Printable maps for Ontario/Toronto

[+Von-Horst]

Hi all,

 

We'll be visiting Southern Ontario in April for the start of the baseball season and we are looking for some printable maps that you can add waypoints to.

 

So far, it looks like SoftMap is our best/only option.

 

Is it any good?

 

Are there any alternatives?

 

Many thanks,

 

Helen and Mike

 

(edited for bannana fingers....)

Edited February 11, 2008 by Von-Horst

[danoshimano]

Free topo maps here.

 

Check out the thread on it here.

[+Red90]

Also as far as printable. Scanned versions of the federal government topo maps are available online for free (from the government) and are the same maps as what Softmap is selling.

 

http://geogratis.gc.ca/geogratis/en/index.html

 

1) Click on "Download Directory", then "Raster Data", then "Scanned Maps".

2) Choose "CanMatrix - Digital Topographic Maps of Canada". Either "http" with your browser or "ftp"...

3) Follow the directories to the map you want.

 

example: Calgary 1:50000 082O01, http://ftp2.cits.rncan.gc.ca/pub/canmatrix..._082o01_tif.zip

 

Download that. Inside the ZIP file is a TIF file that is the map. To view in OZiexplorer, you need to install the Geotiff plugin, http://www.oziexplorer3.com/xtras/ozigeotiff.zip

 

Once that is done, you should be able to open that map in Ozi as you would any other one. It should work in other map programs like Fugawi as well and any picture viewing program will open the file for viewing or printing.

[+cwhlam]

I have Softmap's 50K maps for southern Ontario. I am not happy with the quality of the scanned maps, but then I was spoiled by the quality of the 20K maps for Quebec.

 

My suggestion is to take advantage of their 7-day Free Demo trial of SoftMap 5 and TopoWeb. Apparently, you can get Topo maps for Ontario in 10k and 20k scales. The sample map looks excellent. Using SoftMap 5, you can print the maps. The latest update to SoftMap 5 allows it to read .gpx files and shows the geocaches directly on the map. It is not perfect, but it works. During the 7 day trial period, you can probably download all the maps you need. You should print them during this period, because after the expiration of the 7-day period, you cannot open SoftMap 5 without a registration key. Having said that, I do hope you buy from them. I have no relationship with SoftMap, other than being a happy customer for 10 years.

 

Clement

[+Keith Watson]

Try gpsvisualizer.

[+Tequila]

Softmaps are ok but only 1:50K. Not sure how much, if any of that detail, can be loaded into a GPS.

 

If you want high detail maps that you can completely download into a Garmin, try the following 1:10K maps.

 

http://www.canadianmaps.ca/GPS_Garmin_Maps..._GARMIN_GPS.htm

 

They are not cheap (about $260 at Radioworld for all of Ontario) but highly detailed. And the best part is the full color version of the topo map can be loaded into a Garmin. The website has a sample.

 

I am part of a volunteer K9 search and rescue team and I find them indispensable.