Government Topo Maps

The Government of Canada has posted downloadable versions of all the topographical maps of the country.  The maps are available in either 1:50,000 or 1:250,000 scales, and as pdfs or tiffs.

Each map is identified by a block number, then a lettered section, then a map number within that section, and finally a name - usually a prominent feature near the middle of the map.  So 82 J/7 Mount Head covers Fording River Pass, while 82 G/15 Tornado Mountain covers the North Fork Pass area. 

To determine what map number you need for a given section of trail, go to this link and download the file 'map_index4_praries.pdf'. You will get a much larger version of the snippet below.

 

Specifying Topo Maps

 Example of a topo map index

Use the file to determine the relevant map number, then go to this directory and select the map scale and file format you prefer.  From the subdirectory, choose the block number, then select the individual map from the list. 

The 1:50,000 map files are very large, typically over 20MB each.  You should also review the government's copyright licence for this material.