1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

USGS topo maps

Discussion in 'Travel' started by bigmooze, Mar 10, 2012.

  1. Mar 10, 2012 at 2:38 PM
    #1
    bigmooze

    #1
    bigmooze [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2009
    Member:
    #12437
    Messages:
    810
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Richard
    Belle River, ON
    Vehicle:
    2009 4x4 access cab SR5
    Bilstein 5100's all round (0" up front with stock springs), 265/75/16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs, K&N 63 Series Aircharger Kit, Flowmaster Super 44 Muffler, Delta Champion Toolbox, fog lights, back-up lights, Sirius satellite radio with PA15-TOY, Midland 1001z CB radio with 2' Firestik II antenna, Weathertech floor mats, AVS sill protectors, Marathon SuperHides Seatcovers (Universal Digital Camo), trimmed front mud flaps, Viair 20005 OBA, Warn W650D driving lights and W650F fog lights on N-Fab light bar, Hi-Lift X-treme jack with off road accessories, TracRac "TracONE" system
    Growing up in England, I could buy OS (Ordnance Survey) maps at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale for my hiking/biking trips. These were readily available at bookstores.

    I have 1:24,000 scale GPS maps on my Garmin Oregon 450, but would also like printed USGS maps to get the bigger picture when I'm out touring around/fishing.

    Can I buy printed maps from the USGS?

    What maps do you guys/gals recommend for good detail (like 1:70,000 or less) that cover county-wide areas (e.g. Crawford County, MI). The National Geographic ones I just bought from a recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park would be great, but smaller scale (i.e. more detail) would be even nicer.
     
    bigmooze, Mar 10, 2012
    #1
  2. Mar 10, 2012 at 2:44 PM
    #2
    acdronin

    #2
    acdronin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2010
    Member:
    #47036
    Messages:
    19,641
    Gender:
    Male
    .
    acdronin, Mar 10, 2012
    #2
  3. Mar 10, 2012 at 2:46 PM
    #3
    bigmooze

    #3
    bigmooze [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2009
    Member:
    #12437
    Messages:
    810
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Richard
    Belle River, ON
    Vehicle:
    2009 4x4 access cab SR5
    Bilstein 5100's all round (0" up front with stock springs), 265/75/16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs, K&N 63 Series Aircharger Kit, Flowmaster Super 44 Muffler, Delta Champion Toolbox, fog lights, back-up lights, Sirius satellite radio with PA15-TOY, Midland 1001z CB radio with 2' Firestik II antenna, Weathertech floor mats, AVS sill protectors, Marathon SuperHides Seatcovers (Universal Digital Camo), trimmed front mud flaps, Viair 20005 OBA, Warn W650D driving lights and W650F fog lights on N-Fab light bar, Hi-Lift X-treme jack with off road accessories, TracRac "TracONE" system
    Oh cool, thanks. Do you use USGS maps or prefer another type?
    [/FONT]
     
    bigmooze, Mar 10, 2012
    #3
  4. Mar 10, 2012 at 8:01 PM
    #4
    BenWA

    #4
    BenWA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2009
    Member:
    #13977
    Messages:
    1,649
    Gender:
    Male
    Boston burbs
    Vehicle:
    '06 Double Cab TRD Off Road 4X4
    USGS publishes 7.5' quadrangles, which are 1:24,000 scale. Pretty much the best printed maps you can get. They are great maps for most folks' needs. The contours on USGS topos were derived from aerial photographs (mostly back during WWII), so in many heavily forested regions, the forest canopy is what the topo map maker referenced from the aerial photos, so it has the potential to omit a lot of smaller topographic features that are concealed beneath the canopy. Also, that particular scale typically has a contour interval of 40 feet, which is also kind of crappy resolution when it comes to smaller features on the ground. But the only way to get more detail is by constructing topographic maps based on lidar, which most folks don't have handy access to.
     
    BenWA, Mar 10, 2012
    #4
To Top