Caltopo tutorial - Free topo maps

Caltopo offers FREE high-quality detailed topographic maps with worldwide coverage. Learn about map layers, shaded relief, drawing marker points and lines, importing and exporting GPX files, and printing. Print at any scale you like and on different sizes of paper.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Caltopo recently added a terrific new layer that is pretty much the go to now for most outdoor recreation users. It's called MapBuilder Topo. It has a little shaded relief, makes trails much easier to see, and eliminates a lot of the visual clutter on the USGS maps. Give it a try, I think you'll like it.

[@buroN98]

Thanks a lot this whole navigation course is just amazing!

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Floris, I'm glad you are enjoying the course. I hope you can use it to have some good outdoor adventures!

[@bereantrb]

Very helpful. Concise yet thorough. Thank you!

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hey! I appreciate your kind words. Have fun outside!

[@vancemccolm7761]

Amazing! I am so glad I found this video.

[@clamraker]

This is a very professionally done tutorial and will help you use this map software. Thanks to John to this software.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Don, thank you for the kind words. This is pretty terrific software, and I hope that more people will learn to use it from this video. Best outdoor adventures to you!

[@rogemarbravo8418]

Now, I know how to use caltopo. It save a lot of time understanding the features by watching this than exploring the app on my own. Thanks!

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Rogemar, You are welcome, I'm glad you found this helpful.

[@mahjimoh]

Thanks for this - very clear and straightforward explanation to get someone started.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

hi M R, Thank you for the kind words. Cal topo is wonderful, and I hope you have some good adventures using these maps. Please consider a subscription if you find it useful.

[@mahjimoh]

Columbia River Orienteering Club I did pay, I agree that it makes sense to acknowledge something Ike this.

[@geraldberliner5260]

Can't thank you enough for introducing me to this site. It's now become my go to place to create topo map trails and gpx files for gaisGPS. It's fantastic!

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Gerald, Glad you're enjoying CalTopo! If you haven't done so already, I would encourage you to subscribe for $20 a year to support the one guy who keeps this great software running.

[@geraldberliner5260]

@@columbiariverorienteeringc5395 I have

[@mojave7025]

Thank you for posting this, it helps a lot.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Mojave, I appreciate your comment, hopefully you can get out and have some even better adventures with these great maps.

[@Cochise231]

Excellent video very straight forward with simple to use directions Appreciate your efforts and CalTopo's You got a quick and happy sub Thanks

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Cochise, thank you for the kind words. It is indeed a great resource once you learn how to use Caltopo - topo maps for free!

[@omranabd]

Nice work Thank You!

[@JohnJohnson-fh9qg]

Great stuff! Thanks.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hey John, thank you for your comments, I'm glad you liked it.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Good tutorial!

[@alphapatriot8405]

Thnxs for uploading and sharing

[@Athreehourtour]

Great vid thanks

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Ryan, Thank you for the thoughtful comments. I hope it helps you have some good adventures.

[@humbertostunter1]

Excelent thank you

[@cpmorris1001]

Thanks for this introduction. Very excited to get started. So I have a question, I just purchased a Garmin 680T. Are you aware of any tutorials ?

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hey Charlie, I am not aware of any tutorials for Garmin handheld GPS units, but if you sniff around on KZbin I bet you can find something. Or better yet, try my favorite GPS app, Gaia GPS, which In my opinion has way better features, functionality, map layers, and is vastly less expensive. You might find you prefer using your phone over an expensive handheld GPS, and hopefully you can get your money back. Search for my tutorial on Gaia GPS here on KZbin. You should find it. Good luck!

[@savannah7575]

Hi. Great video and it has helped me a lot. My only problem is I don't see shaded relief as an option. I wondered if things had changed. Thanks

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Savanna, hey, thanks for mentioning this! It looks like Caltopo has change the interface slightly since I made this video last year. Shaded relief is still an option, is just a little harder to find. Here's how you do it: 1) set your base layer to US topo. 2) Below that you will see "+ stack new layer", in green. Click it. 3) Mouse over the blank box, this should bring out the drop-down menu of additional layers that you can add. 4) Choose normal relief, then slide the slider bar right to adjust the shading. Give this a try, I hope it helps!

[@ryandutt]

Great videos John. Do you feel its important to print your Caltopo maps in color? Thanks.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Ryan, Sorry took me a while to get back to you on this. Because most people have access to a color laser printers, usually had an office store like Fed Ex, I would recommend always using them if you can. It increases both the durability of the map and the fine detail. Recently I've been printing on waterproof paper, which is really amazing. It's kind of expensive at about $.60 per sheet, but a packet of 50 sheets can last you a long time. Also, here's another tip after you make the PDF of the map, email it to yourself, open it on your iPhone and some sort of PDF reader like iBooks, and you have a backup copy of your paper map.

[@577buttfan]

What layer would i use too find abandoned or active mines in my area sir?

[@johngo6283]

Try Other Maps > Historic. Sometimes maps from the US geological survey from 50-70+ years ago show features like roads and mines that do not appear on more modern maps.

[@jsal849]

Nice , But how do you get the map to print out to scale so you can use a protractor to plot out your coordinates ? I use a 1:24 Protractor . But when I print out at 1:24 it dose not show any Grid lines to put my protractor on.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi J, Cal topo has a wonderful feature that lets you print out maps it any scale you want. From the printed page, you can choose scale in the top left corner. There are six preconfigured common scales, and then custom at the bottom. To print out a grid on your map, you can check "UTM" under Grid Lines, and then choose the density of grid that you want (100, 200, 500 or 1000 meters.) I hope that's helpful for you!

[@jsal849]

Got it , thanks !!! Works Great now !!!

[@MightyVideosCinema]

Is it possible to disable all text and other overlays to only get topographic information?

[@wilkyflex]

is there a way to download the USGS contours digitally into autocad?

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Dean, That is a great question, and I do not know the answer to it. I am guessing the answer is yes, but I do not know how to do it.

[@MrNeTjockey]

hello do you know if topo works for us brits i.e can i print off maps for hiking here in the uk. i just can,t find any answers any where. thanks

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi, Caltopo has map players that work all over the world. Try looking at the open source maps, such as open cycle map.

[@zivsherzer]

can you upload (for example) a geological map to this app and georefernce it? or do you know a similar site that can do that? thanx

[@johngo6283]

I don’t think you can do that. Check out aVenza app for the phone, I think thelat can handle Georeferenced PDF files.

[@josecampechano6136]

is there any way I can get detailed maps from the caribbean? I,ve been searching and it seems that all this ¨world maps¨ only provide information about the US.

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Jose, Yes, you can get maps from anywhere in the world on Caltopo. Try the "Open Street Map" and "Open Cycle" maps layers.

[@mohammedrenima4950]

can i download any country or this site specials to USA

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

Hi Mohammed, some of the map players are specific to the United States only, but other ones cover the entire world. For example, the three Open Street Map layers at the bottom have worldwide coverage. Give those a try.

[@youngyoon6551]

Greatfalls md

[@bereantrb]

Unfortunately CalTopo isn't entirely free. There are certain features not available unless you purchase an annual subscription. One example, you have to pay for the ability to print 11"x17", which is more legible & practical in the field than 8.5"x11"

[@columbiariverorienteeringc5395]

You are correct, it's not entirely free. However, 95% or so of the functionality of the software is available for free.11 x 17 maps are nice to use in the field. I definitely encourage people to buy a $20 annual subscription to the software if they try it and find it is helpful. The money goes directly to the one guy who is keeping the software going, and considering that a quality printed map cost between $10 and $15 at an outdoor store, 20 bucks a year is quite a bargain.

[@bereantrb]

Columbia River Orienteering Club Yes, definitely worth mentioning the annual subscription is very reasonable.

[@MrJx4000]

@@columbiariverorienteeringc5395, just found this video tutorial; great work. And yes, the annual $20 subscription is well worth it. You can print maps in any of the popular scales and save your work and share it if desired.

[@reverendsaltine6852]

Can’t see the map. Too small on an ipad.

[@sisro7966]

am i understanding see the sisro youtube channel watch now