View map indexes on these interactive maps (you must zoom in to see the index lines and map names):
- Map Locator on the USGS Store - Click the icon on the left that looks like two pieces of paper and select “1:24,000” for our standard map series.
- TopoView - Click on any of the round map scale indicators on the right side of the map.
- The National Map Viewer - Click on the Layer List icon at the top that looks like three sheets of paper and select "Map Indices".
Order a paper topographic map index for any state (or download a free PDF):
-
Go to the USGS Store and select Maps > State Topographic Map Indexes. The paper index maps are free but there is a $5 handling fee per total order.
Digital indexes for use in GIS:
- Download indexes in Shapefile and Geodatabase formats through The National Map Download Client. These are in a zip file and contain cell grids of 1x2 degree, 1x1 degree, 30x60 minute, 15x15 minute, 7.5x7.5 minute (Quads), and 3.75x3.75 minute (Quarter Quad). These are indexes of standard cells, not published maps.
- For maps in the US Topo and Historical Topographic Map collections, scroll to the bottom of our Topographic Maps page for a link to a database dump in CSV format. This file can be joined to the cell index above to create spatial indexes of published topographic maps. This file is updated nightly; about 75 US Topo maps are added each work day.
- For Web programmers, a more powerful way to get product information is through the ScienceBase API.
Related Content
How do I find, download, or order topographic maps?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States since 1879. USGS topographic maps have been published at many scales, but 1:24,000 (also referred to as a 7.5-minute quadrangle) has been the standard topographic map scale since 1947. For Alaska the standard scale is 1:25,000. All dates and all scales of our topographic maps can be freely...
How do I get a full-scale plot of a 1:24,000-scale (7.5-minute) topographic map?
There are three ways to get full-scale plots of USGS topographic quadrangle maps, including Historical Topographic maps (produced 1884-2006), US Topo maps (produced 2009-present) or customized OnDemand Topos. Order a paper map from the USGS Store. Use the Store’s Map Locator to find the desired map.* Download a free map file and send it to a local printing business. USGS topographic maps are not...
Are USGS topographic maps copyrighted?
All topographic maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are in the public domain and are not copyrighted except for the following three cases that apply only to US Topo maps (produced 2009-present): Most maps in the period 2010-2016 contain commercially licensed road data (see note below). Orthoimages in Alaska are commercially licensed. Orthoimages in Hawaii were commercially licensed...
Can I still get the older topographic maps?
Yes. Topographic maps originally published as paper documents between 1884-2006 have been scanned and published as the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. Download our historical topographic maps and our more current US Topo maps (published 2009-present) free of charge using TopoView (GeoPDF, GeoTIFF, JPEG, and KMZ formats) or using the USGS Store’s Map Locator (GeoPDF format). Order paper...
How are U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps named?
A USGS topographic map is usually named for the most prominent feature within the bounds of the map, which is frequently a community. Most topographic maps are named for the most centrally located, well-known, and/or largest community identified on the map. If the community for which the map should be named falls on two or more maps, a directional term might be used such as East and West. An...
How do US Topo maps differ from historical USGS topographic maps?
Historically, USGS topographic maps were made using data from primary sources including direct field observations. Those maps were compiled, drawn, and edited by hand. By today's standards, those traditional methods are very expensive and time-consuming, and the USGS no longer has funding to make maps that way. A new USGS topographic map series was launched in 2009 and branded "US Topo." Though...
What is a topographic map?
The distinctive characteristic of a topographic map is the use of elevation contour lines to show the shape of the Earth's surface. Elevation contours are imaginary lines connecting points having the same elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, which is usually mean sea level. Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the depths of the...
How current are US Topo maps?
US Topo maps are updated on a three-year production cycle (maps covering one third of the country are updated each year). The US Topo production schedule follows the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) collection schedule. This does not include US Topos for Alaska, which are on a different schedule. The linework features shown on the maps are generated...
Do you offer teacher discounts for your maps and other cost products?
Yes. Educational institutions qualify for discounts on purchases made through the online USGS Store. To receive any discounts you must first be set up in their system. Please fax your request on school letterhead (or on a purchase order) to 303-202-4693 and include your Federal Tax ID number (not to be confused with your Federal Tax Exempt Number). For questions, call 1-888-MAP-DEAL (1-888-627...
Related Content
- FAQ
How do I find, download, or order topographic maps?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States since 1879. USGS topographic maps have been published at many scales, but 1:24,000 (also referred to as a 7.5-minute quadrangle) has been the standard topographic map scale since 1947. For Alaska the standard scale is 1:25,000. All dates and all scales of our topographic maps can be freely...
How do I get a full-scale plot of a 1:24,000-scale (7.5-minute) topographic map?
There are three ways to get full-scale plots of USGS topographic quadrangle maps, including Historical Topographic maps (produced 1884-2006), US Topo maps (produced 2009-present) or customized OnDemand Topos. Order a paper map from the USGS Store. Use the Store’s Map Locator to find the desired map.* Download a free map file and send it to a local printing business. USGS topographic maps are not...
Are USGS topographic maps copyrighted?
All topographic maps produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are in the public domain and are not copyrighted except for the following three cases that apply only to US Topo maps (produced 2009-present): Most maps in the period 2010-2016 contain commercially licensed road data (see note below). Orthoimages in Alaska are commercially licensed. Orthoimages in Hawaii were commercially licensed...
Can I still get the older topographic maps?
Yes. Topographic maps originally published as paper documents between 1884-2006 have been scanned and published as the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection. Download our historical topographic maps and our more current US Topo maps (published 2009-present) free of charge using TopoView (GeoPDF, GeoTIFF, JPEG, and KMZ formats) or using the USGS Store’s Map Locator (GeoPDF format). Order paper...
How are U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps named?
A USGS topographic map is usually named for the most prominent feature within the bounds of the map, which is frequently a community. Most topographic maps are named for the most centrally located, well-known, and/or largest community identified on the map. If the community for which the map should be named falls on two or more maps, a directional term might be used such as East and West. An...
How do US Topo maps differ from historical USGS topographic maps?
Historically, USGS topographic maps were made using data from primary sources including direct field observations. Those maps were compiled, drawn, and edited by hand. By today's standards, those traditional methods are very expensive and time-consuming, and the USGS no longer has funding to make maps that way. A new USGS topographic map series was launched in 2009 and branded "US Topo." Though...
What is a topographic map?
The distinctive characteristic of a topographic map is the use of elevation contour lines to show the shape of the Earth's surface. Elevation contours are imaginary lines connecting points having the same elevation on the surface of the land above or below a reference surface, which is usually mean sea level. Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the depths of the...
How current are US Topo maps?
US Topo maps are updated on a three-year production cycle (maps covering one third of the country are updated each year). The US Topo production schedule follows the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) collection schedule. This does not include US Topos for Alaska, which are on a different schedule. The linework features shown on the maps are generated...
Do you offer teacher discounts for your maps and other cost products?
Yes. Educational institutions qualify for discounts on purchases made through the online USGS Store. To receive any discounts you must first be set up in their system. Please fax your request on school letterhead (or on a purchase order) to 303-202-4693 and include your Federal Tax ID number (not to be confused with your Federal Tax Exempt Number). For questions, call 1-888-MAP-DEAL (1-888-627...
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