Online Tools & Techniques

These are online tools that I use for research and planning hikes, to review the records of our hikes, and to produce the track files for publishing on the posts.

Google Earth

This is definitely my main -go to- tool when not on the trail.  I use it to identify areas of interest for exploring, to review hikes others have done and recorded the .kml (or other) GPS file, to sketch out plans for hikes, and to review and prepare the .kml files that I post in the Journal.  On another page I’ve discussed on another page, Using Google Earth Track Files how one might use the .kml files that I publish for each hike (others do as well). I will compose a page with more information about how I use GoogleEarth,  including some enhancements that come in handy.

I’ve found two overlays for GoogleEarth to be of –great assistance–

      • Earth Point Topo Map – provides a topographic overlay on the current GE view. I use Earth Point’s “Tools for Google Earth”, the “Topo Maps – USGS Topographic Maps on Google Earth“. It’s great for determining names for geophysical features, for finding interesting features, for planning routes based on topography, any of the interesting and useful things one can do with topographic maps. And even better that one can switch between the topo overlay and the native Google Earth “3D” view.
      • Surface Ownership – An overlay of New Mexico that identifies ownership of land: BLM, USFS, Indian Reservations, State Lands, private lands, and more. The date of the file is 2017, so there may have been changes since then, but such changes are typically slow to happen. Meantime, it is a great starting point. (On Reddit: “Google Earth Land Ownership for NM — Great for camping, hunting, fishing or any kind of exploring!“)
      • UPDATE: Aug 2020 – I discovered another overlay that provides high resolution USGS topo maps, this from CalTopo.
        • Go to North American Maps in Google Earth and download the Google Earth overlay.
          • You will be required to log in to CalTopo – I used my Google account.
        • Load the downloaded .kml file into Google Earth.
          • If necessary, insure that the CalTopo overlay is made visible in Google Earth.
          • Since this is used within Google Earth, an Internet connection is necessary.
        • Now load any .kml (or .kmz) file into Google Earth as you would ordinarily do.

CalTopo

This tool provides a topo presentation and various tools to plan/plot your next outing.  The default basemap (MapBuilder Topo) presents topo information with roads and hiking trails clearly marked. And it provides a selection of tools for measuring and drawing on the map.  I’ve not explored it enough to exploit it’s capabilities, but it looks very interesting.

UPDATE – April 2020
This year I reviewed CalTopo and … found it to have many features that add significantly to the capabilities of tools that help track down places to visit and hike. I’ve spent only a few hours exploring it’s capabilties with only the Free account. I will continue my exploration, and update this page as my use expands. Here are highlights so far from using CalTopo in a web browser:

    • The choices for Layers is extensive. It has the usual topographic presentations, and the resolution is superb. Included is a variation that shows Slope Angle  Shading, highlighting steep slopes in red. There is a Hybrid Satellite/Topo layer that is interesting. And the MapBuilder Topo includes more prominent marking for roads and .. trails (presented in red, including the Continental Divide Trail).
      • It offers the ability to Import tracks and display them on the map. Formats include GPX, KML, KMZ and GeoJSON files.
      • A really cool feature is the ability to create a track from a trail or road and export the KML or other file format to use elsewhere (e.g. on US Topo).
        • Choosing [Add New Object], [Line],
        • Select “OSM” (Open Street Map) in the [Snap To:] drop-down box
        • Zoom in until a road to trail is highlighted in yellow when the mouse pointer is over the track
        • To create your track:
          • Click on a point on a track line (road, two-track, or trail) for the beginning of your track.
          • Click on another point on the track line Move the mouse pointer from the initial point to another point on the line will highlight the track line.
          • A second click will bound your track. Additional click on track lines will further extend your track.
          • In the track dialog box in the lower left corner
            • Add a label, comments, choose line weight, color, opacity, and style
            • Click [OK] and the track will be added to the “Lines & Polygons” list
            • You may return to edit these choices
        • To export your track, from the [Export] menu
          • Choose Download type
          • From the list select the objects to be exported
          • Then [Export]; the file will be downloaded via your browser
          • Copy the file from your browser’s download list into your system for filing hiking records
        • Now you can take it with you on your favorite GPS device
      • Another cool feature is the ability to save maps, and to share saved maps with a line sent via eMail. The eMessage has a link that will open the web browser to show the map as saved, the zoom level and other baseline settings, and will include the tracks that were saved with the map.

I can see that there is much more capability with CalTopo than I have explored let alone exploited. As I get more experience, I will update this description further. And if -you- have tips and techniques to share, please send them to me via eMail hiking@pngyoung.com, or in the Leave a Reply form at the bottom of this or any other page in Hiking in New Mexico.

Natural Atlas (Added Aug 2020)

I came upon Natural Atlas while checking for details of hiking trails. It has some neat features (it is viewed in a web browser):

    • It provides a nice topographic view, with good detail for elevations, roads and two-tracks, and trails. It also presents placemarks for trailheads, picnic and camping sites, even fishing and hot springs locations.
    • For some trails, clicking on the trail track on the map will highlight the track and provide some information about the trail.
    • I found it’s Print feature to be better than that with other topo maps that I’ve tried.
    • It offers features for sharing information about places and activities, ‘tho there is not presently much activity.
    • And it offers an App for iOS.

It’s worth investigating further.

USGS Topo View

This appears to be superb map viewer, zoom in or out, even select the vintage of the topo map to view.  It will take some exploring of its features to exploit it; it’s Help function will be essential.

ArcGIS – USA Topo Maps

Do you want a quick way to review USGS Topo Maps?  This map viewer, ArcGIS USA Topo Maps is Super! It seems to cover the whole US, permits zooming in to the greatest detail, yet zooming out to help find what you’re looking for.  It also permits choosing other “basemaps” (satellite, with or without labels; street maps, even National Geographic basemap).  A very cool resource.

Earth Point

Earth Point provides an overlay of USGS Topo Map for Google Earth. 

MappingSupport.com

This is a replacement for Gmap4, which was popular as it provided online tools for planning and documenting particularly hiking activities.  Check it out.

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Last Updated on October 17, 2020 by George Young