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Revised Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:52:34 -0600 (909 falls, 369 arches, 258 lakes, 49 rocks, 43 sinkholes, 20 balds, 13 peaks). Corrections and additions welcomed.

This site has GPS waypoints (latitude/longitude WGS84) and maps to interesting landforms in Tennessee. Some of these landforms are on private property, get permission first. Other formations are diffcult to access because they are off-trail. Many of the locations for waterfalls and lakes were harvested from the USGS database. WARNING: Some of the waypoints are extrapolated from descriptions or trail maps (class B1 data). Many of the waypoints are from site visits with GPS. Over time, more of the sites will be visited and waypoints verified. Sites whose location are particularly "uncertain" are noted with "?". Many of the sites do not have "official" names. Get out and enjoy the natural wonders of Tennessee!

Maps of the landforms include Maptech, CalTopo, sartopo, google maps, mytopo, TerraServer satellite/aerial images, and Mapquest. For some formations there are also pictures and additional information. The USGS topo maps use CONUS 1927 datum, which can be more than 200m off (north-south) from WGS84 for UTM, but is typically only 7m off for latitude/longitude in Tennessee. There is also a clickable map that displays the locations of waterfalls, natural bridges, etc. all on the same map, or a Google locator map select address or click on map.

Waypoints

Download waypoints (WGS84)

Download these waypoint files (.gpx) and use EasyGPS (free) to upload the waypoints from your PC to your GPS. Maptech .mxf waypoint files are also provided, CSV format. You can use gpsvisualizer.com or CalTopo.com to upload and view the gpx files on google map. These files are continually being updated, so be sure you have downloaded the latest version. Last revised Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:52:34 -0600

waterfalls gpx waypoints or mxf arches gpx waypoints or mxf rock formations gpx waypoints or mxf peaks gpx waypoints or mxf balds gpx waypoints or mxf sinkholes gpx waypoints or mxf lakes gpx waypoints or mxf other gpx waypoints or mxf download landform waypoints by county GSMNP landforms TN/NC waypoints gpx or mxf send to Garmin GPS GSMNP campsite TN/NC waypoints gpx or mxf send to Garmin GPS GSMNP trail heads/junctions trlwpts.gpx send to Garmin GPS or trail GPX tracks BSF landforms TN/KY waypoints gpx or mxf send to Garmin GPS county high points     gpx or mxf lookout towers     gpx or mxf send to Garmin GPS Appalachian Trail shelters     gpx or mxf send to Garmin GPS

These are just plain-text files, so you can easily harvest latitude/longitude values for your own purposes. The waypoint names consist of a county abbreviation, landform type, and count within the county. See the links below for software for uploading/downloading and viewing the waypoints on a single map. ( the need for accurate directions humor)

As if you didn't have enough maps to choose from already, this clickable state map will show arches, waterfalls, etc. all on a single scalable map. Also, USAPhotoMaps (shareware) will display multiple waypoints on the same topo or aerial image. See the commercial GPS/mapping products below, too.

Related information

Links

Tennessee

• natural areas and national natural landmarks (13) or (pdf) or here
• state parks or state parks high points and topo maps
• greenways and parks TennGreen.org
• state forests
• wildlife management areas
• geology
• caves 9800+, caves per county 2013 or 2012 or 2011 and caves and sinkholes
• Notable public caves Lost Sea and Ruby Falls and Dunbar Cave and Bell Witch Cave and Big Bone Cave and Cumblerland Caverns and Tuckaleechee Caverns and Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Forbidden Caverns
• rivers (latitude/longitude) and stream flows or stream flow map or boatertalk map
• TN river/lake navigation charts
• Water Resources of Tennessee
• NPS TN rivers and state scenic rivers
• national wildlife refuges
• national wilderness areas
• Bowater pocket wilderness areas

Geology
TN physiography illustration
geologic map of Tennessee or here or here
TN counties and landform regions
geology of GSMNP Mt Leconte/ Abrams Falls
geology of Cades Cove and another
Abrams Falls geology
Mt Leconte geology
geology of Ocoee River and the whitewater center geology
karst regions/aquifers of TN and limestone geology and karst map and sinkholes
caves-per-county map 2013
TN geology and geologic history
Tennessee Division of Geology
East Tennessee Geological Society and TN GIS data
recent TN earthquakes
TN TN earthquake info and seismic hazard map and 2014 TN seismic hazard map
East TN coal fields or here and OSM reports
Kentucky geology
Kentucky landforms waterfalls, arches and map
Georgia waterfalls

Maps
tn geospatial GIS data or TN GIS data and UT's TN map info
maps of national parks in Tennessee
clickable (zoom/pan) GSMNP trail map and interactive 1931 park map
clickable USGS quadrangle map of GSMNP, zoom/pan
our clickable TN map/location selector or Google locator map select by address or click on map
Google map with distance and elevation tools or google map with profiles and contours and more elevation data or maplorer.com
Our google map with tracking and elevation profiles
another google map nexrad
mytopo (a few glitches from new FS maps)
GSMNP park maps (pdf's) '03
smoky mountains topo maps
TN USGS 7.5 topo quad maps by county
TN USGS topo quad index map
TN TNMap TN GIS data
TN USGS map and GIS data topo tiffs
USGS topo quads (tiffs) and map symbols legend
new USGS topos (pdf) and older topos (geo pdfs)
Gmap4 hi res topos or CalTopo.com historic topos and hires topos with track-draw/profiles/print and gpx import ★ ★
elevation data 10m DEM and TN DEMs
Topoquest USGS map finder
National Geographic TrailSmart topo CD , trail maps on topo, GPS-ready for BSF and GSMNP.
TN county maps pdf or Google county map
History of County Formations in Tennessee 1776-1985 or historic 1888 county maps
1786 state of Franklin
TDOT state google map road conditions
TWRA maps WMA's, some lakes
East TN landform map and WorldAtlas Tennessee landforms
historical maps of the Great Smoky Mountains
TN geologic maps and karst map
TN historical maps or here or here or here or here
various generations of TN topo maps or here or here
pre-1945 USGS topographic maps and USGS and historic/current pdf's Historical Quadrangle Scanning Project (HQSP)
geographic center of Tennessee and waymark
remotest point in Tennessee
3-D fly thru maps Cades Coves, TN river gorge, Albright Grove
ravenmaps.com state map or gisgeography state maps
geology.com Tennessee maps county, elevation
My Google maps     arches     falls     GSMNP     BSF     towers     greenways     blueway     county high points     AT shelters
    (most have iPhone google map option)

Google Earth KML files based on our waypoints:    TN waterfalls falls.kmz and arches arches.kmz    Big South Fork landforms bsf.kmz    Smoky Mountains landforms gsmnp.kmz or campsites camp.kmz or trails.kmz trails (2/22/08)    TN lookout towers towers.kmz    Appalachian Trail shelters atshelters.kmz and parking atparking.kmz    Oak Ridge greenways gw.kmz

Google Earth has the Smoky Mountain Park trails built-in (though inaccurate and incomplete), you can also download KML files for the Smoky Mountains trails trails.kmz, or Appalachian Trail centerline at09.kmz (4 MB) from 2009 ATC data or the Big South Fork trails (0.5 MB). Also, here is a topographic map overlay. You can also view KML/KMZ file with the Google maps by entering the URL into the search box at maps.google.com, for example, view the BSF trails
United Kingdom ornance survey maps

Books
Plumb's Waterfalls of Tennessee ratings, directions (2nd edition)
McDade's Natural Arches of the Big South Fork (10+ in TN)
Corgan/Parks Natural Bridges of Tennessee 1979 bulletin (36+)
Barr's Caves of Tennessee (700+) 1961 bulletin or Mathews Descriptions of Tennessee Caves 1971 bulletin
Tennessee Topography, bulletin #86, David Starnes, 2009.

A study of the topography of Tennessee, including area data; high and low elevations; elevations of cities, towns, and rural communities; major topographic features; and a general description of the topography and water features of each of the state's 95 counties. Includes topographic indexes for each county and measurements of land and water area and physiographic provinces; a summary of Tennessee's physiographic provinces, general geology, and drainage basins, plus a brief discussion of topographic maps; 4 appendixes, a glossary, and a list of suggested readings and additional resources

GPS info     Bring a compass. It's awkward when you have to eat your friends.

• wikipedia on GPS
• GPS info, products, software, how GPS works, ...
• UT's GPS info or gpstracklog.com GPS info/reviews
• using UTM with your GPS and topo maps, example, and UTM zones TN is mostly in zone 16 (-90 to -84), eastern TN is in zone 17
• how to read a topographic map
• Backpacker.com using GPS
• comparison of GPS-aware topo maps/software cd's, not reviewed but good (except for missing pieces of maps) and based on gpx-format are expertgps and topofusion
• free/shareware USAPhotoMaps or EasyGPS or lostoutdoors.com or GPS TrackMaker or GPS Utility
• waymarking.com Tennessee historical markers or TN historical marker data base
• gpx schema v1.1
• gpx the GPS exchange format
• gpsvisualizer view your GPS files on Google map, or CalTopo draw/profile/print
• GPS accuracy SA, WAAS and WAAS accuracy
• GPS accuracy on Gregory Bald and Mt Cammerer
• 2011 Smoky Mountains GPS elevation survey
• Trimble's free GPS planning software satellite positions, DOP, etc. and maybe watch out of solar flares or space weather
• elevation GPS vertical accuracy or here and humor and altimeter accuracy and accuracy of benchmarks, spot elevations, contours and learn about USGS elevations on county high points page, (DEM, LiDAR, SRTM)
• topofusion climbing analysis DEM vs GPS
• view your GPS files on Google map or plot your ride/run with elevation profiles
        gpsvisualizer
        caltopo or garmin connect
        trimbleoutdoors
        ridewithgps
        runningahead.com vo2max, calorie calculators
• pre-load topo maps, waypoints, tracks, on smart-phone apps so even without cell coverage you can use the phone's GPS, e.g. iHikeGPS or Gaia GPS
• smartphone custom trail maps TrailForks.com app
• travelbygps.com
• geocaching.com -- learn about geocaching
• Tennessee geocaches or TN state geocache map or Buxley's TN cache map and stats
• Tennessee earth caches
• USGS landforms and features by county with maps and latitude/longitude
• wayhoo's TN USGS waypoints (save as .gpx)
• TN Cliffs, Forests, Gaps, Parks, Ridges, Summits, Trails from USGS and TN county high points
• GMapToGPX convert google maps data to gpx
• handy datum/UTM converter or nad27/nad83 converter and gpsbabel waypoint file conversion
• lat/lon utm convert jeeep.com or coordinate transformations
• Convert gpx to kml for Google Earth
• improve accuracy of your GPS
• the need for accurate directions humor
• in TN a degree of latitude is about 69 miles, and a degree of longitude is about 56 miles (varies with latitude). great circle calculator
• USGS education making maps, topo maps

Tennessee landforms     home     arches     waterfalls     rocks     peaks     balds     sinkholes     lakes     regions     county

visitors since 12/20/02
© Tom Dunigan 2002
Last modified: Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:52:34 -0600 1245530

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