Source of USGS Quads via Google Earth

[BleuGhill]

From time to time folks on here request a source of USGS topographic maps of their area of interest. Here's a site that I found - but have not tested - that appears to allow you to download quads after they are selected in Google Earth. Remember though, that many states already have free downloadable DRG's(topographic maps) and in many cases, aerial photography as well.

http://www.usgsquads.com/mapfinder.html

Quote from:

http://freegeographytools.com/2007/i...n-google-earth
>
Here’s a useful tool for identifying which USGS 24K topo quad covers a specific area in the US in Google Earth; it even gives you a handy link to download a GeoTiff of the map from the Internet Archive.

DDS Mapfinder is a KMZ file that opens up in the places pane in Google Earth. Read the warnings and instructions first before using it - if you try and open topo grids for all the states, you may crash Google Earth. Check on an index for a particular alphabetical group of states, and rectangular grids will open on top of those states:

Each grid square corresponds to a single 24K topo quad; click on the “i” in the center of a square, and an info window pops up:

Click on the “Download this map” link, and you’ll download the full GeoTIFF image file for that topo quad (UTM, NAD27).

[klight1122]

Thanks for the post!

[thehines]

Going to try it out tonight

[BleuGhill]

Klight122 & thehines:

Since you folks are in KY (and so am I) - and if you want really nice KY imagery - you should click the link below for a preview of what's available for KY. With this site, the closer you zoom in, the basemaps will change from an overall 'flat' map to 3D topos using KRG's...to finally 1 meter aerial color photography.

http://kygeonet.ky.gov/tcm/viewer.htm

Now to actually download the KRG's (topos) cllick here:

http://kymartian.ky.gov/krgmaps/

or here for the aerial photos (2 Meter FSA NAIP Digital Ortho Photo Imagery for Kentucky):

ftp://ftp.kymartian.ky.gov/fsa/

Here is the starting point for all Kentucky data:

http://kygeonet.ky.gov/

Other states have similar data and delivery sites; Alabama, for example, has excellent aerial photography available via the web.

Edit: (1) These datasets are large, (2) All are in KY State Plane Singlezone projection, & (3) there are FREE viewers available to view & print these data. Check www.esri.com downloads section for a data viewer.

[joejv4]

Great post - thanks for the tip! I'm downloading now and plan to take it for a spin.