Looking for the best, and cheapest (free) that I can find. Any help or links to previous conv. about this i'd appreciate.

Thanks

I get them from my site. You can print with the icon in the top right using Chrome (borderless) and Firefox (w/ margins); browser printing is a little more of a hassle than desktop topo software, but it meets your free criteria.

If you don't need to worry about lining up multiple maps, you can download quads from the USGS quads for free.

For viewing maps I use Joey's G4Map at http://www.mappingsupport.com

As for downloading and printing maps I use my map generator: http://www.alpinetopo.com

I just buy a 1:3XXXX or so from a local outdoor store. Generally costs 8 bucks but you dont spend several hours trying to find the best maps online then printed on water resistant paper in crappy ink. Thats my perspective. Although it is clear not all areas are available at stores...

Too bad the map machines at REI went away. They were great and I used them all the time. The maps were on great paper, under 10 bucks and not huge. You could just walk in and get a map of pretty much anything you wanted. I guess leasing the machines was very expensive.

The map machines went away! Awwwww man. At least online you can get good maps though certain services (aside from the free ones)

Free topo maps here:

http://www.digital-topo-maps.com/topo-maps.php

I like the National Geographic maps. They are water proof (sunscreen can smear the ink though), contain info about the park, and are around 10 dollars.

You guys that print off internet, do you find that 8.5 x 11 is good enough, or do you enlarge(zoom in) the map and do multiple prints/cut and paste?

Thanks again,
Derek

I find that printing 7.5 minute USGS topos on 11 x 17 paper works well. My local print shop prints color laser 11 x 17 prints on 30lb paper for about $1.50 each. Cheap enough that you can make a copy for everyone in your party, and they don't smudge when wet. I imagine most print shops have similar prices.

I can't imagine trying to cut and paste multiple maps together.

If you want a large map of an area that you'll be visiting over and over, buy a large commercial map. It's hard to tear, hard to smear, and comes in a size that's uneconomical for single-serving prints. I own more of these than I care to count.

For an individual trip, I print out a small-scale map of the area I'll be visiting and plan on throwing it away when done. 8.5x11 is typically fine for this, at the worst I'll make two prints that cover different sections of a trail, or a zoomed-out print of the approach and a zoomed-in print of a climbing route.

I use ExpertGPS, print one 8.5"x11" overview, then print multiple zoomed pages (also 8.5"x11") for adjoining areas, if I need them.