About Topographic Map

Topographic Map is an independent, browser-based collection of terrain tools. The goal is simple: make topographic maps and elevation lookups as fast as opening a web page — no installs, no accounts, no paywalls.

What we build

The site centers on two engines that share one map core. The map viewer renders classic topographic cartography with contour lines, plus a color-coded elevation view with hillshade relief. The elevation lookup answers the question "how high is this place?" through whatever input you have: your device location, a place name or street address, or a click on the map.

Data and sources

Map cartography comes from OpenTopoMap built on OpenStreetMap data, place search is powered by the open Nominatim geocoder, and elevation is queried from the open Mapterhorn terrain model (roughly 30 m global sampling, about 10 m across the United States). Using open data keeps every tool free and attributable.

How we treat your data

The tools are deliberately privacy-forward. Location access is requested only after you tap a button, coordinates are used in your current browser session to answer your query, and they are never stored in a database or attached to analytics events. There is no account system on the public pages and no location history.

Scope and limitations

Elevation values describe terrain height referenced to mean sea level. They are great for planning, studying and comparing terrain, but they are not a substitute for professional surveying, and an elevation map is not a flood-risk map. Where precision matters — legal, engineering or safety decisions — verify with official sources.