AZ Overlays for Google Earth

 

Google Earth can be an incredibly powerful tool used in trip planning and exploration. And it is completely free. We frequently spend a lot of time in the program mapping trails, checking on conditions, and searching for new areas to explore. On its own, Google Earth has a lot of useful features including National Park boundaries, historical imagery, and the ability to log and record past waypoints/routes. Below we have compiled a list of useful, free overlays that can be added to the program to make it more functional as well as instructions and how to install them.

Mine & Prospect Data from USGS

The Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) from the U.S. Geological Survey features past and current mines + prospects around the state. This overlay provides 12,951 records throughout Arizona. Data from this overlay includes mine/prospect name, operation type, status, commodities produced, and record number. The record number can be taken into the USGS Database or Mindat.org to find additional info specific to each location.

 

Step 1: Visit this USGS website: https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/geo-inventory.php

Step 2: Select Arizona (or any other state) under Subdivisions.

Step 3: Under download options, change format to ‘Google Earth’ and hit ‘download’. Alternatively, you could download each county individually if you don’t want the whole state.

Step 4: Once the download is done, drag and drop that folder into Google Earth. You can toggle the layer on/off and click on each data point for more information.

Wilderness Area Overlays

Arizona is home to 90 wilderness areas making up over 7,000 square miles. This overlay provides boundaries for these areas which can be useful in planning trips near or through wilderness areas. Often times, a wilderness may have vehicle access routes that aren’t always easy to see from a traditional map. This layer also includes National Wildlife Refuge areas which have similar restrictions to wilderness areas. You can also learn more about each wilderness area including background, history, and features.

Step 1: Visit the Wilderness Connect Map Page here: https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/google-earth.php

Step 2: Click on ‘Arizona Wildernesses’ near the top to start the download.

Step 3: Drag and drop the file into Google Earth.

Step 4: Toggle on the Wilderness Overlay by clicking the check box next to it (may already be on). Then click within a wilderness area to see more information about it.

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Known Closures / Permit-Required Areas

We created this overlay ourselves. There are a few areas of Arizona that require a special permit or may be closed to offroad activity indefinitely or during certain times of year. This overlay shows those areas that are known to be closed or that require a permit. This layer is color-coded by status and clicking within an area will pull up more information about permits.

Step 1: Download the ‘Closures/Permit-Required’ KMZ Overlay from this page of our website.

Step 2: Drag and drop the file into Google Earth.

Step 3: Toggle on all layers (using the check box) or individually turn on layers.

If you find errors or have additional areas to add, reach out to us on Youtube or here on our website.

National Park / National Forest boundaries & facilities (included in Google Earth)

This layer shows all National Park & National Forest boundaries. It also includes campgrounds, hiking trails, and other recreational facilities. This can be useful when looking for trails or campgrounds. This layer is built into Google Earth already, so all you need to do is toggle it on and off.

Step 1: On the lower left panel under ‘layers’, click on the white arrow on the left labeled ‘More’.

Step 2: Toggle on the ‘Parks/Recreation Areas’ layer. This will turn on parks, golf course, forest boundaries, and national park boundaries.

Step 3: To turn on/off certain features, click the white arrow next to ‘Parks/Recreation Areas’ and individually toggle each layer.

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Other helpful tools

  • The Arizona State Land Department parcel viewer can be very helpful for viewing the current status of land across the state. It shows private property, state trust land, and other boundaries.