Garmin Nz Topo Maps

[Latrina Mosely]

Thereare several ways to load free OSM maps onto your Garmin GPS, but they can be overly technical and cumbersome. In this guide, I'll show you how to do it in a simple, step-by-step process. OSM maps are free and provide an alternative to costly Garmin map chips and downloads.

So let me start by saying there are many ways to get free Garmin GPS maps and many different methods to install them. You could create whole websites devoted to the subject, and people have (see below). This article focuses on installing my favorite free Garmin GPS maps for hiking in the USA, using OpenStreetMaps. If these don't work for you, try exploring the other map services that I have listed below.

OpenStreetMaps are the Wikipedia of maps. The public contributes to, confirms, and edits the data on the map. This curation goes for hiking trails too. The maps are regularly updated, and over the last few years have seemed the most accurate in my experience. You can even become a contributor if you like.

First off, the Garmin unit you have might have maps already. You probably know this, but if you're shopping for a GPS, go to the Garmin website page for the unit. If it maps come with the unit, it will say it has "preloaded topo maps."

If you already have a unit and want to find out if these free maps work, go to the unit's page on the Garmin website, and then check out the "specs" section. There is a line for "ability to add maps," if you have a check there, you're good to go.

The instructions are different for Mac and PC. The map website has a link for installation instructions, click on that. My instructions cover the installation on a Mac, and I have some instructions for Windows further down in this guide.

That's it. The maps are on your computer. If you're not already using the free Garmin Basecamp tool, I highly recommend getting it. It will allow you to browse maps, create tracks, and is invaluable in planning hikes.

Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.

I have the titanium version with North America topo map loaded. I've loaded a couple other maps via Garmin Express. On the watch, they show up in Map Manager as 'queued'. But they never load when I sync the watch and the only option I'm given is to remove them from the 'queue', whatever that is. I've talked to Garmin. They say 'interesting' and promise to look into it, but haven't got back to me. Any suggestions?

To amplify this. The watch must be connected to a power source and WiFi to download maps using Map Manager. The maps will be not be downloaded using Map Manager if the watch is connected to a computer; it has to be an external power source. I'd guess the requirement is likely because the download using MM can take hours.

No success. It does say it is downloading the maps, but it doesn't. And each time I disconnect the watch from the wall, the watch face is blank (dead). It restarted after a few minutes the first two times. This time it's taking longer. ... Finally came back on after fifteen minutes. No new maps. Though Map Manager claims it's actually downloading maps. Back to Garmin, I guess.

You probably already have discovered this, but the 8MB of internal memory is the big limitation of the eTrex 10. The closer you get towards using up the minuscule 8MB of memory, the less space you will have for waypoints, track logs, geocaching GPX files, POI files, etc. Staying at or below 6-7 MB is a safe bet. Just something to be aware of. Another option is loading caches as POI files -- you won't get the paperless detailed logs and hints (caveat: you can use GSAK for cramming some of that into the Notes field), but you will at least have a dot for placement of the cache on the map screen.

One way to find out how much space the maps you want load will take up: Connect an SD card to your computer, open Garmin's free MapInstall utility, and select the tiles you are interested in. The utility will show how many MB it will take at the bottom of the screen.

Personally, I find it ridiculous that Garmin used to include up to 24MB of internal memory for the older black & white screen GPS models, but capped the eTrex 10 at 8MB. An SD card slot would have been an easy remedy. Not everyone needs lots of bells and whistles.

I'm aware that 8 MB is rather limited space, but after seeing that youtube piece, I loaded a 6MB topographic map to my etrex 10, and I was really impressed. The map covered only 24 by 48 km, and of course, I have to load a new map every time I go to a new area, but usually that 1100 square km is quite enough for one trip, and the details on the map were amazing. On my Garmin, I was able to see paths and ditches, which were not visible on 1:25000 topographic paper maps.

What comes to those GPX files, I'm not yet premium member, and therefore, I have no idea what is the content of an official GPX file. However, I downloaded some LOC files, converted them to GPX files, and manually added some extra info, such as nearest parking space, altitude, etc..

My self made GPX files are now clearly visible on the map on my Garmin, and by clicking them, I can see all of the info I entered into the files. The size of my GPX files varies between 1 and 1.3 KB, which is not too bad IMO.

Like I discovered, you can put very small maps into an Etrex 10. About 2 rural counties worth and still have enough room for geocaches. But most online maps are too big of chunks to use for that purpose, I had to go to Garmin MetroGuide v8.0 to make them small enough, that was the last map series designed to be used with the original Etrex Legend (8MB memory).

The Etrex 10 would be a much better unit if they simply put in 128MB of memory, and that cost of adding that would only be pennies per unit at the most. I suspect they don't because it would eat into the sales of the Etrex 20.

As you said, I suspect Garmin's motive for crippling the Etrex 10 with so little memory has little to do with cost and more to do with differentiating it from the more expensive models which they would much prefer to see you buy.

You should check out the osm extracts at as you can define your own size by resizing a rectanlgle or polgon over the area to keep the extract within you limitations. I am unsure if the type of map suits you but there seems to be a variety of choice for a Garmin type extract.

They are not topo maps, and are very primitive "stick figure" road maps, but they are very accurate and include trails. I initially downloaded them for my Garmin fenix watch, but they work well on the etrex 10 and don't use up very much memory. Therefore, you can upload a lot more area onto the GPSr. If you try this, there is one thing to remember. For the detailed maps to show up on the etrex, you must replace the base map (gmapbmap) file with the new detailed map file and change the name to gmapbmap.img. Works great for me!

On Garmins site it lists two different Topo map sets you can buy. The 24K and 100K. Maybe this is a really stupid question but what is the difference between the two? Also can you buy the entire US or do you have to purchase each region separately?

The 24k comes in smaller sets because it has much more detail. It has routable streets and trails, but the latter does not do a lot of good because it has far less coverage of trails and fireroads than the standard garmin topo. Its detail has helped me find the right side of ridges in areas where neither maps show trails, but think about what you will be needing and whether it is compatible with your gpsr.

The 1:24,000 are like the 1:24,000 printed USGS topo maps - although I have heard little, if any, of the trail information is in the Garmin product. The 1:100,000 product is more generalized, like the printed 1:100,000 maps and uses metric contour elevations converted to their foot equivalents. The 100K product has been around for a few years, while the 24K started being released this winter and only covers part of the country so far. The prerecorded micro cards allow them to be used in more than one GPSr, but not with MapSource and would require changing cards if the adjacent State is not on the same card. The DVD/CD version may be locked to one GPSr (100K is not locked, posts on 24K say yes and no), can be used in MapSource to select a smaller area of interest and add other mapsets (Garmin, 3rd party, your own). I do not remember about autorouting.

I just purchased the North Central 24K DVD and loaded Montana maps onto my Oregon 300. I was really surprised with the inclusivemess of forest roads (dirt roads). It's a giant leap in road detail even over the custom maps available for free. Garmin seems to have scoured the internet looking for government published off-road and trail data, verified it, and included them in this excellent mapset.

For instance; there is a Helena city trails shapefile available online from the local government website. It is the only place that dataset is available and Garmin included it in the 24K mapset. I'm really amazed.

Earlier topo mapsets from Garmin left alot to be desired. In my opinion they hit a homerun with this new 24K product. Forget the 400T/550T versions of Oregon/Colorado handhelds. Get the units without paying extra for Topo2008 and get this mapset for your area instead. Not only do you get maps that you can peruse on your PC, you'll also get alot more data with much better accuracy.

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