Creating a trail network map with GPS

[MichauxYeti]

My bike club is investigating what would be needed to map out our local trail network. Several of us have Garmin Edge 305 or 705 units. What I'd like to do is upload multiple tracks, mark different sections as named trails, and then be able to print off a color topo map that can be distributed from trail heads. I've seen some maps that I think were generated by Topo! but at a zoom level to show the entire area the lines that mark the trails would be 1/4 mile wide.

Anyone know of any software packages that meet this description?

Bonus points if it is Mac compatible.

Thanks.

[8dot3]

Have you tried using Google Earth? Your GPS software should allow you to split up your tracks as separate files that you could then import into Google Earth. A bit of a hack but in the end you could distribute it as not only a printable map but a Google Earth file.

[slocaus]

I just replied to this about TopoFusion in another thread here. Also search this forum for posts from user formica; the club she is with in Spokane did this maybe a year or so back.

[MichauxYeti]

Awesome! Thanks for the tip!

[MaxAug]

Maybe this can be interesting, is a very little and simple tutorial for Google Earth:

http://www.turbolince.com/en/downloa...navigator.html

Bye!

[fishbum]

Here are our maps: http://bradburymountain.com/page.cfm?pageID=53

Sorry, no Mac support with the DeLorme software...

[gps_dr]

With the DeLorme software, you can also provide an overlay map of the trails for use on DeLorme PN20/40 units.
My 1300+ mile network of trails fits easily under 1MB.
(PN40 has 500MB or 7.5GB (SE model) internal memory in addition to SD card storage of up to 32GB.)

When I plan a ride over existing trails, I use a dotted line for my route that scales nicely as you zoom in/out and clearly shows the underlying trails & map data.

The .kmz Google Earth file of the network is < .5MB

You could also load .gpx data into National Geographic TOPO! and use their maps as well.

There are some legal concerns that should be checked if distributing maps for commercial purposes.