Maps -2

The folks in the Northeast won’t want to hear about this, but we’ve actually had a couple pseudo-spring days here. I’ve had a minor surgical procedure, and as soon as a few days are allowed for healing, I’m goin’ paddling, baby!

Another great source that I find most universally adaptable is the DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer. They may be found at:http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10096&minisite=10020

Or by calling (800)561-5105. The reference I’ve given here is for their directory for atlases and gazetteers by state, but if you search their site, you‘ll find a whole array of products including electronic maps, GPS and tracking devices. For the atlases, they use a varying scale to suit the individual state, like 1:182,000, or 1”=2.9 miles over 29 pages for the State of Alabama, to 1:400,000, or 1“= 6.3 miles over an atlas of 126 pages for the State of Texas. You can find them almost everywhere, from many outfitters to even WalMart. The easiest way to obtain them is directly from DeLorme for the trip in advance. Another tip is to sign up for DeLorme’s emails and special offers. They frequently run special deals and 50% off sales. When Jake Stachovak did his circumnavigation of the Eastern United States, a trip of over 5,000 miles, he told me he used the DeLorme Atlases exclusively.

Then there are specialty maps, and there are tons of them. For example, if you are doing Boundary Waters, the area straddling the US/Canadian border between Minnesota and Ontario, there are plenty to choose from, like those printed by McKenzie, Fisher, and Voyaguer. Which do you choose? Well, if you are a more experienced tripper, you can examine the overview maps and pick your own. If this is your first trip, then it’s highly recommended to rely on the recommendations of the outfitters in the area who have first-hand experience with both the area, and the maps designed to cover it. Another option is to obtain a trip planning book, like those by Cliff Jacobson, Dan Pauly, Robert Beymer and others, where they will likely make recommendations, and even compare one map publisher against the others.

Again, the managing agency responsible for a particular area will frequently publish their own maps. Here are some examples.

A. The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail in Florida includes a trip planner and maps that may be downloaded and printed at home.

B. The Mississippi River is managed by the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources above the Iowa border, and the US Corps of Engineers manages two areas, one from Minnesota to Cairo, IL, and the second from Cairo to the Gulf of Mexico.

Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River Chartbooks.

 

Minn. Dept. of NR provides free maps (a set of nine) for the upper river, and even include a trip planning guide that covers everything from places for camping and watering, information on running locks, buoyage, regulations, identifying hazards, referrals to other agencies that have responsibilities on the river, like the National Park Service, Wisconsin Dept. of NR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Coast Guard, and others. They even add information on history, culture, and points of interest. Below the area covered by the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, the Corps of Engineers have two sets of charts. These are still printed in a size to fit in a large map/chart case, but they are massive, weighing five pounds each. Set one takes you from Mile 866 down to 0 on the Upper River, and set two for the Lower River, which starts where the mileage notations start over and takes you from Mile 953 at Cairo to Mile 0 at the Gulf. On the up side, they tell you everything you ever wanted to know about anything. If you don’t want to tote ten pounds of charts, then use the DeLorme Atlases. DeLorme will still give you the location of every ramp, state and national parks, historic sites, attractions, unique natural features, fishing information, the location of every dam and lock, lake, and even private campgrounds. Remember, however, that they are printed by state, so where the river is the border between two states, if you want full disclosure, then you need both atlases for that section of river. It comes down to what you feel safe and comfortable with. While DeLorme will not take you by the hand, like the DNR maps do, you may feel that by the time you get this far down river, you’ve acquired enough river-running knowledge to be more independent.

C. While I’ve mentioned the Northern Forest Canoe Paddling Trail before, I can’t get away without pointing out their trail work again. These folks have it all together. There’s the 302-page planning guide. Then the 740-mile route is broken into 13 sections with maps for the entire route. The maps include information on camping, dining, libraries and internet access, attractions, provisioning spots, outdoor recreation, museums and points of interest, outfitters, shuttle services, lodging, visitor centers, and even recommended spots for the best photography. If you want to break the trip into sections, they have recommended itineraries for that. If you want first hand accounts from paddlers who have done the trip, they have the blogs from trips across the trail for the last seven years.

Another source of maps are the states and National Parks. Many of them print maps which provide both large scale as well as local knowledge on attractions and services that appear along the river as it flows through their areas.

Lastly, there are privately generated maps. A lot of these are fishing-oriented maps. For example, while visiting the area around the North Fork and White Rivers in Arkansas, we found a private map done by Jim Priest, Jr., of Mountain Home, AR, with input from a couple outfitters or guide services, and the Game & Fish Comm. The up side of such maps is they provide more detailed information (campsites, cabins, resorts, bait shops, walk-in access points in addition to ramps, etc.) and may also use some of the local lingo. For example, if you are sitting over your morning coffee in the diner and guys are talking about the fishing in Dew Eddy or Partee Hole, most maps will not steer you to those spots, but the local fishing map will. The down side is that private maps may not be updated as often, so you have to stay alert for sudden changes or discrepancies. Happy paddling!