Trip and route planning
Print the climb on a day hike or ski tour, count index lines to the summit and spot cliffs where the lines bunch together.
Topographic maps from this generator
Rendered by the same code as the tool above, from the free data, with the settings listed under each map. Open one to load it, then change the interval or colors.
How to make a topographic map
- Find the place. Search a peak, park or town and pick a result, or draw a rectangle or polygon. The map frames a 5 × 5 km box around a search result; redraw it or edit the coordinates to change it.
- Set the interval and index lines. Use the interval table below: about 50 levels over the relief of your area. Keep Index line every at 5 and Label index lines on so every fifth line is bold and numbered.
- Turn on the topo layers. Elevation tints are on by default on this page. Keep the OpenStreetMap basemap, or add roads and buildings over the contours.
- Check the legend. Map data shows the tint legend from the lowest to the highest point, the number of levels and the mean slope.
- Export. Download the free 4096 px PNG, or the Pro 8000 px PNG with a collar holding the scale bar, legend and north arrow. SVG, GeoJSON and KML are there too.
What makes a map topographic
A topographic map is a contour map plus everything that makes the lines readable without a second source. The U.S. Geological Survey's 7.5-minute quadrangles set the pattern most people know: thin brown intermediate contours, thicker labeled index contours every fifth line, a contour interval printed in the margin, a scale bar and a north arrow. This topo map generator follows the same layout, and its Pro PNG puts these elements in a collar under the map the way a printed quad does.
| Element | What it tells you | In this tool |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate contours | Every interval of elevation; spacing shows steepness | Interval, line color and width |
| Index contours | Bold lines with printed heights, usually every fifth line | Index line every, Label index lines |
| Elevation tints | Low ground green, then tan, brown, rock gray and white at the top, for a quick read of relief | Coloring: Elevation tints, with a legend |
| Contour interval statement | The vertical distance between lines | Under the map and in every PNG |
| Scale bar and north arrow | Distance on the ground and orientation | Under the live map; in the Pro PNG collar |
| Roads and buildings | Where you are, and what sits on the slope | OpenStreetMap basemap, Roads, Buildings |
Topographic map maker or terrain map generator?
Both names describe the same job. A terrain map generator usually means shaded relief, a picture of the land lit from one side. A topographic map maker draws measured lines you can read numbers from: the elevation of a trailhead, how far a ridge climbs, whether a slope is 10% or 40%. Contours are what survive a black-and-white print, a laser cutter or a CAD drawing, which is why this topographic map creator draws lines first and adds tints as an option.
Reading slope from the lines
Lines close together mean steep ground, lines far apart mean gentle ground. With a 10 m interval, contours 100 m apart on the map describe a 10% grade, and contours 20 m apart a 50% grade. The elevation contour map guide has a full spacing-to-slope table, and the land contour map guide explains what each slope class means for building and farming.
What people make with a topo map generator
Classroom maps
Teachers use local hills and famous peaks to show how contours become ridges, valleys and saddles, then compare the tints with the lines.
Wall maps and gifts
A tinted topographic map of a home valley, a summit you climbed or a national park, printed from the 8000 px PNG.
Field work and reports
Ecologists, foresters and geologists add a quick topographic base map with a scale bar to a site report.
How to choose a contour interval
On a topographic map the interval decides how much detail fits. Aim for 25 to 50 levels: the Grand Canyon example spans about 1,450 m at 50 m (29 levels) and Mount Washington about 1,140 m at 20 m (56 levels). Find your area and relief below.
| Area you select | Terrain | Relief | Interval, m | Interval, ft | Data that supports it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House lot or building site, under 0.1 km² (25 acres) | Gentle to hillside | 5–25 m | 0.5 | 1–2 | 3DEP 1 m lidar (Pro, US) for survey-grade lines; free data shows the shape |
| Small farm or acreage, 0.1–2 km² | Rolling | 20–100 m | 0.5–2 | 2–10 | 3DEP 1 m lidar (Pro, US) for survey-grade lines; free data shows the shape |
| Farm, ranch or park, 2–10 km² | Hilly | 100–300 m | 2–10 | 10–20 | 3DEP 1 m lidar (Pro, US) for survey-grade lines; free data shows the shape |
| Town or valley, 10–50 km² | Hills to foothills | 300–800 m | 10–20 | 20–80 | Free data in the US; elsewhere use 20 m or more |
| Mountain area, 50–100 km² (free limit) | Mountains | 800–2,000 m | 20–50 | 80–200 | Free data, worldwide |
| Range or region, 100–2,000 km² (Pro) | High mountains | 1,500–4,000 m | 50–100 | 100–500 | Free data, worldwide |
Relief is the highest minus the lowest elevation in your selection (the tool shows both under Map data). Interval = relief ÷ 50, rounded up to 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 or 200 m (1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 80, 100, 200, 250 or 500 ft). The last column applies the 1947 National Map Accuracy Standard, interval ≥ 3.29 × the data's vertical RMSE: about 0.3 m for lidar, 5.1 m for the US 10 m data and 18 m for SRTM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a topographic map and a contour map?
A contour map shows only the lines of equal elevation. A topographic map adds what you need to read them in context: labeled index lines, elevation tints, roads and buildings, a scale bar, a north arrow and a legend with the contour interval. This generator draws both; switch Coloring to Elevation tints and the basemap to OpenStreetMap for the full topo look.
What are index contours?
Index contours are every fifth line (or every Nth line you choose), drawn twice as thick and labeled with their elevation. With a 20 m interval the index lines fall at 100 m steps, so you can read heights at a glance and count the thin intermediate lines between them.
How do I read the elevation labels?
The number on a bold line is the elevation of that whole line. To find the height of a point, start at the nearest labeled line and count the thin lines toward your point, adding or subtracting one interval for each. Closed loops with rising numbers are hills; loops with falling numbers are hollows.
Does the map include a scale bar and north arrow?
The Pro 8000 px PNG adds a collar under the map with the title, contour interval, legend, a scale bar labeled 1:N at 300 dpi and a north arrow. The free 4096 px PNG carries the interval statement and data credit. On screen, the scale bar sits under the live map.
How large can I print a topographic map?
At 300 dpi the free 4096 px PNG prints about 34.7 cm (13.7 in) on its long side, and the Pro 8000 px PNG about 67.7 cm (26.7 in). For a larger poster, export the SVG, which scales to any size without losing sharpness.
Does it work outside the United States?
Yes. The free data covers the whole planet, from SRTM and national models such as EU-DEM, so a topographic map of the Alps, Japan or the Andes works the same way. The Matterhorn example on this page uses that global coverage. USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar is US only.
Why is a summit lower on the map than its official height?
Gridded elevation data averages each cell, so a sharp summit narrower than a cell reads low. The Matterhorn is 4,478 m, but the 30 m data peaks at 4,354 m. Rounded hills and plateaus come out close to their surveyed heights; needles and pinnacles do not.
More contour tools and guides
Contour map generatorAny area and interval, with free PNG, GeoJSON, SVG and KML downloads.Contour map SVGVector contours for posters, laser cutting, Figma and Illustrator.Google Earth contour linesKML and KMZ contour overlays that sit on Google Earth terrain.Contour map DXFLayered DXF with Z values for AutoCAD, Civil 3D, SketchUp and QGIS.Elevation contour map guideWhere the elevation data comes from, its accuracy and how to pick an interval.Land contour map guideRead slope, ridges, valleys and drainage on a property or farm.