Mapsource National Parks (24K Topo for Garmin GPS)

[jisco]

Hi!
I recently purchased a "Garmin GPS MAP60" and need advice.
I live in S.E. Ohio and need a Mapsource Topo CD for this area and would like your opimion on exactly what to buy.

Thanks for your time,

J. Coyan

[Kevin]

I don't use the mapsource for anything but the GPS maps. I believe you really only have one choice in product for loading maps into the GPS:

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topo.jsp

I plot everything on the National Geographics's Topo! software, then export waypoints to the GPS. Mapsource has been used ONCE since buying my latest Garmin GPS. I just loaded the maps I knew I would want/need on a whim (had 24MB available to store them, more than enough memory).

[Qby]

Actually, there are a few more choices.

The US Topo 24K National Parks, East V2 includes the Adirondack State Park:

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topo24knpeast.jsp

I don't have it yet -- I've ordered it but it hasn't arrived -- but I believe he could extract maps for the Adirondacks from it and download it to the GPSMAP 60.

The literature says the 24K product is based on the 1:24,000 scale paper charts provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which is the most detailed topographical data available.

This link shows some screens:

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/topo24knpeast.jsp#screens

Brian

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I do want to emphasize, though, that I don't yet have this product in hand. The original Garmin 24K Topo East data got pretty poor reviews. V2 is supposed to be an improvement. But, since I don't have it yet, I can't vouch for that. Perhaps someone else who has v2 can give him better advice.

[NukedRocket]

One caveat to the National Parks East version (for me at least) is that it does not cover the Catskills.

[jisco]

Thanks Again

Thanks redhawk, I'm gonna read as much as I can find about these Two and go from there.
I'll let you know which one I decide on when I'm ready to order.
Thanks again,

jisco

[redhawk]

Garmin Mapsource Topo 24K national parks v2

Finally got this software to check it out. It installs itself as a part of the mapsource Yopo and Metroguide that i already had, usinf the exact same interface, You switch software maps (Metroguide, Topo and 24K national parks east" via a drop down menu. oddly, like my other versions of metroguide, it asks to be installed twice, but installs fine nevertheless.

It may be 1/24000 scale but it does not have the detail that either National Geographics Topo, Terrain Navigator or Topofusion has.

it is an improvement over Garmins Mapsource Topo in that it is more accurate. With the rgular topo, All three of the falls in the raquette river are miles from where they should be (based on waypoints taken in the field). With the 24k version, the upper Falls and raquette falls are dead on, but the lower falls is 1567 feet off to the Northeast. It does show more trails then the standard topo, but not as many as the above mentioned programs. it also indicates wetlands.

Also of note, depending on what your garmin unit is, With my Garmin RINO 130, which has 24 megs of memory, and Mapsource topo, I can load almost all of new Your State into the unit. With the 24K National parks topo software, the whole Adirondack Park is 71.7 megabytes which means that I can only load a third of the park at a time.

In my estimation, the improvement of detail does not make it even close to a better deal then the regular version of Mapsource topo. With that version, you get the whole USA, including Hawaii and Alaska. With the National parks version east yiou get just a few of the national parks and the Adirondack park. The 24k information is not that much better then the regular.

I could have put this in the review section, but I thought it was best served here. You can check the pricing and other specs at Garmin.com

Bottom Line, I've got it, I'll use it, but seeing the difference i would not recommend buying it instead of Mapsource Topo.

[AdRegion]

I think the 24K East version is also more suited to those hiking the AT.

I've got both and all of RedHawk's observations are spot on. When it comes to accuracy, there is hardly any mapping product that will be 100% perfect. I like to do a double check using USA Photomaps or mashing a GPX file using GPS Visualizer. Best part is seeing your track, after the fact, on actual USGS topomaps.

I have no opinion on price/value.