How To Read Topographical Maps

Most maps are oriented with north at the top of the map. At higher elevations mountains may be snow-capped year around or the terrain may actually be a glacier. Each map will tell you its representation of the actual dimensions to what is represented on the map. The study of topographical mapsis simple.

How To Read A Topographic Map Rei Co Op

For example I have a map of Mount Rainier National Park.

How To Read Topographical Maps. Heres a flat topographic map laid over a Google Map 3D model. A topographic map can be easy to read once you know the details. If you are looking at a digital map you can usually click or right-click on a point to get the elevation based on the contour lines.

That means learning how to use topographic maps. Watch the video its quite good Every point of the same contour line has the same elevation. Contour lines represent the shapeand elevation of the land such as ridges valleys and hills.

If you have a printed map look for the contour interval listed on the bottom. In each of these cases contour lines are also drawn in blue. The smaller the scale the more detail the map has.

Index Contour Lines when you look at the contour lines you will notice that the fifth contour line is thicker than the rest and you will find the exact elevation somewhere in these lines. Topographic maps use green to denote vegetation such as woods while blue is used to denote water features like lakes swamps rivers and drainage. The second part you want to familiarize yourself with so you know how read a topographical map is the scale.

How To Read A Topographic Map Howstuffworks

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