Topographic Maps - Digital - Map Collection at S.E. Wimberly Library and Beyond

U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 Topographic Maps
National Ocean Service, 1:100,000 Topographic-Bathymetric Maps

What are Topographic Maps?
"Topographic maps show the three-dimensional shape of the landscape by representing equal elevation with lines on a two-dimensional map; they are, in essence, a type of contour map."

Who uses topographic maps?
Hikers or outdoor enthusiasts, geoscientists, and geoscience students often use topographic maps.

How do we use topographic maps?
"Topographic maps are used to understand the shape of the land, whether a slope will fail, how glaciers are changing, and geologic history, among many other things. Geoscientists make and use them to construct geologic maps, find the best building sites, estimate where flooding will occur, and determine the best site for archeological or paleontological digs."

What does the scale of the map do?
Scale is the relation of the size of the map to the actual size of the area. For example, it helps people understand how far they must hike to get to a particular place or the distance between two points on a road.

Source: Science Education Resource Center

Topographic Map Symbols
Map Scales (USGS Fact Sheet)
U.S. Topo: Maps for America Explore the new generation of topographic maps in electronic form along with the high-resolution of more than 178,000 historical topographic online maps.
TopoView Explore the maps from the USGS’s Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC) electronically.
PDF Quads New free service from National Geographic Society where you can easily locate and print any USGS topo map.
How to Read a Map

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) USGS produces and maintains a large collection of geological maps and provides critical data on many topics.
The National Map Multiple-themed and interactive map of the United States from the United States Geological Survey (USGS),
The National Geologic Map Database A distributed archive of standardized geoscience information for the nation.
Topographic Maps Current and Historical Topo Maps of the US
3D Elevation Program To respond to growing needs for high-quality elevation data, the goal of 3DEP is to complete acquisition of nationwide lidar (IfSAR in AK) to provide the first-ever national baseline of consistent high-resolution topographic elevation data – both bare earth and 3D point clouds.
USGS Map Products The USGS has over a century of experience mapping the landscapes of the United States and continues to provide accurate maps and related information. USGS products can be found online or purchased from the USGS Store.
Get Maps | topoView - National Geologic Map Database The latest version of topoView includes both current and historical maps and is full of enhancements based on hundreds of your comments and suggestions.
Free USGS Topo Maps for the Entire United States opoZone.com was launched in late 1999 as the best online source for USGS-based topographic maps. Since then, we have been through some changes, but our goals have stayed the same. We are passionate about topo maps and strive for the best digital maps. The new site is simple and easy to use, mobile-friendly, and, best of all, totally FREE! While there are many features that we are still working on, you will find that our diverse raster and vector map layers are helpful for all types of planning and research.
CalTopo - Backcountry Mapping Evolved Powerful trip planning tools and high quality maps. USGS and USFS topos, aerial imagery, printing to geospatial PDFs, exporting to KMZ and MBTiles.
USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer The USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer allows users to explore the historical maps, save the current view as a web map, and download the maps.
Topographic & OS Maps The Digital Atlas Project grew out of our desire, as teachers, for students to have up-to-date maps and data at their fingertips whenever needed, wherever they may be: in class, at the learning commons or library, at home, or studying at a friend's house.
EnviroAtlas Interactive Map of the United States Environmental themes in an interactive map produced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
U.S. Forest Service Interactive Visitor Map Discover National Forests with links, pictures,videos, and lots of detailed information about points of interest in the forests.