On a USGS topo map, green means woodland: land covered by trees or tall, dense brush. White doesn't mean bare. It's simply open or lightly vegetated ground, such as meadows, farmland, grassland, desert, or scattered trees. Dot patterns in green mark scrub, orchards, and vineyards, and tan or brown stipple marks sand, gravel, and disturbed ground.
What does green mean on a topo map?
Green tint marks woodland: trees or tall, dense brush. Patterns of green dots mark scrub, orchards, and vineyards. White areas are open ground, like fields, meadows, grassland, desert, or rock.
IN THIS GUIDE
Vegetation · Ground surfaces · Reading the land cover · FAQ
Vegetation
Vegetation is mapped from aerial photos, so it shows what the land looked like when the photos were taken.
Woodland
A solid light green tint: woodland or forest. Gaps in the green are clearings and meadows, which make good navigation landmarks.
Shrubland
Irregular green dots: scrub or brush, such as sagebrush, chaparral, or thickets. Often slower going than open forest.
Orchard
Green dots in regular rows: an orchard or grove.
Vineyard
Rows of small green squares: a vineyard.
Mangrove
A branching blue-green pattern, often labeled Mangrove. Coastal mangrove forest in Florida, Hawaii, and other tropical areas.
Ground surfaces
These patterns tell you what's underfoot where nothing much grows.
Sand or mud
Fine tan dots, or a dashed outline labeled Sand: dunes, sandbars, or mud flats. Loose sand makes for slow, tiring walking.
Gravel beach or glacial moraine
A fine dot pattern, or an outline labeled Gravel: gravel beaches, or moraines of loose rock left by glaciers. Expect unstable footing.
Disturbed surface
A tan tint or scattered pattern: ground stripped by mining, construction, or grading.
Levee
A brown line with ticks, or a dashed outline labeled Levee: an embankment holding back a river. Levee tops are often the high, dry route through a floodplain.
Tailings pond
A dashed outline labeled Tailings Pond: a pond holding mine waste. Don't drink from it or wade in it.
LEARN TO READ A TOPO MAP
Topo Map Reading Intro: Learn how to read topographic maps in 10 sessions
A one-minute lesson from our Topo Map Reading series.
Watch the full Topo Map Reading series →Reading the land cover
- Vegetation changes fast. Wildfire, logging, and new growth can make an older map's green areas out of date. Compare with recent aerial imagery.
- Use forest edges as handrails. The line where green meets white is easy to follow and to recognize on the ground.
- White isn't always easy. Open areas can be talus, slickrock, marsh, or desert. Check the contours and other symbols too.
- Look for clearings. A small white gap in a green forest can mark a meadow, a pond, or an old homestead.
PUT IT TO USE
See these symbols on a real map
Frequently asked questions
What does white mean on a topo map?
White areas are open or lightly vegetated: fields, meadows, grassland, desert, rock, or scattered trees too sparse to map as woodland.
Why doesn't the forest on my topo map match what I see?
Vegetation was mapped from aerial photos taken around the map's date. Since then, fires, logging, and regrowth may have changed it.
What is a moraine on a topo map?
A moraine is a ridge or field of loose rock and gravel left by a glacier. On USGS maps, it's shown with a fine dot pattern or labeled Gravel.
How are orchards and vineyards shown on topo maps?
Orchards are green dots in regular rows. Vineyards are rows of small green squares.
MORE SYMBOL GUIDES
Topo Map Colors Explained: What Brown, Blue, Green, Red & Purple Mean · Contour Lines on Topo Maps: Index, Intermediate & Depression Contours · Water Symbols on Topo Maps: Streams, Lakes, Springs & Wetlands
← Back to all USGS map symbols
Symbol artwork from the U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map Symbols brochure (public domain).