How to Use a Map
Learn the basic differences between maps., Use the legend to orient the map correctly., Learn the scale of the map., Use the key to identify other important information., Identify key features both on the map and in front of you., Learn to use a...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Learn the basic differences between maps.
The varieties of maps are as diverse as the locations they feature.
From specific park maps to complicated topographical feature maps, you can learn the distinctions and specifics of any variety of map you may come across, so you can understand to use them properly.
Topographical maps are used to display the specific features of terrain, displaying precise elevation and geographical features to scale, as well as longitude and latitude markers.
These are the most accurate types of maps, used by backcountry hikers, survivalists, and the military.
These will mostly require the use of the compass to use in navigation.Road maps or atlases are detailed maps used to display highways, state roads, and other roads in a given area.
Road maps are available for individual towns, or at larger scale for cross-country travel.
Road trips are often made lots easier with a road map.
Two-dimensional area and specific purpose maps are used at things like theme parks, trail guides, tours, and other types of events where the exact distance is not as important to understand.
A sketched out map to a fishing spot would be an example of this kind of map.
While these maps can be quite accurate, they're generally not drawn to scale. -
Step 2: Use the legend to orient the map correctly.
In one corner of the map, north and south should be clearly labeled, so you have some basic sense of direction in relation to the map, and you'll be able to orient the map properly.
It's hard to know whether you need to make a right or left turn on a road map, for example, if you're reading it incorrectly. , On detailed maps like road maps and topographical maps, the scale is indicated somewhere in the map key, so you can understand how the distance between points is represented on the map.
For instance, 1 inch (2.54 cm) may equal a mile (1.6 km), or some other unit of distance.
To understand how far apart two points are, you can measure on the map and then do the calculation to have a sense of how far it is and how long it'll take you to get there., The meanings of color shading, symbols, and other types of images will be included on some maps, and should be identified in a corresponding answer key that matches the marking to the meaning.
If, for instance a map is made up of some areas shaded red with a symbol of a wave in it, you might need to check the key to discover that it's the location of an area of beach with high-tide warnings.
Each map will use different symbols in different ways, so it's important to always defer to a key.
For example, on many trail maps, a dotted line means a trail is unpaved, while a dotted line on other types of maps might indicate a country border, or some other kind of marker.
Always consult the key to interpret different symbols. , For most maps that you'll use, you only need to do a few things to travel.
Locate your position on the map currently by identifying landmarks that you can see and landmarks on the map, and then anticipating your next movements based on those indicators.
Using a map involves keeping your head up and looking around just as much as it does reading the lines on the page.
For example, if you can see on a sign that you're 20 miles from Westville, locate Westville on your map and you'll have a rough idea of where you are.
If you don't know what direction you're traveling, look at the cities on either side of Westville and pay attention to which one you pass first, so you'll know which direction you're coming from.
If you're using a trail guide or a hiking map, use intersections to get a sense of where you are.
If you come to a trailhead of "West Loop Trail" and "Smith Trail," find that intersection point on the map and then you'll know where you are.
Orient yourself to the map by looking at the direction each trail heads out from your position and choosing your route according to where you want to go.
You can also use a map to plot your route ahead of time and, if your plan is detailed enough, you can keep the map in the glove box.
If you need to drive to the airport, you can plot your route and write it out, turn by turn, and keep it on the steering wheel for quick access., More complicated maps generally require the use of a compass to orient yourself properly and understand how to position yourself in relation to the coordinates you find.
If you're lost, or you're trying to find your way from one point on a map to another, you need to either find a landmark physically and orient yourself accordingly, use a compass, or use a GPS.
If you've got a GPS, you can also use topographical maps to plot a general route based on your precise coordinates.
Use the longitude and latitude markers on the map to try to figure out where you are, read the terrain, and then plot a course to get where you're going.
Even if you have a GPS, it's still much easier to use a compass to quickly and effective gauge where you are in relation to the direction you're traveling.
You can easily stay on course by using a compass. , If you know where you are and need to find out how to get where you want to go, lay your map out flat and place your compass on it, so the orienting arrow of the compass points to true north.
Slide your compass so the edge of the edge passes through your current position, with the orienting arrow pointing due north.
Draw a line along the compass edge, through your current position.
If you maintain this bearing, your path from your current position will be along the line you just drew on your map. , If you're not sure which direction to travel and need to find out, start with the map flat and your compass on it.
Draw a line between your current position and where you'd like to go, then rotate the degree dial so the orienting arrow points north.
This should align the compass orienting lines with the map's north-south markers.
To travel, hold the compass before you horizontally with the direction of travel arrow pointing away from you.
You'll use this arrow to guide your travel.
Turn your body so the north end of the magnetic needle is aligned with the orienting needle, and you'll be pointed in the right direction. , If you don't know where you are and you're not sure where you need to go to get where you're going, you can figure the general area that you're in by learning to triangulate positioning.
This is one of the most essential map skills in survival training.
To triangulate your position, start by finding three landmarks on the map that you can see physically.
Aim your direction of travel arrow at one of the landmarks, then orient the compass and the map according to the readings.
Take your coordinates to transpose them onto your map, drawing three lines along the flat of the compass plate.
This should create a triangle, in which should be your current position.
It won't be perfect, but you'll be in the ballpark. , Many types of navigation maps exist, including hiking, biking and nature trail maps, highway maps, and lake and nautical maps.
The most classic and old-fashioned way to plan a road trip or some other excursion is to map it out on a road map.
Preview a day's hike or bike ride through a nature park by examining a map.
You may be able to find out how difficult the trail is, the distance you'll be traveling and other sites of interest along the trail.Plan a trip by viewing highway maps.
Major highways and county roads are often listed on maps and provide you with many options when traveling. , Maps can be used to provide key information about a detour or road construction.
Departments of transportation use maps with detailed information about construction, detours or road closures so that travelers can be informed about the latest road conditions. , Maps are often used in zoning and in construction to determine how far things are from one another, and how far apart they should be.
Planning and zoning committees regularly use maps to divide districts or plan infrastructure work, and for demonstrating ownership.
Deeds and contracts include maps with legal descriptions.
Some maps are used to predict crime activity.
Criminal forensics teams use maps to pinpoint crime locations and predict future behavior of suspected criminals.
Indicate political information with maps.
Voters are often directed to their appropriate polling locations via precinct maps.
Politicians represent constituents based on geographical location, easily represented by maps.
Demonstrate locations of potential projects for the community, such as new parks, parking lots or community centers. , Meteorologists create maps to demonstrate incoming storms, cold and warm fronts, and temperature changes.
Viewers can identify predictions for their areas by looking at the map. -
Step 3: Learn the scale of the map.
-
Step 4: Use the key to identify other important information.
-
Step 5: Identify key features both on the map and in front of you.
-
Step 6: Learn to use a compass with topographical maps.
-
Step 7: Transpose your direction of travel onto the map.
-
Step 8: Learn to take bearings.
-
Step 9: Learn to triangulate your position
-
Step 10: when lost.
-
Step 11: Plan a trip with a road map.
-
Step 12: Use an area map to coordinate with others.
-
Step 13: Investigate spatial relationships with area maps.
-
Step 14: Consult a meteorological map to examine weather forecasts.
Detailed Guide
The varieties of maps are as diverse as the locations they feature.
From specific park maps to complicated topographical feature maps, you can learn the distinctions and specifics of any variety of map you may come across, so you can understand to use them properly.
Topographical maps are used to display the specific features of terrain, displaying precise elevation and geographical features to scale, as well as longitude and latitude markers.
These are the most accurate types of maps, used by backcountry hikers, survivalists, and the military.
These will mostly require the use of the compass to use in navigation.Road maps or atlases are detailed maps used to display highways, state roads, and other roads in a given area.
Road maps are available for individual towns, or at larger scale for cross-country travel.
Road trips are often made lots easier with a road map.
Two-dimensional area and specific purpose maps are used at things like theme parks, trail guides, tours, and other types of events where the exact distance is not as important to understand.
A sketched out map to a fishing spot would be an example of this kind of map.
While these maps can be quite accurate, they're generally not drawn to scale.
In one corner of the map, north and south should be clearly labeled, so you have some basic sense of direction in relation to the map, and you'll be able to orient the map properly.
It's hard to know whether you need to make a right or left turn on a road map, for example, if you're reading it incorrectly. , On detailed maps like road maps and topographical maps, the scale is indicated somewhere in the map key, so you can understand how the distance between points is represented on the map.
For instance, 1 inch (2.54 cm) may equal a mile (1.6 km), or some other unit of distance.
To understand how far apart two points are, you can measure on the map and then do the calculation to have a sense of how far it is and how long it'll take you to get there., The meanings of color shading, symbols, and other types of images will be included on some maps, and should be identified in a corresponding answer key that matches the marking to the meaning.
If, for instance a map is made up of some areas shaded red with a symbol of a wave in it, you might need to check the key to discover that it's the location of an area of beach with high-tide warnings.
Each map will use different symbols in different ways, so it's important to always defer to a key.
For example, on many trail maps, a dotted line means a trail is unpaved, while a dotted line on other types of maps might indicate a country border, or some other kind of marker.
Always consult the key to interpret different symbols. , For most maps that you'll use, you only need to do a few things to travel.
Locate your position on the map currently by identifying landmarks that you can see and landmarks on the map, and then anticipating your next movements based on those indicators.
Using a map involves keeping your head up and looking around just as much as it does reading the lines on the page.
For example, if you can see on a sign that you're 20 miles from Westville, locate Westville on your map and you'll have a rough idea of where you are.
If you don't know what direction you're traveling, look at the cities on either side of Westville and pay attention to which one you pass first, so you'll know which direction you're coming from.
If you're using a trail guide or a hiking map, use intersections to get a sense of where you are.
If you come to a trailhead of "West Loop Trail" and "Smith Trail," find that intersection point on the map and then you'll know where you are.
Orient yourself to the map by looking at the direction each trail heads out from your position and choosing your route according to where you want to go.
You can also use a map to plot your route ahead of time and, if your plan is detailed enough, you can keep the map in the glove box.
If you need to drive to the airport, you can plot your route and write it out, turn by turn, and keep it on the steering wheel for quick access., More complicated maps generally require the use of a compass to orient yourself properly and understand how to position yourself in relation to the coordinates you find.
If you're lost, or you're trying to find your way from one point on a map to another, you need to either find a landmark physically and orient yourself accordingly, use a compass, or use a GPS.
If you've got a GPS, you can also use topographical maps to plot a general route based on your precise coordinates.
Use the longitude and latitude markers on the map to try to figure out where you are, read the terrain, and then plot a course to get where you're going.
Even if you have a GPS, it's still much easier to use a compass to quickly and effective gauge where you are in relation to the direction you're traveling.
You can easily stay on course by using a compass. , If you know where you are and need to find out how to get where you want to go, lay your map out flat and place your compass on it, so the orienting arrow of the compass points to true north.
Slide your compass so the edge of the edge passes through your current position, with the orienting arrow pointing due north.
Draw a line along the compass edge, through your current position.
If you maintain this bearing, your path from your current position will be along the line you just drew on your map. , If you're not sure which direction to travel and need to find out, start with the map flat and your compass on it.
Draw a line between your current position and where you'd like to go, then rotate the degree dial so the orienting arrow points north.
This should align the compass orienting lines with the map's north-south markers.
To travel, hold the compass before you horizontally with the direction of travel arrow pointing away from you.
You'll use this arrow to guide your travel.
Turn your body so the north end of the magnetic needle is aligned with the orienting needle, and you'll be pointed in the right direction. , If you don't know where you are and you're not sure where you need to go to get where you're going, you can figure the general area that you're in by learning to triangulate positioning.
This is one of the most essential map skills in survival training.
To triangulate your position, start by finding three landmarks on the map that you can see physically.
Aim your direction of travel arrow at one of the landmarks, then orient the compass and the map according to the readings.
Take your coordinates to transpose them onto your map, drawing three lines along the flat of the compass plate.
This should create a triangle, in which should be your current position.
It won't be perfect, but you'll be in the ballpark. , Many types of navigation maps exist, including hiking, biking and nature trail maps, highway maps, and lake and nautical maps.
The most classic and old-fashioned way to plan a road trip or some other excursion is to map it out on a road map.
Preview a day's hike or bike ride through a nature park by examining a map.
You may be able to find out how difficult the trail is, the distance you'll be traveling and other sites of interest along the trail.Plan a trip by viewing highway maps.
Major highways and county roads are often listed on maps and provide you with many options when traveling. , Maps can be used to provide key information about a detour or road construction.
Departments of transportation use maps with detailed information about construction, detours or road closures so that travelers can be informed about the latest road conditions. , Maps are often used in zoning and in construction to determine how far things are from one another, and how far apart they should be.
Planning and zoning committees regularly use maps to divide districts or plan infrastructure work, and for demonstrating ownership.
Deeds and contracts include maps with legal descriptions.
Some maps are used to predict crime activity.
Criminal forensics teams use maps to pinpoint crime locations and predict future behavior of suspected criminals.
Indicate political information with maps.
Voters are often directed to their appropriate polling locations via precinct maps.
Politicians represent constituents based on geographical location, easily represented by maps.
Demonstrate locations of potential projects for the community, such as new parks, parking lots or community centers. , Meteorologists create maps to demonstrate incoming storms, cold and warm fronts, and temperature changes.
Viewers can identify predictions for their areas by looking at the map.
About the Author
Kyle Torres
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow pet care tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: