AT Maps

[goody5534]

Where to buy and who has the best?

[Dodds1990]

I like the ATC maps. You can order them from their website. They are around $230 for the entire set of AT maps, a bit pricey but worth it.

[tdoczi]

if youre really looking for the best maps at all costs (and i dont just mean monetarily) the nynjtc maps they produce for specific areas that they AT happens to run through (like harriman state park) are way cooler than the AT specific maps.

i've often wondered if there are other such areas with maps like that. well, the white mountains for sure, but thats the only other ive encountered. i guess i mean other such smaller out of the way areas with maps like that.

[Creek Dancer]

What I liked about the ATC maps is that they have a profile of the trail. Not all maps have these. I have some National Geographic maps that do not. I like to be able to look at the profile and figure out how many more climbs I have for the day so that I can determine how much water to carry, etc.

[moldy]

The Trail Maps that the trail clubs hawk through the ATC are quite a mess. The 2 biggest shortfalls are that many need yearly updating and the maps lack consistancy from one map to the next. I'm waiting for some ambitious map maker out there to make a single map of the AT that uses consistant scales, symbols, format for the entire trail. He or she will have to make it from scratch to avoid copywrite infringment. It would be best if it were also available in digital form so it could be downloaded to a hand held device or printed on paper. It should have a trail profile portion that gets as much updating attention as the rest of the map. This map could be made with the aid of a GPS connected to a computer that could be carried the entire length of the AT and make record of all the data that a hiker would need. One would think the ATC would be behind such a project. But, they would anger the trail clubs who make huge amounts of money selling the current maps that everyone uses.

[Odd Man Out]

Can't you just download the topo maps from USGS and get all the landmarks from the guidebooks and the trace of the trail from people who have already traced it with GPS and posted Google Map overlays?