What confuses you about topo maps? The topo lines are elevations. If you walk parallel to a topo line you are walking on the side of the hill. If you walk perpendicular to a topo line you are walking up or down the hill. The closer the lines are together, the steeper the hill is. With a little practice you can easily identify draws and saddle formations.

Try looking here: http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/usgsmaps/usgsmaps.html#Topographic%20Maps
or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topographic_maps

i wish this google earth has a more recent pic. its about 10 years + old of my friends property.. you dont see the little trails..

grbeyemonstr,

Thanks for the detailed post.

Bob

Check out JDMCox.com and download USAPhotoMaps. Its a great little free program that lets you download aerial photos and topo maps to your hard drive, it works with your GPS (you can put your waypoints on the map straight from your hand held unit or put waypoints on the map and download them to your GPS), put gridlines on the map, print maps, etc.

Good program with nice clear pictures IF they have the pictures for your area. They dont have any for the area i hunt. all i get are X's in each box

use yahoo live maps and you can get zoomed in closer...at least on my area.