Map Symbols
Since a map is a reduced representation of the real world, map symbols are used to represent real objects. Without symbols, we wouldn't have maps.
Both shapes and colors can be used for symbols on maps. A small circle may mean a point of interest, with a brown circle meaning recreation, red circle meaning services, and green circle meaning rest stop. Colors may cover larger areas of a map, such as green representing forested land and blue representing waterways.
To ensure that a person can correctly read a map, a Map Legend is a key to all the symbols used on a map. It is like a dictionary so you can understand the meaning of what the map represents.
Here are some common symbols:
(land elevation) | |
| Index number written on line |
 |
| Intermediate between Index lines |
 |
| Supplementary added to flat areas to show measurements |
 |
| Depression such as volcano top or crater (little dashes are called hachures) |
 |
| Cut; Fill roadway leveling terrain |
 |
VEGETATION | |
| Woodland trees at least 6feet tall |
 |
| Scrub low brush |
 |
| Orchard planted vegetation |
 |
| Vineyard cultivated vines |
 |
| Mangrove dense, tropical trees |
 |
SURFACE FEATURES | |
| Levee |   |
| Sand or mud area, dunes or shifting sand |   |
| Intricate surface area |   |
| Gravel beach or glacial moraine |  |
| Tailings pond |  |
MINES AND CAVES | |
| Quarry or open pit mine |  |
| Gravel, sand, clay, or borrow pit |  |
| Mine tunnel or cave entrance |  |
| Prospect; mine shaft |  |
| Mine dump |  |
| Mine tailings |   |
GLACIERS AND PERMANENT SNOWFIELDS | |
| Limit blue denotes coverage |
 |
| Form lines Show shape, not elevation |
 |
BUILDINGS AND RELATED FEATURES | |
| Building |   |
| School; church |  |
| Built-up Area |   |
| Racetrack |   |
| Airport |   |
| Landing strip |  |
| Well (other than water); windmill |  |
| Tanks |   |
| Covered reservoir |  |
| Gaging station |  |
| Landmark object (feature as labeled) |  |
| Campground; picnic area |  |
| Cemetery: small; large |  |
ROADS AND RELATED FEATURES | |
| Primary highway |  |
| Secondary highway |  |
| Light duty road |   |
| Unimproved road |   |
| Trail |  |
| Dual highway |   |
| Dual highway with median strip |   |
| Road under construction |   |
| Underpass; overpass |   |
| Bridge |   |
| Drawbridge |   |
| Tunnel |   |
RAILROADS AND RELATED FEATURES | |
| Standard gauge single track; station |  |
| Standard gauge multiple track |  |
| Abandoned |  |
| Under construction |  |
| Narrow gauge single track |  |
| Narrow gauge multiple track |  |
| Railroad in street |   |
| Juxtaposition |  |
| Roundhouse and turntable |  |
TRANSMISSION LINES AND PIPELINES | |
| Power transmission line: pole; tower |   |
| Telephone line |   |
| Aboveground oil or gas pipeline |  |
| Underground oil or gas pipeline |   |
BOUNDARIES | |
| National |  |
| State or territorial |  |
| County |  |
| Civil township |  |
| Incorporated city |  |
| Park, reservation, or monument |  |
| Small Park |  |
LAND SURVEY SYSTEMS | |
| U.S. Public Land Survey System | |
| Township or range line |  |
| Section Line |  |
| Found section corner; found closing corner |  |
| Witness corner; meander corner |  |
| Other land surveys | |
| Township or range line |  |
| Section line |  |
| Land grant or mining claim; monument |  |
| Fence line |   |
CONTROL DATA AND MONUMENTS | |
| Horizontal control | |
| Third order or better, permanent mark |  |
| With third order or better elevation |  |
| Check spot elevation |  |
| Coincident with section corner |  |
| Unmonumented* |  |
| Vertical control | |
| Third order or better, with tablet |  |
| Third order or better, recoverable mark |  |
| Bench mark found at section corner |  |
| Spot elevation |  |
| Boundary monument | |
| With tablet |  |
| Without tablet |  |
| With number and elevation |  |
| U.S. mineral or location monument |  |
RIVERS, LAKES, AND CANALS | |
| Intermittent stream |   |
| Intermittent river |   |
| Disappearing stream |  |
| Perennial stream |  |
| Perennial river |  |
| Small falls; small rapids |  |
| Large falls; large rapids |  |
| Masonry dam |  |
| Dam with rock |  |
| Dam carrying road |   |
| Perennial lake; Intermittent lake or pond |   |
| Dry lake |   |
| Narrow wash |   |
| Wide wash |   |
| Canal, flume, or aquaduct with lock |  |
| Elevated aquaduct, flume or conduit |  |
| Aquaduct tunnel |  |
| Well or spring; spring or seep |  |
SUBMERGED AREAS AND BOGS | |
| Marsh or swamp |  |
| Submerged marsh or swamp |  |
| Wooded marsh or swamp |  |
| Submerged wooded marsh or swamp |  |
| Rice field |   |
| Land subject to inundation |   |
MARINE SHORELINE | |
| Approximate mean high water |  |
| Indefinite or unsurveyed |  |
BATHYMETRIC FEATURES(water depth) | |
| Area exposed at mean low tide; sounding datum |  |
| Channel |  |
| Offshore oil or gas: well; platform |  |
| Sunken rock |  |
BATHYMETRIC CONTOURS | |
| Index |  |
| Intermediate |  |
| Supplementary |  |
See USGS Brochure for complete topographic map symbol list.
What do Paul Bunyan and a map symbol key have in common?They are both legends! |
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Comments:
Jun 14, 2017 - Jeff Dillavou
you pages are great reference and send newbies to them all the
time... thank you for your work
Jeff
Jun 28, 2017 - Hiking DudeJeff
@Jeff - Thank you!
Oct 15, 2017 - leonGreat for revision! especially when revising for big tests only
used this website
Oct 21, 2018 - AffanNice work ,plus concentration on symbols of
map good job and a great confidence on you
for your beautiful hard work
Dec 04, 2018 - DestinyThis works amazing! I can safely say that this website has helped
me more than any other website.
Dec 05, 2018 - LarryThe USGS apparently re-arranged their publications. The Topo symbol
brochure is now at:
pubs.usgs.gov/gip/TopographicMapSymbols/topomapsymbols.pdf
Jun 27, 2019 - daniella laylove your work. keep it up and dont ever disappoint
Jul 09, 2019 - JoshlerThis really helped me study for my world geography exam. I will definitely recommend this to anyone who needs help with map symbols. Nice drawings too! :)
Aug 06, 2019 - stefan gatson OS maps what do the arrows mean along roads as in Light duty or
other roads & tracks
Aug 06, 2019 - Compass Dude@stefan - Do you the single or double arrow showing steepness as on
this image? If not, use the Ask a Question with an
example of what you mean.
Aug 23, 2019 - David Question on the cave symbol. Does the symbol point in the
direction of travel in the cave. I am speaking in terms on a lava
tube.
Aug 23, 2019 - Compass Dude@David - The current preference is to place the intersection of the
Y arms at the entrance with the shaft of the symbol pointing
upslope and perpendicular to the contour line of the slope.
Oct 24, 2019 - blandine barrieVery useful for my KS3 homework.
Thanks a lot!
Nov 10, 2019 - just a manThanks a lot!
what is a triangle with a dot in the middle?
Nov 10, 2019 - Compass Dude@just - that is listed above on this page. It is a control marker.
Google for USGS banchmark for images of the metal marker you might
find at the location.
Nov 30, 2020 - TanyaHI ya so this article didn't really help me with my questions
but otherwise it was super helpful to me and my family.
Ask a Question
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