This web page has links to topographic map examples which illustrate symbols commonly used on maps for cultural and natural features.
Use one of the following links to quickly reach a topic:
Boundaries
Buildings and Related Features
Caves, Mines
Coastal Features
Contour Lines, Elevations
Dams, Reservoirs, Channelization
Map Colors
Map Names
Modifications for Navigation
Railroads
Rivers and Related Features
Roads, Trails
Submerged Areas, Bogs
Surficial Material
Transmission Lines and Pipelines
Vegetation Types
Boundaries
City Boundary
County Boundary
National Boundary
Park or Reservation Boundary
State Boundary
Township Boundary
Buildings and Related Features
Airport
Barn, Warehouses
Campground
Cemetery
(Example 1)
Cemetery
(Example 2)
Church, Places of Worship
Cliff Dwellings
Dwellings, Places of Employment
Gaging Station
Historic Marker
Landing Field
Picnic Area
Racetrack
Schools
Tank
Water Tank
Well
Windmill
(Example 1)
Windmill
(Example 2)
Caves, Mines
Cave
(Example 1)
Cave
(Example 2)
Mine Dump
Mine Shaft
(Example 1)
Mine Shafts
(Example 2)
Mine Tailings
Mine Tunnels
Prospects
Quarry or Open Pit Mine
(Example 1)
Quarry or Open Pit Mine
(Example 2)
Coastal Features
Breakwater
Pier
Rock, Awash
Rock, Bare
Rock or Coral Reef
Seawall
Ship Wreck
Contour Lines, Elevations
Bathymetric Contour Lines
(Example 1)
Bathymetric Contour Lines
(Example 2)
Below Sea Level Contour Lines
Bench Marks
Closely-spaced Contour Lines
Cut and Fill Contour Lines
Depression Contour Lines
(Example 1)
Depression Contour Lines
(Example 2)
Index Contour Lines
(Example 1)
Index Contour Lines
(Example 2)
Intermediate Contour Lines
"Jagged" Contour Lines
Supplementary Contour Lines
Spot Elevations
Widely-spaced Contour Lines
Dams, Reservoirs, Channelization
Dam
(Example 1)
Dam
(Example 2)
Dam
(Example 3)
Dam
(Example 4)
Reservoir
(Example 1)
Reservoir
(Example 2)
Reservoir
(Example 3)
Map Colors
Ice
Photorevision
(Example 1)
Photorevision
(Example 2)
Urban Area
Vegetation
Water
(Example 1)
Water
(Example 2)
Map Names
Places named for an animal
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Places named for another place
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Places named for a distinctive characteristic
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
Places named for a landform or geologic feature
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
Places named for a natural resource
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
Example 6
Places named for a person
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Places named for a plant
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
Places with a humerous or otherwise unusual name
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Places with a name from a non-English language
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
Modifications for Navigation
Airway Beacons
Lighthouse
Lock and Dam
Warning Lights
Railroads
Railroad
(Example 1)
Railroad
(Example 2)
Railroad
(Example 3)
Rivers and Related Features
Aquaduct with Tunnel
Channel
Dams with Reservoirs
Intermittent Lakes
Intermittent Streams
Perennial Streams
Rapids
Springs
Wash
Wells
Roads, Trails
Bridge
Divided Highway
Ferries
Light Duty Road
Overpasses and Underpasses
Primary Highway
Road Under Construction
Secondary Highway
Trail
Tunnel
(Example 1)
Tunnel
(Example 2)
Unimproved Road
Submerged Areas, Bogs
Area Subject to Controlled Inundation (flooding)
(Example 1)
Area Subject to Controlled Inundation (flooding)
(Example 2)
Marsh or Swamp
Marsh or Swamp, submerged
Marsh or Swamp, wooded
Surficial Material
Gravel
Intricate Surface
Levee
(Example 1)
Levees
(Example 2)
Sand
(Example 1)
Sand
(Example 2)
Tailings Pond
Transmission Lines and Pipelines
Pipe Line
Power Transmission Line
Telephone Line
Transmission Line
Vegetation Types
Orchard
Scrub
Vineyard
Woods
(Example 1)
Woods
(Example 2)
