The Trail Mapping Project
Google Earth Maps
One of the most exciting events in recent months has been the release of Google Earth. This allows the user create maps and displays that get overlaid space and aerial photos of the Earth. The maps are fully interactive and in many places provde amazing details.
In order to display these maps, you must have Google Earth installed on your PC. Because of the very intense graphic manipulations being performed, you will need a PC with some decent horsepower, a good graphics card and a high speed Internet connection.
Minimum Requirements
- Windows 2000 or XP
- Pentium 3, 500MHz
- 128MB RAM
- 400MB disk space
- Network speed: 128Kbits/sec
- 3D-capable video card with 16MBytes of VRAM
- 1024x768, 16-bit High Color screen
Recommended Configuration
- Windows XP
- Pentium 4, 2.4GHz or AMD 2400xp+
- 512MB RAM
- 2GB disk space
- Network speed: 768Kbits/sec or better (DSL/Cable)
- 3D-capable video card with 32 MB of VRAM (or greater)
- 1280x1024, 32-bit True Color screen
Install The Trail Mapping Project Google Earth Network Link.
Update July 5, 2007: I finally figured out how to make the .kmz files open on your systems in Google Earth directly, rather than as a compressed Windows XML file. SO, you can now click on any of the links in the table below, and (assuming you have Google Earth installed on your system), Google Earth will open and display play the map requested!!! I mean, this is pretty cool!!!
Now that I have this figured out, look for more mapps to appear here. 'course, soon as I get a new horse, I'll be adding even more.
| Map Name | Description |
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Casper's Wilderness Park is an Orange County Park with approximately 35 miles of trails. The trails are very well marked and offer anything from very easy flatland to very steep and technical. The trails go over terrain that offers breath-taking views, shaded oak tree groves, wide cactus covered flats. |
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The Fish Bowls is a unique structure where large pools are formed in rock structures in the upper Piru Creek in Grade Valley in the Las Padres National Forest outside of Frasier Park. This map details the trail from an equestrian camp area along Piru Creek to the Fish Bowls. |
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This map details an extensive network of trails found in and around the Big Tujunga Wash including Hansen Dam, Lake View Terrace and Shadowhills. There are trails that cover the open flats surrounding the Hansen Dam basin while others are quiet tree covered paths that follow along a river and several creeks and ponds. Once you move outside of the wash, the trails become more challenging but offer great views of the area. |
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This map details the back-country of Lake View Terrace. These trails move trough Middle Ranch, other properties but mostly lie within the Angeles National Forest. The most famous of the trails in this area is the Doc Larsen Trail which begins just off Little Tujunga Cyn Rd across the from the Angeles NF Ranger Headquarters and go to the Doty Fire Road. Originally developed by Doc Larsen, this trial follows a canyon to the top of a pass. Near the top, Doc install a hitch rail and a spring fed watering trough (which I have never seen go dry in the 12 years I've been riding). At the top, there are many options to go just about anywhere you wish. There is another watering trough on the Fascination Springs Trail. Water can also be found near the house at the top of Double Hump on Doty Road. |
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While there are a number of trails throughout La Tuna Canyon, this map detail a 10 mile loop which starts and ends on Sunland Blvd in Shadowhills. There are several very steep climbs and drops. This trail offer wonderful views of Burbank and the Western San Fernando Valley. It should be noted that a couple of points of this trail pass through private property and require a key to open gates. |
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Marge Feinberg Rim of the Valley Trail - Sylmar maps shows the Rim of the Valley Trail through Sylmar along with many other trails in the Sylmar Area. This map is not complete and will be updated in the future. |
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An approximate 10 mile loop around Saddleback Butte. Staging area located on 200th Street East off of Avenue J East. |