Topo Maps

[+space_man]

Hi. from reading the forum i gather that the NG TOPO map is one of the better ones.

Where can i find it at the lowest price???

Is there a better program to plan geocaching??? I would also like to use it to plan backpacking trips. i would like to find a spot i like on the map, find the coordinates to down load it into my GPS.

 

thanks space_man

[+VisionQuest220]

If you are looking for a program that will allow you to directly download coordinated to your GPSr, I believe that you'll need to use MapSource for Garmin devices and Mapsend for Magellan devices. You may be able to import coordinates from the NG Topo maps using a third party program and I'm certain that other more knowledgable folks here can help on that topic.

[+space_man]

hi visionquest. i would like to read the coordinates off the map i can always put in my GPS my self. what i want is a good topo map like you can buy it where it shows you everything. i also want to see the hiking trails where i go hiking and the packpacking trails in the high sierras.

 

space_man

[+Sputnik 57]

NG Topo! is great software. They usually have it priced pretty well at 4x4books.com. I use backroads explorer, which has 1:100K topo maps of the entire US. You can also order 1:24K maps on a state-by-state basis. The state series is a little pricy, listing for $100/state, but it looks like 4x4 has them on sale for $70.

 

As VQ noted, you can't load the maps to your GPSr, but you can load waypoints, routes and tracks from you GPSr to the maps, and can find coordinates on the maps to manually load into the GPSr.

[+VisionQuest220]

I understand what you mean. I recently saw a very nice display of the NG Topo maps at an REI location near my home. They have a computer that will print out a topo map of an area that you select but you can also surf the map that is loaded and see if it has the kind of detail that you're looking for. They have the maps available for purchase too. Not a recommendation on where to buy but more of a recommendation of where you can get a look at the program in action.

[nchmura]

hi visionquest. i would like to read the coordinates off the map i can always put in my GPS my self. what i want is a good topo map like you can buy it where it shows you everything. i also want to see the hiking trails where i go hiking and the packpacking trails in the high sierras.

 

    space_man

NG Topo certainly does have the nicest/highest resolution topo maps - but you might want to give topofusion (www.topofusion.com) or expertgps (www.expertgps.com) a look. They will upload and download from and to most gps units, they allow you to look at topos and aerials, create waypoints, routes and tracks (and upload them to your gps).

 

Expertgps is very polished and easy to use, while topofusion has an amazing assortment of cool features (3d map creation, adding photos to tracks, etc..). They both download topos from the terraserver so they are not as crisp as NG's, but they do the job just the same.

 

Oh yeah, you can check out demos of both for free.

 

For trails specifically, you might want to search around for more recent gps tracks or trails of the sierras, topo maps were created long ago and never really updated, so the trails you see on there will probably have meandered big time or vanished completely!

Edited November 28, 2004 by nchmura

[+space_man]

thanks guys thats lots of help.

but all the options are keeping me on the net longer looking.

im going to play with the maps on the net longer to see which i like more.

i just dont seem to figure out terraserver. need lots more time to work with it.

 

thanks again

space_man

[+Jeeters]

i just dont seem to figure out terraserver. need lots more time to work with it.

? There's nothing really to figure out. The software just downloads directly from it; you wouldn't even know it's coming from terraserver if they didn't tell you.

 

I'd try downloading and trying expertgps. It's fully functional for 30 days free in order to let you try it out. NG Topo is nice, but I don't think it's *that* much better to justify the extra $$$.

 

Two things that keep me from getting NG Topo: 1) A given $100 purchase of a single state isn't all that useful to people who live near a state border such that they really need map info 2 or even 3 states. 2) It's ridiculous that they don't offer a DVD version of the software.

[+HHHarrier]

I tried both demo versions of ExpertGps and TopoFusion, and I found ExpertGps easier to use. I quickly had my uploaded tracks integrated into both USGS topo maps and aerial photos. I was so addicted to the demo that I had to have the paid version on the day the demo expired.

 

It's very handy to use for geocaching since you can upload the geocache's waypoint, center it on the map, scale the map, and print it. Now you have your own geocache-centric topo map to take with you on your next search.