The newest USGS topo map web app gives the public the opportunity to create custom topographic maps on demand. The online application is called topoBuilder and the output maps are known as OnDemand Topos.
Create an OnDemand Topo
Build a USGS topographic map with choice of format, area of interest, scale, and National Map content.
More USGS Topo Maps
US Topo maps, OnDemand Topo maps, and the Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC) are produced by the National Geospatial Program.
Jump to: ONDEMAND TOPO MAP TYPES | ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & RELATED CONTENT
Introduction to topoBuilder & OnDemand Topos
topoBuilder is a public web application released by the National Geospatial Program that enables users to request customized USGS-style topographic maps, known as OnDemand Topos, that utilize the best available data from The National Map.
- Exclusive to topoBuilder is the ability to center maps anywhere* users choose. OnDemand Topo maps do not need to align with the traditional USGS map grids so one map can cover an area that may have previously required up to four maps.
- Users also have their choice of file format (georeferenced PDF or TIFF).
- The Edit Layers capability lets users select which layers of The National Map they would like to be included in their custom map product.
- Users then simply enter a valid email address and a direct link to download their unique map will be delivered free of charge. Maps are often delivered within 24 hours but may take up to 5 business days.
OnDemand Topo contours and shaded relief are generated on the fly from the latest USGS elevation data, including high-quality lidar and IfSAR data acquired through the 3D Elevation Program.
OnDemand Topo Map Types
There are currently two OnDemand Topo Map Types available: The 7.5-Minute Topo and the 100K Topo.
7.5-Minute Topo
7.5-Minute Topos closely resemble historical 7.5-minute USGS map products as well as US Topo maps.
- This large-scale map type provides a high level of detail over approximately 50 and 70 square miles per map and can be used for recreation and navigation (orienteering and geocaching), city planning, search and rescue, science studies such as geologic and geographic field work, and much more.
- In order to balance areal extent shown and printed product page size at varying locations on the Earth's surface, three scales are found within this map type:
- 1:24,000 for the contiguous United States and Hawaii
- 1:25,000 for Alaska
- 1:20,000 for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- An additional customization is available for 7.5-Minute Topos: Contour smoothing. Users may choose the level of contour detail best suited for their unique map needs.
100K Topo
100K Topos are 1:100,000-scale maps inspired by the 30- by 60-minute map series published by the USGS through the end of the 20th century.
- These medium-scale maps are designed to cover an area of approximately 1,500 to 2,200 square miles and are ideal for any application where information across a large area is needed.
- While 100K Topos contains less detail than the 7.5-Minute Topos, they still provide enough information for many traditional and recreational uses as well as some science and planning applications.
- 100K Topo maps also feature brand new land cover categories, such as grassland and crop/pasture, in addition to woodland tint
- In order to support a consistent snapshot of 1:100,000-scale National Map data, content on 100K Topos may be less current than data appearing on a contemporary 7.5-Minute Topo map.
To learn more about map scales and how they differ in detail, content, and area coverage please visit the USGS Map Scales publication.
*OnDemand Topo maps are available anywhere within the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
topoBuilder is accessible via desktop computer or mobile device. Questions and feedback are welcomed by The National Map Help Desk at tnm_help@usgs.gov.
Additional Resources
topoBuilder Release Notes
The current release of topoBuilder is version 1.5 Read about bug fixes, enhancements, and other changes to topoBuilder and OnDemand Topos. Notes on both the current and previous releases are available.
Known Issues - topoBuilder and OnDemand Topo
This page contains the most up-to-date documentation of known issues for the topoBuilder application and OnDemand Topo map products.
View & Download topoBuilder Data from The National Map
USGS Topographic Map Overview
US Topo: Maps for America
Historical Topographic Maps - Preserving the Past
National Geospatial Program Home Page
National Geospatial Program Training Videos
Related Content
OnDemand Topo Maps Officially Join USGS National Map Offerings
The people have spoken! OnDemand Topo maps and topoBuilder were so popular that we're ending the pilot phase of the project and making topoBuilder a permanent offering of the National Map.
Below are links to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding USGS topographic maps.
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 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...
When was the 1:24,000-scale topographic map series for the United States and its territories completed?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was created in 1879 and published it’s first topographic map in 1882. Systematic topographic mapping was authorized by Congress in 1884. Although 1:24,000-scale topographic maps were produced by the USGS as early as 1904, a formal program to provide primary topographic map coverage at that scale for the entire conterminous United States did not begin until 1947...
Will US Topo maps become part of the Historical Topographic Map Collection when a newer version is published?
Superseded US Topo maps will remain available for download, but will not become part of the Historical Topographic Map Collection, which is scans of USGS topographic quadrangles originally published as paper documents between 1884-2006. The first US Topo maps were published in 2009. They are updated and superseded every 3 years (maps for one third of the country are produced every year). This does...
Related Content
- News
OnDemand Topo Maps Officially Join USGS National Map Offerings
The people have spoken! OnDemand Topo maps and topoBuilder were so popular that we're ending the pilot phase of the project and making topoBuilder a permanent offering of the National Map.
- FAQ
Below are links to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding USGS topographic maps.
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 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...
When was the 1:24,000-scale topographic map series for the United States and its territories completed?
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was created in 1879 and published it’s first topographic map in 1882. Systematic topographic mapping was authorized by Congress in 1884. Although 1:24,000-scale topographic maps were produced by the USGS as early as 1904, a formal program to provide primary topographic map coverage at that scale for the entire conterminous United States did not begin until 1947...
Will US Topo maps become part of the Historical Topographic Map Collection when a newer version is published?
Superseded US Topo maps will remain available for download, but will not become part of the Historical Topographic Map Collection, which is scans of USGS topographic quadrangles originally published as paper documents between 1884-2006. The first US Topo maps were published in 2009. They are updated and superseded every 3 years (maps for one third of the country are produced every year). This does...