George Washington and Jefferson

National Forests

Maps and Brochures

Where Can I Purchase Maps?

By mail using a Map Order Form. Allow two to four weeks for delivery.

Order Maps on-line through the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association.

From the Ranger District Offices. (Please note after 9/30/06 maps will not be available from the Supervisor's Office)

Or find a retailer near you

Quadrangle/Topo Map sales: http://store.usgs.gov/

MOTOR VEHICLE USE MAPS (MVUM) These Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) display all National Forest System roads, trails and designated areas that allow public motor vehicle use.

Is a Map Really Important?

Many people use the forest extensively without a map or guidebook. They are missing out on a great deal of enjoyment. There is much pleasure in studying maps to plan trips, and using a map during the trip can greatly add to your experience.

Most people are familiar with state road maps. These are useful in getting to locations within the forest, such as campgrounds, picnic areas, the Massanutten Visitor Center, etc. Other than main locations, a road map provides very little information for use within the forest.

One difficulty is the scale. At highway speeds you want to see many miles in just one inch of road map. But once you leave your vehicle, and begin to walk (or ride a bike or horse) at two to ten miles per hour, you need a map that shows you about a mile per inch of map. The maps listed below are close to this scale – about an inch to the mile.

Another difficulty with road maps is that they rarely show the mountains and valleys. The land looks flat, you can’t imagine its contours. The steepness of a trail that climbs a mountain is important to the trail user. A map that shows contour lines allows you to imagine the shape of a mountain or a valley. Contour lines that are close together imply a steep slope. A trail that crosses the closely spaced contour lines will be steep. Hollows can be seen because the contour lines form V shapes that point upstream. You can see where a trail crosses a stream and where it travels along a ridge.

* - The Locator Map will take time to download - please be patient.