Finding Topography Data with Google Maps

Open Topography Portal


The Open Topography Portal is a project that aims to provide access to various public domain airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, bathymetry, and other topographic data. As part of this project the Open Topography Portal has created a Google Map to show where topography datasets are available.

Available datasets are shown on the map by yellow polygons. If you click on the polygons you can learn about the available dataset at that location and see what data products are currently available. The classes of data types available include standard digital elevation models (DEMs), LiDAR point cloud data, and Google Earth files.

Via: @geoparadigm

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US & Canada Topographical Map

Gmap4 US Topographical Maps

Gmap4 is a Google Maps based viewer for detailed topographic maps of the USA and Canada. Gmap4 can read and display GPX and KML files and comes with a detailed help file and a ‘Quick Start’ guide.

This map shows most of the USA and Canada. To view the topographical map open the menu in the upper right and select MyTopo.

It is also possible to view KML files with Gmap4, by adding some parameters to the map URL. This link loads a trail from a specified KML,

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/kml_demo/county_line_trail_with_pic.kml&t=t2&ll=47.39556,-120.791159&z=14

If you examine the URL closely you can see the parameters that you can change:

q = URL to a KML file
t = Map type
ll = Center of the map
z = Zoom level

In addition to KML files and GPX files, Gmap4 can now also read Google MyMap files.

Example: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=mymap,109834417853835431586.00047bf3d013cf15e19f5

The Gmap4 Help file contains step-by-step instructions for placing a KML file online by saving it as a Google MyMap. This is an easy and free way to place a KML file online so it can be viewed by Gmap4.

The topographic map tiles displayed by Gmap4 come from MyTopo via their API. If you want to use the MyTopo tiles yourself with the Google Maps API, then this post by Chris Schneider (to the Google Maps API Google Group) should be of help.

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