Source for free Topo Maps

Larry Eckart

Well-known member
Guys (and Dani),
I was searching for a free source of good topographical maps and stumbled across the news that National Geographic now provides this service across the country. They are free, 7.5 minute maps that are printable by quadrant. They will be very helpful for me as I begin to explore areas of NC where I have not been before.

Perhaps you all knew of this but this was news to me.

The link is below.

Larry

https://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads/
 
That's nice to know Larry, thanks. A couple other resources I like for general exploration are the state Gazetteers by DeLorme and the GAIA app on my phone/computer.
 
Good info, the source for those maps is usgs and you can access those maps and more through the national map viewer (nationalmap.gov). I always go there first because it it our tax dollars at work. Use either platform, the data is the same.
 
I'll just add that the paid version of GAIA GPS, which I think is $40 a year, gives access to aerial photos, topo maps, multiple layers of publicly owned lands. The public lands layer is critical is you are spending time on Forest Service or BLM lands and need to make sure you are not crossing into private inholdings. It's not so good with state-owned land and land open to the public but owned by land trusts or other conservation groups, at least here in Maine.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
I'll just add that the paid version of GAIA GPS, which I think is $40 a year, gives access to aerial photos, topo maps, multiple layers of publicly owned lands. The public lands layer is critical is you are spending time on Forest Service or BLM lands and need to make sure you are not crossing into private inholdings. It's not so good with state-owned land and land open to the public but owned by land trusts or other conservation groups, at least here in Maine.

Great resource, I was thinking freebies.
 
tod osier said:
Jeff Reardon said:
I'll just add that the paid version of GAIA GPS, which I think is $40 a year, gives access to aerial photos, topo maps, multiple layers of publicly owned lands. The public lands layer is critical is you are spending time on Forest Service or BLM lands and need to make sure you are not crossing into private inholdings. It's not so good with state-owned land and land open to the public but owned by land trusts or other conservation groups, at least here in Maine.

Great resource, I was thinking freebies.

Me too, for many years. But when Garmin bought out Delorme and stopped supporting data for my old GPS, I started looking for alternatives. Although Garmin devices and data are said to be excellent, I cannot reward a company for the business strategy of buying your competitor and screwing all the folks who were its customers.

That brought me to GAIA on my phone, which is more functional than any GPS I ever owned, with better data, for less money. I hope they drive Garmin out of business.

But i am not a bitter man.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Me too, for many years. But when Garmin bought out Delorme and stopped supporting data for my old GPS, I started looking for alternatives. Although Garmin devices and data are said to be excellent, I cannot reward a company for the business strategy of buying your competitor and screwing all the folks who were its customers.

That brought me to GAIA on my phone, which is more functional than any GPS I ever owned, with better data, for less money. I hope they drive Garmin out of business.

But i am not a bitter man.

Yep, sounds like you ended up on the wrong side of that merger.

I?m hearing that the private land layer for Gaia is almost as good as onx, so that is a big plus. Next time I?m hunting checkerboard I?ll try Gaia on my iPad.
 
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