Having a base layer isn't enough in some parks. You can only draw limited information from the Garmin's built in maps such as distance and landmarks and yet there is Google Earth to help you. Specifically a tool that is underused for most hikers and backpackers. The ability to convert JPG maps such as State Park's into a visible layer over the places you will be hiking. And to grab the last hike you did by connecting your Garmin to the computer and see it in real time.
Before we get into this learn to search the park or trail names with .KML as a tag because on average this takes a half - full hour to import into a Garmin. If you find KML on the Web - you don't need to do all of this.. simply download and store it on the Garmin.
Then search for the park map - lets say "French Creek State Park map" in google.
Click on images or open a pdf and download
once down loaded you may want to edit the image or map with a photo editor right click on the download and open with....
Erase anything you don't want to see on your Garmin.
You add type too...
Save as a JPG to drive in pictures on the main computer with google earth... I keep several of these maps on my smart phone as a separate folder in images.
Open Google Earth - search on "French Creek State Park"
It will zoom to the center of the park.
Back it up a little.
Now, watch this video to see how to understand the tools.
google.com/earth/outreach/tutorials/earthoverlays.html
Now follow and import what you just saw. (Add) (Image Overlay)
It will be crooked! Spend some time moving the tools and diamond tool until the roads line up. You are attaching a flat map to a curved one - it will take practice... also drop the opacity to 50 % while doing this pick roads and lakes around the perimiter after alingning the compass to north.
Move the opacity up 80% and name it and save.
This converts the image to KML and now you right click and save that to the drive inside your pictures.
Right click and save to the Garmin while attached or drag and drop in folders.
Yea
Here is what that looks like in Google Earth click on image and use the magnify tool - use escape to go back
![](http://www.appalachiantrailcafe.net/index.php/Attachment/2486-french-creek-demo-jpg/?thumbnail=1&s=01f0b8ef4fed6fecee4fc87de01c35535023ed6b)
Before we get into this learn to search the park or trail names with .KML as a tag because on average this takes a half - full hour to import into a Garmin. If you find KML on the Web - you don't need to do all of this.. simply download and store it on the Garmin.
Then search for the park map - lets say "French Creek State Park map" in google.
Click on images or open a pdf and download
once down loaded you may want to edit the image or map with a photo editor right click on the download and open with....
Erase anything you don't want to see on your Garmin.
You add type too...
Save as a JPG to drive in pictures on the main computer with google earth... I keep several of these maps on my smart phone as a separate folder in images.
Open Google Earth - search on "French Creek State Park"
It will zoom to the center of the park.
Back it up a little.
Now, watch this video to see how to understand the tools.
google.com/earth/outreach/tutorials/earthoverlays.html
Now follow and import what you just saw. (Add) (Image Overlay)
It will be crooked! Spend some time moving the tools and diamond tool until the roads line up. You are attaching a flat map to a curved one - it will take practice... also drop the opacity to 50 % while doing this pick roads and lakes around the perimiter after alingning the compass to north.
Move the opacity up 80% and name it and save.
This converts the image to KML and now you right click and save that to the drive inside your pictures.
Right click and save to the Garmin while attached or drag and drop in folders.
Yea
Here is what that looks like in Google Earth click on image and use the magnify tool - use escape to go back
Be wise enough to walk away from the nonsense around you! ![:thumbup:](http://www.appalachiantrailcafe.net/wcf/images/smilies/thumbup.png)
![:thumbup:](http://www.appalachiantrailcafe.net/wcf/images/smilies/thumbup.png)
The post was edited 1 time, last by Wise Old Owl ().