Google Earth trail Layer?

[tombomb300]

http://www.gearthblog.com/kmfiles/topomaps.kmz

Theres a link for a USGS Topo overlay in google earth. same exact map that many of you take out to the woods with you, when activated a topomap will load over the area that you are viewing when left still. As a Mac user with pretty much google earth all thats available and free this is a good enough solution for me.

[AntlerPerak]

So how do you use the tilt feature?

[pico23]

The 3d View and Fly through using the USGS quads are features in NG Topo 4.0 as well.

And adirondack 3D...but I hate the 3D interface, lack of zoom levels and the other issues.

However, this combined with Topo NE works pretty well and doesn't require me to spend any more money

[redhawk]

The 3d View and Fly through using the USGS quads are features in NG Topo 4.0 as well.

[WinterWarlock]

Thanks!

Yep - that does help Tuchov...thank you for the help.

[pico23]

I used to use the USGS DEMs (digital elevation models) that were the same as the quadrangles.

The neat thing was the tilt and fly thru. You could actually tilt and get an idea of line of sight in 3D. I learned a lot about the catskill topography and using the DEMs it was easy to see that the Catskills aren't really mountains but an eroded plateau like the mesas of the Southwest US.

This looks similar and in some ways better because it uses the maps. I think with the right software (ie stuff you paid for not DRGView or whatever the USGS free stuff was) you could overlay the DEMs and DRG files to give the view you just posted above.

However, with the free software it was DEM or DRG only.
BTW, the trails are the same as those on the USGS topos that come with Topo or any other software that uses USGS maps. Some are accurate, some are not. Some don't exist some do. But the tilt is a great feature that you can bet I'll be using for trip planning!!

Thanks for the tips!!!

[Tuchov]

This is what I use it for. Makes it easy to see where I'm going, and helps me identify the peaks in my pictures when I get home.


The ability to 'tilt' the view (similar to Google Earth) combined with the 3D representation make it border on virtual reality.

[Hobbitling]

wow, beats google earth by a long shot.

[Tuchov]

Sorry I didn't check this WinterWarlock, Private messaging is a faster way to get a hold of me (or AIM, as I have in my profile).

I forgot how the default version looks right after install, but the toolbar SHOULD be on by default. If not, hit Ctrl-T

This image (below) shows what to click on to get the maps I was describing. USGS Topo Maps. You have to zoom in to a reasonable level before you'll see them pop up.




When you zoom in, it should look something like this (I used the High-Peaks zone cause it's easy to find on a map):



As you zoom in, you'll see the quality get MUCH better. You can make out trails as the dotted lines, roads as solid, and it even has shelters and ranger stations on it.



Finally, for an added 3D effect, you can adjust the sunlight to give an idea of the elevation of the terrain. To actually adjust how much the program interprets elevation data, goto Tools -> Options ->Terrain -> "Vertical Exaggeration". I use 1, but I have gone as high as 3 sometimes to make it easier to compare heights.


Hope that helps. If ya need anything else, lemme know. The program is pretty open to experimentation, and even if you royally mess up, theres a "return to default" setting to bring everything back to square one. I wouldn't use this ALONE as a map source, just because I don't know how old these maps are, but I definitely use this in conjunction with my other maps to get a feel of how much terrain difference I can do in a day.

[WinterWarlock]

Tuchov -

I downloaded WorldWind but can't figure out how to get the topo layer and trails going - any advice?

WW

[coolrobc]

I know NASA's world wind program has a USGS topographical layer that has all the trails on it, pulling from their server. It shouldn't be too hard to have GE get the same data.

Really? I have World Wind. I never noticed the trails. I'll have to look at that again.

[Tuchov]

I know NASA's world wind program has a USGS topographical layer that has all the trails on it, pulling from their server. It shouldn't be too hard to have GE get the same data.

[coolrobc]

This is the part where I whine about wanting someone else to do all the work for me.

Thanks, that's a cool idea! I wouldn't have even thought of that.

[Hobbitling]

You can often find tracklogs from GPS

If you can convert those to google earth format, that might work.

try here for a good selection of maps. http://alavigne.net/FileDownloads/in...ta/Adirondacks

try using this utility to convert them to kmz format.

http://www.gpsu.co.uk/

[coolrobc]

Does anyone know if there's a Google Earth layer that shows Adirondack or NYS hiking trails? I've searched but can only find stuff out west.