Topographic maps became a signature product of the USGS because the public found them - then and now - to be a critical and versatile tool for viewing the nation's vast landscape.
Get Topo Maps
Current US Topos and historical topographic maps are available as digital files or printed to order.
Create an OnDemand Topo
Build a USGS-style topographic map with choice of format, area of interest, and National Map content.
The National Map
The National Geospatial Program publishes a variety of geospatial data products and services via The National Map.
A Brief Overview of USGS Topographic Maps
USGS topographic maps fall into three primary product categories:
1. The Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC) is the set of scanned images of USGS topographic quadrangle maps originally published as paper documents in the period 1884-2006. Visit Historical Topographic Maps - Preserving the Past for more information.
2. US Topo is the current USGS topographic map series for the Nation. These are modeled on the legacy 7.5-minute maps, but are mass-produced from GIS databases of The National Map and published as digital documents. Please visit US Topo: Maps for America for full details.
3. OnDemand Topos are USGS-style topographic maps created using the topoBuilder application. These maps are generated upon request using the best available data from The National Map and offer customizations such as area of interest and level of contour smoothness. Learn more at the topoBuilder landing page.
Explore All Options for Downloading or Ordering USGS Topographic Maps
Topographic Map FAQs
Additional Resources
topoBuilder
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.
US Topo: Maps for America
Building on the success of more than 130 years of USGS topographic mapping, the US Topo series is the current generation of maps of the American landscape.
Historical Topographic Maps - Preserving the Past
The goal of The National Map’s Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC) is to provide a digital repository of USGS 1:250,000 scale and larger maps printed between 1884 and 2006.
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 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...
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 do USGS OnDemand Topo maps differ from US Topo maps?
USGS OnDemand Topo maps and USGS US Topo maps are built using similar datasets but can look different depending on what areas or options the user selects. OnDemand Topos--created using the topoBuilder application--offer customization such as custom extents, contour smoothing, user-selected data layers, and include U.S. Territory coverage that are not available on US Topo maps. Both map types are...
Related Content
- Publications
- Web Tools
- 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 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...
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 do USGS OnDemand Topo maps differ from US Topo maps?
USGS OnDemand Topo maps and USGS US Topo maps are built using similar datasets but can look different depending on what areas or options the user selects. OnDemand Topos--created using the topoBuilder application--offer customization such as custom extents, contour smoothing, user-selected data layers, and include U.S. Territory coverage that are not available on US Topo maps. Both map types are...