TOPO maps

J

jscalia

Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
126
I am looking for a good source of topo maps to use with my Garmin Etrex gps. I have read several reviews of various software packages and none seem to be any good especially the Garmin Mapsource topos which dont load well on computer and offer poor and outdated detail. I know the best source is are USG maps but they are expensive and you have to order individually. Online sources would be great if they were free but havent found any yet.
 
I really like the software from Terrain Navigator. Basically, it is a set of tools built around scanned in versions of the USGS Maps. Among other things, it will allow you to:
- Interface with your GPS.
- Put any grid system you want on the map (DMS, UTM, etc).
- Print at any scale you want.
- Do waypoint, routes, all that stuff.
- Measurement tools, including, route, line of size and area calculations.
- Based on current date/time and location it will calculate declination and put it on the map for you.
- 3D Feature.

Usually when I go into the woods, and use printouts. Starting with a very zoomed out version, then at various levels of zoom to get the detail I need. If it is an area a frequent, I usually have 2 copies. One laminated, and one to draw on with a pencil.

I will try to upload a sample. Trying right clicking and saving this.
 
The reason why I this software is cool, is because I don't think there are any better maps than the USGS ones. At least that I have seen.

Here is a link regarding navigation that references use of this software. Even if you are not interested in this particular software, it is a good read.

Back Country Navigation
 
Hi Jscalia, if you are talking about up loading the topo on the GPS then you are out of luck only garmin maps would work on it and they sure do suck. I do use NG topo and i like it alot. You can down load way points and routes from the map to the gps and from the gps back to the map. So if you walked a trail you can down load it to the NG topo and keep it in the memory. But you CAN'T download the map itself to GPS. You can get alot more info if you go to GeoCaching.com . you might find out that Geocaching is a great game too. Let the adventure hit you.

sasha
 
I use Delorme's maps that can be purchased by State. They are quite good and run around $100 per state. Delorme has other products like TopoUSA, but I am not familiar with the detail of the maps. Got the states I need for the most part and have not explored other products.

Terra Server is another source for maps. This is free and a product by the USGS. There are voids in the coverage on the aerial photos. http://terraserver-usa.com/cmap.aspx?src=0&ppd=1&r=4&c=3&W=0&ClickAt=?0,0
 
Theres a B&M store in town that has all kinds of maps in stock. Pretty neat to go into the store and look at the maps before you buy them. Maps are not folded just laying in thers big drawers. Sad to say this store will probably be one to close, small store selling high end pens etc.
 
If you use USGS maps they can be innacurate. Let me explain, USGS maps, especally in National Forests, dont always acuratly show trails, although this is my one and ONLY problem with USGS 7.5 min maps. Although I suspect that maping trails has a lot to do with the Forest Dept, not USGS, but thats a guess. Case in point, a few yrs ago my dad and i were hiking in the Laural Forks Wilderness in WV when the map showed the trail going off in one particular direction while the trail itself went in another. We ran into a trukey hunter who said "Oh your following the map, thats were you went wrong". It was all good as I was one of my first bushwacking trips. Also the tails around spruce knob are not accuratly (sp) printed to a dagree (ie the Huckelyberry Trail, High Medows trail, Judy Springs Trail.)
 
Ghost93 said:
If you use USGS maps they can be innacurate. Let me explain, USGS maps, especally in National Forests, dont always acuratly show trails, although this is my one and ONLY problem with USGS 7.5 min maps.
Click to expand...

Actually, this is true of most maps that I have seen. The reason for the USGS is probably due to the date the maps were create. Trails have probably come and gone for them. But, many of the other sources of topo that are being mentioned here use USGS data for map creation ;)

I also have a Garmin GPSMAP with the topo software that gets loaded into it. I often find the trails innaccurate on that as well, and a lot of times non-existent. If I am new to an area, I rely on the maps for trail or road markings for ones that I have already been on (and know they exist) and then terrain features and the coordinate system. Anything else is just gravy.

The link I posted earlier on Back Country Navigation is really a good read. You should check it out. Using the methods it suggests, and finding your end (or beginning location) by using the on and off technique of the GPS, and using your bearing and heading will get you there every time, rather than relying on following trails. If there happens to be a trail going your same direction, then great!
 
USGS maps since the 1930's have been made based on aerial photographs. This also corresponds to be beginning of the 7.5' mapping program. Most maps today are made using aerial photos. So, trails, logging roads, forest vs field, roads in general, all can change not that the USGS is above making a mistake. I don't think trails are high on their priority list when creating base maps in general. It is amazing how much information is available on a USGS map though. Old logging roads or roads are often just disguised. A place I hunt shows a dirt road running across the property. The property was logged and the roads changed to fit modern machinery. The old road was actually an old wagon road from many many years ago and if you looked you could still find remmants of it. The history that is preserved in the old topos is really amazing.
 
I'll second www.mytopo.com. You can get aerial photos, topo maps and aerialphoto/topo map overlays. In addition to what was said above, you can get glossy or waterproof paper, and maps will be shipped folded or rolled (your choice).
 
While it is true that Garmin products are the only off the shelf map products that work on Garmin GPS devices, there are ways to create your own maps, with as much detail as you want, and convert them to garmin-supported file types. It is a pretty involved process, but the amount of detail you can insert is amazing. Check out the Groundspeak forum to read how.

Also, Garmin just released an updated version of their Topo software which offers a significant improvement in detail over their old version. The thing to realize in looking at maps on a GPS is that most of them rely on Vector files (lines), rather than Raster (images). A scanned image of a hand drawn topo map looks a lot different that a computer file with a bunch of lines. In a Vector file, the "lines" (altitude, roads, etc) are active objects that have data that the GPS can use.

Okay, I'd better shut up because my fingers are typing beyond my paygrade.

-- FLIX
 
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