Free user-generated U.S. and international maps
UPDATE: Here’s a step-by-step guide to putting routable OSM maps on your Garmin GPS.
This was originally intended as a follow up to my international maps for your Garmin GPS post. Yet those sticking closer to home should investigate this too — the sources below include road maps of U.S. cities and some very nice topo maps of greater detail than you can find elsewhere. The image below is from a 1:24,000 scale Lake Tahoe map.
Besides being free, these maps are often available for areas not covered by Garmin and other commercial providers. Unfortunately though, turn-by-turn routing is less likely to be found with these maps.
One other thing before we get to sources of these maps — they utilize the Garmin .img format, and will require some special techniques for loading them to your unit. More on that below.
Sources of free maps for your Garmin GPS
Here are the best places to start looking for these maps:
- Map Center – Undoubtedly the most comprehensive source of user-generated maps for
Garmin GPS receivers. The screen shots at the top of this post and below show maps of Sydney, Australia that I downloaded and transferred to my nuvi. - Free Garmin maps – Another comprehensive list.
Specifc areas:
- Australia – Tracks 4 Australia
- Canada – Canadian topo maps
- Caribbean – This Caribbean maps site also has maps of Japan, Bermuda and Antarctica
- China – Yunnan Explorer
- Greece – Greece GPS maps
- Maps of Morocco
- New Zealand – New Zealand Open GPS project
- South America – Argentina, Uruguay and more in the works. Turn by turn routing too.
- U.S. topo maps – 40 foot contour interval maps of Colorado and Wyoming
Thanks to Free Geography Tools for several of the above sources.
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap is “a free editable map of the whole world.” They aren’t quite there yet, but they are making progress.
- Here’s a how to post from Free Geography Tools on how to convert OpenStreetMap data to Garmin compatible maps.
- OpenStreetMaps that have already been converted to Garmin format.
Tips for searching for free international maps
When searching for international maps, try using the country name + “.img” + “Garmin” + “maps”.
Loading user-generated maps using IMG2GPS
There are many ways to skin a cat and likewise, there are many ways
to load these custom maps to your Garmin GPS. This gets to be a
complicated subject and I will only go through one method here.
This technique allows you to upload multiple maps using IMG2GPS, so called because it transfers the Garmin-compatible .img map files to your GPS. Here are the steps I followed…
- If you have pre-installed maps on your GPS, make a copy to back
them up. I have a nuvi 660 and I simply copied the nuvi’s “Garmin”
folder to my hard drive. While I did not have any problems with this process
replacing the pre-loaded maps in my nuvi, it is still a highly
advised safety precaution. - Using one of the sources above, download the .img map files you want to send to your GPS.
- Download and install IMG2GPS.
- Run IMG2GPS. I could not get a direct upload to work with my nuvi,
so I used IMG2GPS to create a file and then copied that to the “Garmin”
folder on my nuvi. To do this select “Folder/Card” and “Create File
instead of Upload” as shown below. Then click “Load Folder” and
select the .img map files you wish to transfer. Finally, click “Create
File.” A window will briefly appear on your screen as IMG2GPS compiles
a GMAPSUP.IMG file. You will be prompted for a destination
directory for the file.
- Copy the GMAPSUP.IMG file and the .img map files to your GPS (I sent mine to the “Garmin” directory on my nuvi).
- You should now be able to zoom in and see the detailed maps of areas you transferred to your device.
Finding other GPS data
If you’re just looking for waypoints and tracks, you might want to check out my GPS data search engine.
Related post:
About Rich Owings
Hi Rich,
I got the australia map in my GPS.I am able to get my location in the GPS But when i press the “points of interest” ICON in the GPS, it just don’t stallite any.
Isit cos i got the wrong map? I need a city navigator map?
My download map is from http://www.gpsoz.com.au/tracks4australia/getting_started.htm
I’m not sure that map has POIs. You should probably ask at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tracks4australia/
It doesn’t seem to focus on metro areas either. Is it just trails?
Hi, if somebody look for free maps of dominican republic and haiti, you can find them in my website http://www.la-hispaniola.com you only need to register in the forum for free.
regards
hi,
i just got this nuvi 260 and i want to get maps of the philippines. where do i get them and how to install them.
thanks
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/asia/philippines#downloads_breadcrumbs is a free source. You should just be able to drag and drop the phillipines.img.zip file to the unit.
I just purchased a Nuvi 1490T. My wife would like to plan a detailed route then upload to the unit. I have some GPS software for my handheld Lowrance — can I create a route on that then upload to the Garmin — I’m thinking turn by turn isn’t going to work… but just learning.
What is the easiest and best way to create and upload a detailed (off the normal autogenerated route) from one point to another… i.e. if you know that one road is always under construction or busy and you want to route around.
Thanks
No, you can’t create a route using the Lowrance software. I believe you can do this with MapQuest.com, but the best way would be with Garmin software. First thing I would do is go to http://garmin.com/numaps and see if you’re eligible for a free map update. This must be done within 60 days of first use. You’ll be downloading all of North America, so set aside a few hours. In the past, this would put City Navigator on your computer. I’ve heard there is a new option and you must check advanced and then uncheck something like “install maps only on my GPS.” Then you can use the route tool in City Navigator to create and transfer routes. Beware though, that it may route slightly differently in the field than on the PC. Feel free to follow up with more questions.
You can always just create a route on the unit itself BTW.
Can anyone advice me on the best Handheld GPS to use for Car Tracking?
What do you mean by car tracking? Are you wanting turn-by-turn directions or do you want to track where someone else is or…?
I like this site. Straightforward, good information.
I have owned a gpsmap60csx and over time have acquired maps om mSD. Am wondering whether those maps will be usable on nuvi 255w for auto routing. 60csx does the job albeit lack of screen real estate.
Thank you
They can go on your nuvi as long as they aren’t locked to a single unit. They won’t route unless they are capable of auto-routing though.
Hi, I’m looking for Morocco GPS map for Garmin Nuvi 1100.
can anyone help me to find it.
Thank you in advance
Does it have an expansion slot for a card? This is probably the best one…
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=73686#overviewTab
Here are a couple of free sources, but the quality may be pretty weak.
http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php
http://downloads.cloudmade.com/africa/morocco#downloads_breadcrumbs
Thanks Rich,
I really appreciate your help.
I will like to download a free source version. wich file extension should i download?
WorldAfricaMorocco morocco.img.zip (1.4M)
morocco.navit.bin.zip (1.5M)
morocco.osm.administrative.bz2 (46.2K)
morocco.osm.bz2 (4.1M)
morocco.osm.coastline.bz2 (306K)
morocco.osm.highway.bz2 (3.2M)
morocco.poi.gpx.zip (28.6K)
morocco.poi.tomtom.zip (17.9K)
morocco.poly (1.8K)
morocco.shapefiles.zip (3.3M)
Thanks again
It would be the first one, the .img file.
Thank you Rich
They do autoroute on the 60csx, kinda, without voice, voice is function of unit.
On this knowledge only will I buy a 255w.
I don’t know whether these maps are unlocked to a single unit.
Don’t want to pay twice for same maps, once for 60csx and again for 255w.
Are these free maps this site refers to, can be loaded onto multiple units.
Yes, they can be loaded to multiple units. What are the maps that you want to use? I don’t know of any free maps that are locked, unless someone is trying to get around copy protection.
North American, Middle East and a South East Asia. All Garmin.
Haven’t looked elsewhere.
Will be happy if these work on 255w.
Tigerdirect has refurb for 100$, most uptodate maps.
If they are Garmin maps they are locked to a single unit and cannot be used on another without buying a new unlock code.
Thank again.
now will look for free ones.
@#@%#
Is there a site where I can download Philippine maps for my Magellan Maestro 4700?
Not that I know of. There are plenty of maps for Garmin units, but they are much more limited for Magellan.
I have a Garmin 1300 and I need to upload a free canada map.. please help
You can do this…
http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php
…but it won’t be as good as buying Garmin City Navigator for Canada…
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=253&pID=8750
I need to find a free download for my Garmin GPSmap 60 so it will talk to my computer. Got any suggestions?
Does it use USB? is this what you are looking for?…
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=591
It downloaded, but I can’t find where to open it up on my laptop so I can download maps into it. How do I do that? also, where can you get some good topo maps for this unit, its a gpsmap 60?
Probably in a downloads folder. You can get topo maps at http://gpsfiledepot.com
ok, thanks!
will i need to download mapsource to get them onto my gpsmap 60 unit?
That’s probably the best way. This may help…
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-install-mapsource-if-it-didnt-come-with-your-gps/
how do i upgrade my garmin for free???
i need 2 know if is there a way or a website so i can upload new maps on my
garmin gps.
Assuming you have a car unit, no, you can’t update the maps for free. Unless you’ve had it for less than 60 days. Otherwise, search online stores for “numaps” and you’ll probably find some deals.
hi rich, i bouth garmin 1300T hw can i download the map of the philippines?
hi rich,
i just want to know, how will I transfer my .img file map to my garmin 1300T. is there any application for transferring the file?
Here’s a map of the Philippines: http://www.roadguide.ph/
You can transfer it with MapSource: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/how-to-load-maps-on-my-garmin-gps-unit/
hi rich,
hw about the us map? and how can i trnsfer the img file to mapsource?
Which US map? Most of those from http://gpsfiledepot.com are self-installing. Download the .exe, open it and it will install to MapSource (assuming you already have MapSource).
Hi
Please could i have a link to free download of southern africa garmin maps.
http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php
http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/catalogue.php
I have a Garmin nuvi205 that ocasionally does not keep up with the turns that have been made. Is this a devise, map, satalite or other problem. I don’t know if this is a fluke, if I need a new map, or a new GPS. Any suggestions?
Do you mean that it lags behind when showing your current position? How badly? A full block? A second or two?
It is usually OK, but has been about half a mile lag.
That doesn’t sound right. I’d run WebUpdater (http://garmin.com/webupdater) to update the firmware, and see if that helps.
Thank you, I ran the updater and will see if that helps.