I need a FSTopo overlay for Google Earth

[adamschneider]

I should mention that GPS Visualizer also has the CalTopo USFS layer — with and without relief shading — as a background option in Google Maps. You can't select it from the input form (per an agreement I have with the CalTopo guy), but it's there as an option once you make the map.

It's also in GPS Visualizer's "Sandbox": http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/draw/

[aiwetir]

hillmap.com has the CalTopo FS maps, and a very nice printing option too.

[forester]

I ran into this when the Historic Topographic layer was frustratingly removed. Go here and click the grey "View on Google Earth" button. Then save it to your My Places deal.

[Guy]

I ran into this when the Historic Topographic layer was frustratingly removed. Go here and click the grey "View on Google Earth" button. Then save it to your My Places deal.

That's very cool

[Lurch]

If you want historical (or really any but the latest generation) topo maps either for your own printing or as a kmz for Google Earth I'd still recommend going here: http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/maps/TopoView/viewer/

[miah66]

Wow Lurch that site is incredible. Thanks for the link!

[aiwetir]

Hey I found a customizable map source so you can have whatever background you like.

Well I didn't find it, they're a big company and lots of people know about them, but I did figure out how to use their customizable maps.

It's MapBox. It's a little bit to get set up, and then figuring out the map scale between screen vs paper might be an issue but I figured it out once but didn't write it down. I can walk you through the process if you're interested.

Below are 2 screenshots one a style I'm playing with it's got hillshading and the trails are too wide, but this was intended for mobile phone use.

The other is for someone who wanted to print some basic topo contours from Africa for a project and Mapbox seems to be the only one I could find. This would be a better place to start.