Tips for Understanding Topo Maps
Taking the time to look at a map before leaving the barn can help you plan the ride ahead. Understanding the basic parts of a map will help you “stay found” and know what’s ahead and around as you navigate safely from trailhead to viewpoint and back home again.
While some people may view print maps as outdated compared to modern GPS technology, they are an invaluable complement to your GPS device. Electronic gadgets can break, and batteries may fail. A print map doesn’t rely on battery life and is hard to break. My best-practice tip is to always double up with both a print and a digital map.
Topographic Maps and Their Value
For trail riders, the most beneficial and commonly used trail maps are often referred to as “topo” maps. Topo maps show detailed information about an area’s geographic features, can help point out places of interest, and provide riders with valuable insights about what to expect. Studying a topo map allows riders to orient themselves to the surrounding area and navigate through different types of terrain. Understanding the features of a topo map, such as contour lines, scales, and symbols, is central to safely navigating in the wilderness.
Contour Lines
It’s important to understand the difference between reference maps and navigational topographic maps. Reference maps, such as road maps, are helpful in getting to the trailhead but not always the best resource for navigating the trails. Contour lines are the element that separates topographic maps from reference maps. By definition, a contour is a line drawn on a map that joins points of equal elevation.
- Contour lines show hills, slopes, and mountains in three dimensions.
- The closer together the lines, the steeper the slope. Conversely, the further apart the lines are, the less slope there will be.
- The map legend defines the elevation change between individual lines. Most topo maps use contour intervals of 40 or 80 feet, meaning the elevation change between each line is 40 or 80 feet.
Map Scale
Map scale refers to the relationship between the distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground. For example, on a 1:24,000 scale map, 1 inch on the map equals 24,000 inches (2,000 feet or .38 miles) on the ground. In other words, how much does the distance measured on the map represent in the real world?
Confusing Terminology
A common point of confusion with trail maps is small scale versus large scale and what type of map to use for a given task. In a nutshell, a small-scale map is a map that covers a large geographic area in limited detail, and a large-scale map covers a smaller area but in more detail. A Rand McNally Road map is an example of a small-scale map. It gives you all the info you need from the barn to the trailhead but not enough to plan a ride. A typical USGS quadrangle at a scale of 1:24,000 is an example of a large-scale map that is excellent for planning a ride in a given area but not so good for trailering across the state to get to the trailhead.
The Legend
A map’s legend is a description or table of symbols that details the features on the map. An example of this is campsites denoted with a point, rivers as blue lines, and trails as dashed lines. The legend identifies the various points, symbols, and colors and serves as as the map’s operations manual.
Prior Preparation
Before heading out on a new trail, use a map to practice familiarizing yourself with a known area. I like to look at three main features:
- Scale. Using a piece of string, you can quickly calculate how far away the trailhead is from the perfect lunch spot. Generally, figure travel by horseback at 3 miles per hour. Of course, this varies by horse. My mule’s favorite speed is whoa!
- Contour lines. Examining contour lines will tell you in short order whether your horse will be scrambling up a steep slope or trotting through a flat meadow.
- Identify points of interest. Use the map legend to identify campsites, mountain peaks, and lakes. By identifying these points on the map and in real life, you can quickly orient yourself on the trail. Knowing how to do so will ensure you’re back in time for dinner.
On the Trail
Anytime I come to a trail junction, river crossing, or other well-defined area, I try to locate myself on the print map. Doing so lets me ask and answer a few fundamental questions about the ride. Such as:
- Where is the nearest trailhead?
- How far is the next water source?
- How many miles to my next campsite?
- How long till dark?
A basic understanding of how to read a map will allow you to answer all these questions and more. Knowing how to find the answers to these basic questions will help keep your rides safer and vastly improve your odds of making it home in time for dinner.
Visit www.TrailMeister.com for more practical information on better trail rides and horse camping adventures and the world’s largest and most comprehensive guide to horse trails and camps.
See this article in the August 2024 online edition:
August 2024
Robert Eversole, ”the trail meister,” owns www.TrailMeister.com, the largest database of horse riding and camping areas in the U.S. with free trail and trailhead information, trail maps, and much more to help horse enthusiasts experience the joys of trail riding. Robert is a registered riding instructor with PATH International, a mounted search and rescue team member, and a U.S. Marine who has served on the board of the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW). He is enjoying his new career helping fellow trail riders stay found and safe on the trail. When not on the trail, The Trail Meister resides near Spokane, WA and teaches land navigation to a wide variety of outdoor groups across the nation. For North America’s largest horse trail and camping directory, trail tips, and more, visit www.TrailMeister.com.
