[zazen]

All,
I am a map nerd and getting into a new project. I am trying amass trail data for NC. I work on GIS stuff for my day job, but would like to create a general database of NC mtb trails and make some maps from them. Any digital data would help; GPS files from actual rides, detailed trail maps, or any other digital maps. I have acquired plenty of base data for the maps. I would love to get data from Pisgah, Dupont, and Wilkesboro trails. Any assistance would be great. Contact me with any questions at [email protected]
Thanks in advance
Matt

PS-I am not planning on selling any of the maps so all of this is for non-commercial purposes. Like I said, I am a total map nerd. I do hope to make them available to all when completed. I will post up as I make more progress.

 

[Mike Brown]

I have a "patch" for the Garmin Topo US map that moves that state of NC from the base contour interval to 10/5 foot contour intervals and adds lot of other details. These details includes most of the trail in Pisgah district- they're not always named, but they line up on the regular Trails Illustrated map. I recommend it- the patch is really easy to fine online, it's on gpsfiledepot.

 

[mike_sc]

PS-I am not planning on selling any of the maps so all of this is for non-commercial purposes. Like I said, I am a total map nerd. I do hope to make them available to all when completed. I will post up as I make more progress.

If it's non-commercial, consider using OpenStreetMap tools to create the trails with, especially if you are starting with GPS tracks, since you cannot copy commercial map data. For example: Paris Mountain http://hikebikemap.de/?zoom=14&lat=34.94141&lon=-82.38973&layers=B0000TFFFF

The automatically generated map is not always as pretty as a commercial National Geographic map, but you can encode trail blaze colors into the trail data, and in the future, they may look better. For example OpenStreetMap is more popular in the European mountain biking and hiking community:

http://www.wanderreitkarte.de/index.php?lon=7.6821&lat=46.6111&zoom=13
[ German only, does not include the US ]

It allows route planning and downloading route and map infomation to Garmins.

One of the Southeast SORBAs, I think ?Chattanooga SORBA? is planning to use OpenstreetMap for a community base of their regional trail maps. This sort of resource would make it easier to identify and find trailheads.

 

[M-U-M]

I can think of a few lurkers who have done something similar to what you are talking about. I know someone who actually documented a trail in 30 yard increments. Uber-nerd... TMI

Map Nerds Unite! I love maps.

:thumbsup:

 

[Cedar Branch Biker]

LOVE MAPS! if I can't go there in person, I can go there on a map. Google Earth is great, also!

 

[thumpduster]

If you're looking for shapefiles then check out the USFS geodata clearinghouse. Not the most accurate under about 24k, but good enough for most purposes. They have vector data for property boundaries, system roads, trails, etc. as well as national atlas roadway/transportation data. The raster server has primary and secondary series base maps as well as the usual USGS 7.5 min quads.

http://fsgeodata.fs.fed.us/index.html

Also check out the USGS Seamless Server. Tons of good stuff there, lots of orthoimagery. This is one of my main source for DEM data, they even have some of the newer 1/9th arc-sec DEMs. If you have access to the spatial analyst extension you can create your topos and hillshades from these.

http://seamless.usgs.gov/

 

[swoodbrn]

I would have suggested you go to MotionBased.com, where you can download other people's gps tracks, but it's changed to Garmin Connect and I don't find that functionality anywhere. Pity - I've used lots of those files for wayfinding, map creation, etc..

 

[swoodbrn]

Actually, it does work. Go to Garmin Connect, register, login, go to Activities, then you can find lots of gps tracks in any area you want. Download, import to your favorite mapping app, create maps, etc.