Map Features

The map drawing is based on a script using the Google Maps API provided by GPS Visualizer. I adapted it to plug in my data, and with options tweaked to my taste. Features:

Many maps available, including aerial view, OSM and actual USGS topo maps.
Streetview! This includes streetview for trails in cases where some nice person has humped a 40+ lb. streetview camera up and down the trails for us.
Markers, with rollover labels rather than having to click on them.
A distance and area measuring tool.

Choose the "Map" selection on the hike details page:

Example: Dutch Flat (Joseph Grant) (brought up in separate window, toggle back to this one for reference if you like).

Maps

The map drop down in the upper right provides a several maps:

The map is initially brought up with "Google terrain" shown. This list is actually much smaller than the total list GPS Visualizer makes available. Currently, we don't need topo maps of Europe or nautical charts (we've waded a few times but it hasn't got THAT serious).

Often, the OpenStreetMap maps have some advantages over the other choices, although in other cases, they may be totally missing data for the park you are looking at. When they DO have it, they tend to be more complete and up to date, showing non-official trails as well as the ones from the park map, and picking up trail reroutes others don't show yet. OSM is crowdsourced from submitted GPS tracks.

Currently, the "OSM TF" maps display an "API Key Required" warning on top of the map. I've noted that the same thing happens when you display a track on GPS Visualizer's pages, so it may be their problem. You can use the map anyway.

The little streetview guy appears in the upper left corner of the map, when using "Google" map types:

Drag him to a spot outlined in blue, which may include the trails, and bring up interactive streetview with the Google provided controls for navigation and viewing:

Sometimes you may see the shadow of somebody carting the streetview camera on their back. Get back out of streetview by clicking the back arrow in the upper left.

You may find "Google map" easier to see the streetview markings on than the default "Google terrain" choice.

Markers

We have markers showing the begnning and end of the hike, as well as waypoints from the data, if any. They have roll over titles:

The starting/endpoint pin is yellow if it marks the beginning and end, or green and red if they are separate. More markers could get added if I like.

Other controls in the upper right

The little box with the word "Hike" in red: clicking on "Hike" will take the red track away from the map - useful if you would like to see what's underneath the hike track, such as the blue "streetview" lines. Click again to put it back.

The "hamburger button" menu lets you see an "About" item and bring up the distance/area tool which you can also get by clicking on it in the bottom left. Currently, it also has a couple of items which aren't of much use. I should ptobably modify the script to remove them.

Bottom left

There a little ruler icon in the bottom left bring up this tool allowing you to measure distances and area on the map:

Follow the directions on the dialog it brings up. The tool is nice in that it provides clickable center points on the line segments it draws, allowing you to refine the path or shape.

You will also note that it displays the latitude and longitude of the current mouse position and the map center.