You love National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographical Maps because they are the ultimate adventure companion for your backpacking trips. These maps aren’t just about navigation—they’re about immersing yourself in the wild, planning epic journeys, and discovering the hidden gems of California’s backcountry. Here’s why they hold such a special place in your heart:

https://www.natgeomaps.com/

Why I Love National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographical Maps

You love National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographical Maps because they are the ultimate adventure companion for your backpacking trips. These maps aren’t just about navigation—they’re about immersing yourself in the wild, planning epic journeys, and discovering the hidden gems of California’s backcountry. Here’s why they hold such a special place in your heart:

Unparalleled Detail and Accuracy

Each map is meticulously researched and field-tested to ensure accurate trails, topography, water sources, campsites, and key landmarks. Unlike standard maps or even some GPS apps, these provide a clear, reliable guide to the terrain you’ll be trekking.

Durability for the Wild

Printed on waterproof, tear-resistant material, these maps can survive rainstorms, river crossings, and weeks stuffed in your backpack. Unlike a phone screen that dies when it gets wet or a GPS that loses signal, these maps never let you down.

Designed for Backpackers and Explorers

National Geographic’s team crafts each map specifically for hikers, backpackers, and outdoor enthusiasts, highlighting trails, elevation changes, and natural features with backpackers in mind. These aren’t just generic topographical charts—they’re optimized for adventure.

They Make You Feel Like an Explorer

Unfolding a map and tracing your route through the Sierra Nevada, following a canyon in Death Valley, or navigating the redwood forests gives you a tangible sense of discovery. There's something powerful about reading the land on paper, making you feel like a true explorer, rather than just another hiker staring at a screen.

They Encourage Responsible Adventure

With details on wilderness boundaries, Leave No Trace principles, and public lands access, these maps help protect the places you love while ensuring you stay on legal, sustainable trails.

No Batteries Required

Phones die. GPS devices fail. But these maps? They work every time. Whether you’re deep in Yosemite’s backcountry, hiking the Lost Coast, or wandering the desert landscapes of Joshua Tree, these maps never lose signal, never glitch, and never run out of battery.

A Connection to the Land

Holding a map in your hands, seeing the contours of the mountains, the shape of the valleys, and the winding rivers makes you feel connected to the landscape in a way that no digital map can replicate. You’re reading the earth, not just a screen.

A Collection of Adventures

Each map in your collection isn’t just a piece of paper—it’s a story. A memory of a trail conquered, a night under the stars, or a place you’ve yet to explore. Over time, they become a living record of your journeys, inspiring future adventures.

For a true backpacker, these maps aren’t just tools—they’re treasures. They represent freedom, adventure, and the thrill of the unknown. That’s why you love them. ❤️🏔️

List of California Maps

205 – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
206 – Yosemite National Park
207 – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks North
208 – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks South
209 – Kings Canyon High Country
210 – Mount Whitney
211 – Mammoth Lakes / Mono Divide
212 – John Muir Trail
213 – Ansel Adams Wilderness
214 – Hoover Wilderness
215 – Carson-Iceberg, Emigrant, and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas
216 – Desolation Wilderness and South Lake Tahoe
217 – Lake Tahoe Basin
218 – Eldorado National Forest
219 – Yosemite SE, Hetch Hetchy, and Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne
220 – Lassen Volcanic National Park
221 – Shasta-Trinity & Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
222 – Redwood National and State Parks
223 – Marble Mountain Wilderness
224 – Trinity Alps Wilderness
225 – Shasta-Trinity National Forest
226 – Big Sur & Ventana Wilderness
227 – Pinnacles National Park
228 – Point Reyes National Seashore & West Marin Parklands
229 – Los Padres National Forest - North Half
230 – Los Padres National Forest - South Half
231 – Angeles National Forest
232 – San Bernardino National Forest
233 – San Jacinto Wilderness
234 – Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
235 – Joshua Tree National Park
236 – Death Valley National Park
237 – Mojave National Preserve
238 – San Gabriel Mountains
239 – San Gorgonio Wilderness
240 – San Bernardino Mountains
241 – Eastern Sierra
242 – Northern Sierra
243 – Western Sierra
244 – Southern Sierra
245 – California Coastal Trail - North
246 – California Coastal Trail - Central
247 – California Coastal Trail - South
248 – Lake Sonoma and Surrounding Parks
249 – Mendocino National Forest
250 – Klamath National Forest
251 – Sierra National Forest
252 – Inyo National Forest
253 – Modoc National Forest
254 – Six Rivers National Forest
255 – Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
256 – Plumas National Forest
257 – Tahoe National Forest
258 – Cleveland National Forest
259 – Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
260 – Carrizo Plain National Monument
261 – Channel Islands National Park
262 – Point Lobos and Monterey Peninsula

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802 – Desolation and Granite Chief Wilderness Areas (CA)
803 – Lake Tahoe Basin (CA/NV)
804 – Tahoe National Forest West: Yuba & American Rivers (CA)
805 – Tahoe National Forest East [Sierra Buttes, Donner Pass]
806 – Crystal Basin, Silver Fork [Eldorado National Forest]
807 – Carson-Iceberg, Emigrant, and Mokelumne Wilderness Areas [Eldorado, Humboldt-Toiyabe, and Stanislaus National Forests]
808 – Merced & Tuolumne Rivers (CA)
809 – Mammoth Lakes & Mono Divide (CA)
810 – Shaver Lake (CA)
811 – Angeles National Forest (CA)
812 – Los Padres National Forest East (CA)
813 – Los Padres National Forest West (CA)
814 – Big Sur & Ventana Wilderness (CA)
815 – Skyline Boulevard (CA)
816 – Big Basin & Santa Cruz Parks (CA)

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1006 – Pacific Crest Trail: Klamath Mountains [Siskiyou Summit to Castle Crags]​
1007 – Pacific Crest Trail: Shasta and Lassen [Castle Crags to Sierra Buttes]​
1008 – Pacific Crest Trail: Sierra Nevada North [Sierra Buttes to Devil's Postpile]​
1009 – Pacific Crest Trail: Sierra Nevada South [Devil's Postpile to Walker Pass]​
1010 – Pacific Crest Trail: Scodie, Piute, and Tehachapi Mountains [Walker Pass to Vasquez Rocks]​
1011 – Pacific Crest Trail: San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains [Vasquez Rocks to San Gorgonio Pass]​
1012 – Pacific Crest Trail: San Jacinto and Laguna Mountains [San Gorgonio Pass to Mexico]​

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1704 – Yosemite National Park Day Hikes Map​
1717 – Joshua Tree National Park Day Hikes Map

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Sierra Mountains in California

The Large Maps coviring the large sections of the Sierra Mountains are: