Lets Talk Google Earth...

[HellsCanyon]

I'm sure most of you like me, use Google Earth to the point where you end up missing out on sleep staring endlessly at the screen searching for camp spots, bedding/fedding areas, travel routes...etc

One thing that I found through another website was adding the USGS topomaps layer to google earth. I can turn this on and go from area photos to your typical topo map showing springs, trails, roads...etc

I imagine there are quite a bit of other 'layers' one can add to google earth but I haven't found any. What other layers do you use or what G. Earth tools do you find handy when scouting from the desktop?

Mike

 

[muleman]

I have used Hunting GPS Maps with Google Earth.

 

[rjs34]

I'm sure most of you like me, use Google Earth to the point where you end up missing out on sleep staring endlessly at the screen searching for camp spots, bedding/fedding areas, travel routes...etc

One thing that I found through another website was adding the USGS topomaps layer to google earth. I can turn this on and go from area photos to your typical topo map showing springs, trails, roads...etc

I imagine there are quite a bit of other 'layers' one can add to google earth but I haven't found any. What other layers do you use or what G. Earth tools do you find handy when scouting from the desktop?

Mike

Do you have a link to the downloadable layer?

 

[HellsCanyon]

Yeah let me find it... I may have to hotlink to another forum where I got it but let me see if I can't bypass that!

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

FINALLY found it...
http://www.monsterhuntclips.com/video/921/Topo-Maps-in-Google-Earth

Mike

 

[Curtis C]

I have used Hunting GPS Maps with Google Earth.

I'd like to hear how you did that. that could be pretty nice setup. I have a CO GMU map that I use, I believe it came from Huntinggpsmaps free page.

C

 

[muleman]

I'd like to hear how you did that. that could be pretty nice setup. I have a CO GMU map that I use, I believe it came from Huntinggpsmaps free page.

C

They sale a version for $40.00.

http://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=google+earth

 

[Curtis C]

Thanks! That looks like it will be well worth 40 bucks. I have been very pleased with the Garmin version of their maps.

C

 

[wapitibob]

FINALLY found it...
http://www.monsterhuntclips.com/video/921/Topo-Maps-in-Google-Earth

Mike

I have a newer version that I did a cpl months ago.

https://vimeo.com/45149463

 

[Jelf]

Or as an alternative to manually adding topo maps to Google Earth you could use Gmap4 which already includes high resolution topo maps for the USA in a Google Maps interface. Here is a high resolution interactive topo map centered on a spot in Hell's Canyon:

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=45.342441,-116.658155&t=t4&z=15

OK, full disclosure time. I'm the developer of Gmap4 which is showing you the topo maps. The homepage has a FAQ and examples to quickly get you up to speed.

Want to show your GPS data on the topo map? Sure, you can do that with Gmap4. Want to click the map and save your work as a GPX file? Yup, you can do that and more. Check out the features under the Menu button.

This project is part of my way of 'paying it forward'. Translation: Gmap4 is free for non-commercial use.

Note: In some areas the high res "t4 topo high" maps use yellow instead of green to indicate forest. If that is a problem try switching to the medium resolution "t2 MyTopo" maps.

Gmap4 homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Enjoy!

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

 

[HellsCanyon]

VERY AWESOME! I will be playing with this later today for sure...

Joseph, that spot in Hells Canyon is REAL close to where I'll be going tomorrow hopefully....

Mike

 

[Kevin Root]

Awesome thread. That for posting this HellsCanyon. I love the option on having the topomaps layer on my Goggle Earth.

Out my way the CA fish and game have the deer hunt zones boundaries on layers and I've layered wilderness area boundaries on Goggle earth too.

Having the topomaps layer is so cool of a feature to line up with maps and plotting points easy for the GPS. Just very cool. Thanks for the thread!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Awesome thread. That for posting this HellsCanyon. I love the option on having the topomaps layer on my Goggle Earth.

Out my way the CA fish and game have the deer hunt zones boundaries on layers and I've layered wilderness area boundaries on Goggle earth too.

Having the topomaps layer is so cool of a feature to line up with maps and plotting points easy for the GPS. Just very cool. Thanks for the thread!

I figured if there's a group of people out there who use Google earth a lot, its Roksliders! Just glad we have some very knowledgeable people to contribute to the thread!

Mike

 

[rhendrix]

Gmap4 is pretty awesome, the topohigh overlay is fantastic!

 

[flatlander51]

Johnnylaw showed me an easy and free way to do this.
-while on ge click earth gallery on left hand side.
-then under categories select terrain&elevation.
-then select USGS hist. Topo.
-now you will go back to ge. Just click the box that says historical topographic and your ge will turn into a Topo map.

Now you can mark or trace trails, rds, and water while on Topo mode and when you click the box to go back to ge all your marks will Remain on ge.
Hope this helps!

 

[G Posik]

Flatlander

Tried it and it works nice.... no Colorado on the topo shows up. If I could get Colorado on there I would be happy.

Glenn

 

[HellsCanyon]

Flatlander

Tried it and it works nice.... no Colorado on the topo shows up. If I could get Colorado on there I would be happy.

Glenn

The original video I showed has Colorado topo overlays.

Mike

 

[G Posik]

Mike I will try that one.

Glenn

 

[Kevin Root]

I guess I should have posted on the Forum thread for those interested in getting wilderness areas as a layer I downloaded this up at the below site, free. Just need the kmz format for Goggle Earth and then when you click on it will add to an overlay. The below site is where they are at for CA and some other states as well.

http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=geography

I did the same from CA deer hunt zones but got that from the CA F&G site. That one is another cool one to get if interested.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/deer/zonemapsinfo.html

 

[JoeJR]

Okay so I downloaded the the NGS_Topo_US_2D and was wondering, when I zoom in on an area I am showing some dark shaded areas. Is this showing private land in the dark shaded area?