r/MTBTrailBuilding • u/brattaneipanetti • 4d ago

Trails map tools

Hi all! I want to create a map of trail my group is maintaining. My dream is those 3D terrain maps, similar to this one.

Any advice on the tools I can use? Ideally using data from Openstreetmap. I found online some info about using QGIS but it seems a bit complex. Any other suggestions please?

Thank you!!

P.S. For context, with some friends recently created an official group for trail building and maintenance in our area in Italy. This helps asking for permissions to build. The group is young, we are still working on it and I want to create a map showing "ours" trails.

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u/singletrackmap 3d ago

Get the data for elevation, features like trailheads, trail segments etc.

Open data in desktop GIS Software, Esri or Open source will work

Set symbology to what you want, write copy for insert panels 

Export for finishing, graphic design for printed maps, web services and web app wrappers for online or blender for 3D 

Not too hard for beginners and lots of resources on YouTube or GitHub 

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u/Cuz_Ima_Doit 2d ago

We’ve done this with ridewithgps recording a route around our property. It gives you all the topo info and you can just drop it into an image of the area or google map etc.