How to Find the Highest Elevation on a Topographic Map
- 1). Check the map's key and scale. Some maps list the elevation of the highest point on the map, and some will even provide coordinates to show where it can be found. If not, you will have to look around the map yourself.
- 2). Look for peaks on the map. Contour lines never cross, meaning they are concentric, with the smallest, innermost contours indicating peaks. If a contour has no other contours inside of it, then it is a peak, and everything directly adjacent is at a lower elevation.
- 3). Note the elevations written alongside the peaks. Topographic maps will have a special notation for the most notable high points in an area, but they often give the exact elevation of many peaks, not just the highest. There is no clear way to find the highest point other than finding all the peaks and seeing which has the highest labeled elevation.
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