What Are Topo Maps?
According to www.map-reading.com: "A unique characteristic that distinguishes topographical (topo) maps from other kinds of maps is the fact that they show the topography or shape of the land in addition to other features such as roads, rivers, lakes, etc. Because topographical maps show the shape of the land, they are the most suitable type of map for most outdoor activities that take place in areas that are not heavily populated."How Do I Use Topo Maps?
Learn how to read and use topo maps in a free e-book before you head off into the wilds in search of deserted dirt roads, isolated campsites, hiking trails, rivers and lakes. Recognize and understand:- Symbols and colors
- Grids
- Scale and distance
- Direction
You should also learn to use a compass in order to effectively use a topo map; several good books exist that will teach you how to read a compass with lots of topo map and GPS (Global Positioning System) instruction thrown in.
Compass use booksFind US Topo Maps and Gazetteers
US gazetteers by stateThe Bottom Line
The first time I tried to read a topo map, I was hopelessly baffled because I was looking at it through a driver's eyes - where were the main highways to give me my bearings? Oh, there...those tiny lines. And gazetteers were doubly confusing as one must skip from, say, page 83 to page 104 to find connecting quadrant borders. Once you learn to read a topo map, however, it's a snap to figure out where you want to go and, perhaps most importantly, how to get out of the back country if you become lost. (Never forget Rule Number One: always tell someone where you're going.)
"When we get out of the glass bottle of our ego and when we escape like the squirrels in the cage of our personality and get into the forest again, we shall shiver with cold and fright. But things will happen to us so that we don't know ourselves. Cool, unlying life will rush in..."
--D. H. Lawrence
