-south-east	+2 m	12–17 m
km 11	Runs east	-2 m	13–16 m
km 12	Runs north-east	-3 m	8–13 m
km 13	Runs west-north-west	+1 m	9–14 m
km 14	Runs west	-1 m	9–12 m
km 15	Runs east-north-east	+4 m	10–14 m
km 16	Runs east-south-east	-1 m	10–14 m
km 17	Runs east-north-east	+2 m	13–15 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

0.22 km — turn left, then continue west-north-west.
0.49 km — turn right, then continue north-north-east.
0.96 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
1.22 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-west.
1.41 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
1.69 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
1.98 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
2.21 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
2.45 km — turn right, then continue north.
2.75 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
3.05 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
3.18 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
3.30 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
3.43 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
3.83 km — turn left, then continue north-west.
4.33 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
4.52 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
4.81 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-east.
4.99 km — turn right, then continue north-east.
5.23 km — turn sharp left, then continue south-west.
5.37 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
5.61 km — turn sharp left, then continue south-south-west.
5.77 km — turn left, then continue south-west.
6.20 km — turn left, then continue south-east.

Difficulty and terrain

Moderate. Flat profile, but 17.0 km of concentration on the line. Expect the distance, not the climb, to be the limiting factor.

Best months: January to February: average highs of 18–19°C and about 133 mm of rain a month (Open-Meteo historical archive 2020-2024).

How to run this shape

Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
Upload to Strava and the cactus appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the cactus route in Houston?: The cactus covers 17.0 km with 20 m of ascent and 20 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 103 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?: Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, climb figures and kilometre splits on this page are free to view; the interactive elevation profile is part of the subscription too.
How accurate is the drawing?: The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 2.3 km east to west and 2.3 km north to south across Houston.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 29.71655, -95.36247 — roughly 5.2 km south of the centre of Houston. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.