Using the legend for this type of map, you can also find out which towns are the largest and which are the smallest. Road Map Road maps show people how they can travel from one place to another. They also show some physical features, such as mountains and rivers, and political features, such as cities and towns. A road map also shows you which are main highways and which are smaller country roads. This topographic map shows a small area of Salt Lake City.
Contour lines join points of equal elevation above a specified reference, such as sea level.
Think of a contour line as an imaginary line on the ground that takes any path necessary to maintain constant elevation. Using the legend for this type of map, you can locate schools, churches, and railroads. People frequently use topographic maps when hiking. Builders use topographic maps to figure out where to put buildings and roads. There's a topographic map like this for every part of the United States, including one for where you live.