Create Hiking & Topographic Maps In Canva (For Free), by Santi Hustle on YouTube. 10 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Go to OpenTopography.org and sign in or create a free account. Search for your area by place name or draw a box around the mountain or park you want to map.
Choose the Copernicus Global DEM dataset at 30m or 90m resolution. Pick the smaller 90m file if you want faster processing, then download the GeoTIFF.
Open QGIS and drag the downloaded GeoTIFF into the map window. Set the project coordinate system to match the data so the contours line up correctly.
Run the contour tool from the Raster menu. Set a contour interval such as 20 or 50 metres, depending on how steep the terrain is, and run it.
Check the projection and reposition or clip the contour layer so your chosen area fills the frame. Delete or hide anything outside the map border.
Style the contour lines with a thin stroke and a light background. Export the map as a PNG or SVG at high resolution for print.
Open Canva, create a poster size such as A2 or 18x24 inches, and upload your exported map. Place it on the canvas and adjust the size.
Add a title, place name and coordinates in a clean font. Keep the layout simple so the contour lines stay the focus.
To show a hiking route, download the trail from hiking.waymarkedtrails.org as a GPX file. Import it into QGIS, style it as a bold line, and re-export the map.
Add the attribution line for the Copernicus DEM data in small text. Download the finished design as a PDF Print file.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a 90m DEM for large regions and 30m only for small areas, or QGIS will slow down.
Keep the contour interval consistent across the whole poster so the terrain reads clearly.
Check the licence and attribution requirements before selling any map you make.
Export at 300 DPI so the thin contour lines stay sharp when printed.
Questions
Do I need to pay for any software?
No. OpenTopography, QGIS and Canva all have free tiers that cover this workflow. Canva may charge for some premium templates and elements.
Can I map my own hiking trail?
Yes. Download the trail as a GPX file from a site like Waymarked Trails, import it into QGIS, and style it as a line before exporting to Canva.
What resolution should I export for printing?
Export a PDF Print or a 300 DPI PNG from Canva. That keeps contour lines crisp on A2 or 18x24 inch posters.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
