Map Basics

Getting comfortable using STLC Trails’ interactive maps

Interactive maps are a key feature of STLC Trails. Unlike paper maps, the dynamic maps found in this website can be adjusted in many different ways to help you explore the trails and landscapes of Saint Lawrence County.

This section outlines some “map basics” to help you understand what trail information appears on STLC Trails’ maps as well as how to adjust the map display.

• STLC Trails is built on Google Maps, but the site goes farther by layering onto each map locally gathered and mapped trail information. The map pins and trail lines that appear on the maps were provided by local agencies and trail managers and represent the most current trail information out there.
• On the Discover Trails page, you will see colored map pins scattered across Saint Lawrence County. You can click on a pin to see a short trail summary, and click again for more information. This will open a detailed trail page in a new browser tab, and you can continue browsing the regional map where you left off.
• Each detailed trail page includes a Trail Map tab, which includes an interactive map with multiple pins and colored trail lines. The map pins show a variety of points of interest for key features that trail users should know about like where to park, boat access, public restrooms, and many more. The colored trail lines show the trails themselves. Green lines are for pedestrian trails, blue for paddling, red for on-road biking, and purple for snowmobile trails.
• Click the LEGEND button on the top right corner of a detailed trail map to display a key for the points of interest being displayed. Click the check boxes to show or hide points on the map. This is really useful if you just want to see Parking areas, for example, when planning a trip.

If you are new to using interactive maps, here are some of the basic ways you can adjust the maps to learn more about places.

• Change the map extent by zooming in or out of areas using the + and - buttons to at the top left. Double clicking your mouse on a part of the map will also zoom the map closer in to that location. Slide, or pan, the map (side to side, up and down) by clicking on a section of the map, holding, and dragging your cursor to a new location.
• Change Base Maps by clicking in the top left corner of the map. Try the Photo option and see what Saint Lawrence County looks like from above. Maybe you want to zoom in and search around to see your house, office, or school? Try Terrain to get a sense of the topography around a trail. Is the area flat or hilly?
• Pop-up windows give more information about a map icon or trail segment. On the Discover Trails page, click on any map pin to see a short summary of the trail. If you are on a detailed trail page, you can display pop-ups by clicking on point of interest map pins and trail segments to learn more about each location, like the name of a park or the length and name of a trail segment.
• See where the trails themselves are by clicking the Show trail lines button. Some trails are quite long and are only represented by one map pin, so this is a good way to get a sense of the whole network of trails in Saint Lawrence County.
• Check out the view from ground level using Street View. Click and drag the yellow figure onto the map to see street-level imagery from select roads. This can be useful to assess trailhead parking, road conditions for biking, or even to preview scenic views along a route. (To return to map view, click the arrow to the left of the address that shows in the top left corner.) Learn more about Street View.
• The Go to my location button will center the map on your detected location, if you have enabled location services in your browser. A blue dot appears on the map showing your current location.
• On a detailed trail page, you'll see a "Toggle fullscreen view" button which allows you to expand the map across your entire screen. Hit escape to exit fullscreen and return to the trail page. 
• Did you browse too far out of the area? Simply refresh the page in your browser to change the map extent back to its default view.

Once you have mastered these map basics, check out the Tips & Tricks section to learn other useful tips about STLC Trails’ maps and trail pages.