contour lines show elevation on topographic maps

Saddle: A saddle is a low point between two areas of higher ground. The closed end of the contour line (U or V) always points upstream or toward high ground. Valleys are illustrated by contour lines forming U-shaped or V-shaped patterns. Valley: A valley is a stretched-out groove in the land, usually formed by a water feature, that has high ground on three sides. The inside of the smallest closed circle is the hilltop. Peaks are illustrated by contour lines forming concentric circles. From the top, the ground slopes down in all directions. Peak: A peak, or hill is an area of high ground. Learning to identify the distinct features of common contour line patterns will help you read topo maps quickly, and recognize the various terrain features they represent on in the real world. There you go! A basic way of understanding contour lines!Ĭontour lines also indicate the shape of the terrain. Major terrain features that you’ll find include Peaks, saddles, valleys, and depressions, and they each have characteristic contour lines that make it easy to pick them out in the landscape. Where contour lines are far apart the elevation is changing slowly, indicating a gentle slope.

Where they’re close together elevation is changing rapidly in a short distance, therefore the terrain is steep. Simply put contour lines indicate the steepness of terrain. You might be hanging from a cliff by your fingertips but you would never go up or down. If you were to trace the length of a contour line, each point would be the same height above sea level. If you were to walk the path of a contour line in real life, you would remain at the same elevation for the whole hike.

What these unassuming lines do is plot the points of equal elevation on a map. The feature that makes this possible is contour lines: They give you the power to visualize three-dimensional terrain from a flat piece of paper. Topographic trail maps are useful for trip planning AND for navigation in the field. Have you ever looked closely at the squiggly lines scattered over your topo maps? Besides the obvious trails and rivers, the brown squiggly lines are contour lines. These fascinating lines represent the three-dimensional landscape of Earth within the two-dimensional space of a map. We just have to open our eyes to see that story. Your map can tell a richly detailed story about the area you’ll be exploring. Understanding contour lines and learning to interpret that paper topo map (short for topographic map) is every bit as essential. You probably already know that a compass and a paper map are part of the Ten Essentials.

Contour lines show elevation on topographic maps