Using MVUMs & Google Earth to find boondocking -- tips??

[profdan]

When we are planning a trip to a National Forest that we've never been to, it is always a challenge to find decent boondocking spots. I start with the Motor Vehicle Use Maps available online -- they usually show the roads that are open for boondocking.

Then, once I see an area that seems promising, I go to Google Earth to fly low over the territory, not only to see what it looks like but also to see if I can spot any RVs or any established campsites. (Hint -- look for fire rings!)

But it is not easy to cross-compare the MVUMs and Google Earth -- Google Earth often does not show the national forest road numbers, and the MVUMs have no contours and do not include much in the way of latitude and longitude. There are "tick marks" at the margins of the MVUMs, so you can interpolate the locations of the roads.

So that is my question -- does anyone have any tips for making it easier to harmonize the MVUMs and Google Earth? Thanks in advance!!

[GuyG]

Will this help?

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...telprdb5177824

Scroll down to midway of the page and see:

"Additional Information about Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) and Motor Vehicle Travel Maps (MVTMs)"

[JeffAZ]

Another tool I will use in GE is to check the date of the most recent images. Sometimes it will be in a time of year when there are few boondocking rv's to capture in images (depending on where you want to examine). For instance if you are looking at a southwest desert site, there may be lots of campers in the winter, but none in the summer.

So use the GE history tab and look in a previous view that may be in a month that you would expect campers to be there. That's what I did for Ocotillo Wells before my first trip there last month. The current view was in summer when there would be very few campers, the history tab was able to show me a better time frame.

[csuder99]

There's a friendly chap that converts MVUM data into GPX : http://open-mvum.com/ The tracks can be easily overlaid onto any basemap with the mapping program of choice.

For RV use the MVUM have limited use though IMHO. At least out West here many forest service roads are too rough for anything but a popup camper on a 4 wheel drive truck.

[profdan]

csuder, thanks for that link!! I will give it a try.

You are right that the forest roads are rough out West. That is why we have a very small trailer with extra ground clearance, heavy duty running gear, shocks, and big high load range tires. We almost always look for campsites on rough isolated roads, far from anyone else.

There are places that truck campers can go where we can't, but you would be amazed at the places we get into (and out of, thankfully).

If you have an off road capable trailer, the trick is to take it slow. Watch the big rocks and the potholes. Often there is no way to avoid them, but they will not damage the trailer if you go slow.

[profdan]

So, for example, this is a campsite that we found in the Uintahs of Utah -- the area to the right of the trailer was the path we used for access! The forest road was a mess.


Click For Full-Size Image.

Obviously, once we find a site like this on Google Earth, we drive to the area, park the trailer by the side of the highway, and scout with the truck to see if we can safely take the trailer into the back-country. We almost never go exploring with the trailer in tow, until we have first scouted the route.

[ByeTheWay]

I watch the mouse arrow as I drag it and read the elevation at the bottom of Google Earth to determine how flat the terrain is.

When parking at a private park I use the street view to determine the neighborhood around the park.

GE gives me a coordinate which I put in a GPS to guide me to the location.

[Dan McMartin]

We find that even with Google Earth and topography, it's difficult to accurately judge the terrain with any certainty. We've scouted many spots that look relatively flat on the mapping but are anything but in real life. And with a Class A, we can't use our axles as a pivot to manage extreme slopes like you can with a trailer.

Plus, mapping will never reveal low branches, rough roads and the like. Everything looks different from the air. We always scout ahead before taking the motorhome in, whether in person and/or though review sites to get a feel for what the place is really like. The technique is a good start but you need to put eyes on a place before you head in

[profdan]

Dan, no doubt about "pre-scouting" -- with a trailer, I have to scout a turnaround spot or else back out, which is not fun. (Don't ask how I learned this lesson.)

But my basic question is, well, very basic -- is there a way to toggle back and forth from an MVUM to Google Earth? It would be great if there were some way to overlay the MVUM onto the Google Earth image -- that would enable us to scan the roads where boondocking is permitted (on the MVUM) and then examine the terrain in detail.

[Dan McMartin]

We found that many of the National Forests in Colorado has there MVUM's converted to Avenza maps. With the app, we could see the MVUM over the satellite images. Cost a few bucks for each map but worth it IMHO. Not sure if other NF's in other states use this too.

[ByeTheWay]

Originally Posted by profdan

Dan, no doubt about "pre-scouting" -- with a trailer, I have to scout a turnaround spot or else back out, which is not fun. (Don't ask how I learned this lesson.)

But my basic question is, well, very basic -- is there a way to toggle back and forth from an MVUM to Google Earth? It would be great if there were some way to overlay the MVUM onto the Google Earth image -- that would enable us to scan the roads where boondocking is permitted (on the MVUM) and then examine the terrain in detail.

Add BaseCamp to the equation. Copy a coordinate from GE and place it in Basecamp on your pc. (pc or mac). Tethering a Garmin to your pc, and a lot of dirt back roads show up when you zoom in. I discovered this using basecamp on 4x4 roads. Elevation lines can be added from: https://azaltitudetraining.com/2017/...rmin-basecamp/
Use basecamp instead of MVUM.

[ByeTheWay]

Today I was able to see FSRoad numbers by going to GE then going to GM, Satellite view @ 1000 ft/inch scale. During the process I learn an easier way using https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/conver...ert_format=gpx

[profdan]

bye the way, well done!! I gotta check out that link, as soon as we are done with all this holiday stuff!

[ByeTheWay]

Here are my notes.

Today when I realized what I had stumbled on, I took notes which have not been edited. I hope they help. As for BC, I doubt that anyone knows all it will do. I certainly don't but I have what I need to use it successfully for boondocking and jeeping.




Start with: https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/conver...ert_format=gpx

The following link allows you to center you on a city/town of your choice and gives the all Roads around that town including forest roads by number. This map can be placed in GE (Google Earth) or can be viewed in BaseCamp and loaded onto a Garmin, GPS.

The link to get started is in the Green Area at the top: Click on “Draw on a Map” this should bring you to the following web page: https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/draw/

Enter a city of your choice, in the GPS Visualizer then click “Go”
Use the toolbox as needed
Notice at the bottom/left you have coodinate for both the mouse and the center starting position. The km/mi window below center can be switched for km to miles by clicking on the box. I believe it is the distance above the ground. Change the distance with the + or - key on the keyboard
At 5000 ft the County Roads show up with numbers. Example: CR-70 at 2000 ft Forest Roads show up, Example: Fr-318.

On a mac the entire window will increase/decrease by holding the Command key while tapping the +/- key.

Contour lines in 10 ft increments can be viewed by selecting Open Topo/Map from the drop down window in the upper/right corner.

The Drawing Tool Pallet can be repositioned on the map by placing the mouse arrow on the outer edge of the pallet and dragging to a new location.

Drawing Tools include:

pan: to reposition the map

wpt: select a spot and click, name and save, choose a symbol and color, view coordinates

trk: create a track, track length is given by clicking on the track with pan and dragging close to the track until 1 finger appears and clicking

On a mac the depress the control key and the pan finger to review details about each track. I’m guessing the same will happen on a pc by right clicking the track.

3 formats are given to save the elements.

KML will open in GE (Google Earth)
GPX will open in BC (BaseCamp) shows as the symbol for tracks (double shoe prints
TXT creates a plain text file which shows the elements created w/coordinates

I have not been able to transfer the contour line from GPSV to GE or BC.



A track drawn in GPSV shows up in GE & BC. From BC I upload to my GPS.