Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Good source for Topo maps?

Does anybody know a good source for hard-copy Topo maps? I need to order some Colorado maps.

I use Terrain Navigator to customize and print out my own. I very highly suggest this over the traditional maps.

Aside from that the local forest service used to sell USGS maps, I dont know if they still do this practice as I stopped using them once I got my Terrain Navigator.

Elkhunter looking at their web site if I understand this correctly you have to buy a disk for every state at $99? Or can you buy on line partial maps from them?

When you buy your particular state you get all of the maps for that state or area on discs which you install on your computer, it can vary a little by state.

The true beauty of the Terrain Navigator is you can completely customize your maps with map data, grids, way points, routes, camp sites and areas you want to scout/hunt.

Also you can print these out on waterproof paper from the get go, no need to deal with map cases, or waterproofing after the fact.

I like to print out extras in the event they get destroyed or lost. Also standard paper size is easier to deal with in the brush than full sized maps, unless of course you use a nifty folding stystem.

TN also has a 3D feature that allows you to look at the area before you actually get there so you can get a birds eye view of what to expect if you havent been there before.

I own four states now, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. With these I can print out any map of those four states configured in anyway I want as many times as I want.

You can go straight to the source, the USGS Map Center and buy your maps on line.

http://store.usgs.gov/

KC

Mytopo.com does a good job of customizing the USGS maps for you, if you'd like a USGS-type map that is centered in your area. Mytopo.com's maps can get expensive compared to $8 for a 7.5 minute map at my local dealer, but if the area you need takes 4 USGS 7.5 minute maps, then the mytopo.com price becomes reasonable.

I've ordered several and have been very pleased with them.

Used MyTopo.com several times. Have been very pleased with their products. In addition to topo maps, they offer satellite images which can give you an idea of the vegetation. I've got one of these of my farm with my deer stands marked. A real help to my relatives and friends that hunt on the property.

http://libremap.org/data/state/colorado/drg/

http://www.mytopo.com/

http://sjma.org/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=40.01158,-107.04048&z=12&t=R&marker0=38.90623%2C-106.32063%2Cbear%20lake%20colorado&marker1=39.64505%2C-106.94950%2Cgypsum%5C%2C%20colorado

http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/recserie.htm

Hope this helps a bit.

I like the mytopo. On a wilderness hunt, you can have one weatherproof map that covers what several USGS maps would cover. I really dislike navigating back and forth across quad boundaries. Also, you don't have to worry about the map getting wet. That's not usually the case with home computer printed maps. Battery life is good.

I haven't used their photo view product. I just print those myself now that you can usually find it online. I might give them a try the next time I need one of their maps.

Another vote for MyTopo.com maps.
That's from a guy with a small fortune in USGS maps.
MyTopo maps can be made that not only show the vegetation, which is priceless, but also the latest in access roads or trials. Something the usually out of date USGS maps don't have. Others show land ownership and public access points.
I get mine with about half of my hunting area on waterproof "paper" which both overlap. That way I always have all of the areas I may possible hunt right with me every day.
I've been a "map addict" all of my life. These are the best I've ever used. E

Being the cheapskate I am I like this website:

http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/topo-maps.shtml



Can zoom in as much as I want. Adjust the map to the exact area you want. Printed out both standard or landscape. Also can print on 8.5X11 or 11X17. Then I stick them back to back and laminate them so they are waterproof. I like being able to dial in the exact area I want to really focus on in addition to a larger general overview map of the area.

Thanks for all the links. I figured you guys would have some good sources!

Another satisfied mytopo user. I really like being able to customize the map footprint and scale. For a while I was making my own using purchased USGS quads, scanning and then printing onto waterproof paper. Mytopo is just as good if not better, a whole lot easier and costs less from my experience.

If you use the USGS maps, I've used Map Seal with good success: http://www.aquaseal.com/map-seal.html. I have found that applying two coats to the front first and then the back is the best process. I just hang the map from clips on a clothes hanger between coats.

The maps are then water proof and pliable. They fold without tearing and ride folded in my pack without wear.

I've had no success applying it to maps I printed on my printer using regular copy paper.

That's a good tip. Thanks!

I have this same program and I love it. I especially like the 3D feature.

some good tips here worth looking into, but count me another satisfied mytopo.com user

I agree that they're on the spendy side, but my time is worth something to me

like E I'm a map junkie and you'd be shocked how many maps of this state I have, both 1:250 and for areas you're gonna truly hunt the 1:62.5

i always have them waterproofed and while I've folded a few maps over the years I much prefer to roll them and slide em in one of the outside pockets on my pack.

I like this site a lot. Haven't tried to print a map, but find it useful for figuring mileage covered and elevation gained. You can click on the "pencil" on the top bar, and begin drawing a route. It displays distance traveled and elevation.

You can toggle between topo and satellite as well.

http://wenthiking.com/map?lat=39.48&lng=-98.18&zoom=5&maptype=terrain

USGS is right there in Denver. I often blow up topo maps to the scale/area I want if I can't purchase them outright that way, then laminate them. I often find metric scale maps more usefull than English scale.

Think about this.

A $100.00 budget.

My topo gets you ten maps.

USGS gets you 6 maps.

Terrain Navigator's only limitation is printer paper and ink.

I dont know about anyone else but I dont have just ten maps, even long before I got TN I had two or three boxes stuffed full of them.

Thats just the cost side of the deal, the flexibility of TN has to be seen to be appreciated, as stated above, the 3D feature alone is worth the cost, which allows you to literally get a birds eye view of the area without setting foot in it.

Plus they get lost, torn, wet, ripped, folded and unfolded and just generally worn out and need to be replaced. Hell I even set one on fire one time.

Then there is the size issue, regular 8 x 11 sheets are much easier to handle. Granted if you fold them as per the army navigation manual it does make the big maps more managable, but you can apply the same folding technique to paper sized maps and get notebook size that will fit in your shirt pocket.

Lets say you go into an area and you find a mud wallow or three, you lock those into your GPS, then later transfer that to TN. Now everytime you print out a map of that area, you can put markers on your maps for those mud wallows. Same deal with best travel routes, game crossings, bedding areas and watering holes etc etc etc.

When you print them out, you can input any datum you want on them, grids, metric, standard, what ever you choose. You can use waterproof paper, no need to laminate, which doesnt fold worth a crap.

I dont use them just for hunting either, camping, hiking and trail riding. I even cut them up into flash card size, laminated them, punched a hole in the corner and put a ring through it and zip tied it to the handlebars of my dirt bike.

Even at $99.00 per state, Terrain Navigator is one hell of a deal.