Lesson 6 Lab

Lesson 6 Lab

Terrain and Trails Visualization

In this lab, you will be creating a map of the (imaginary) Paradise Valley Trail Run in southern San Francisco, California. Imagine the final map will be handed out in race packets - what do trail runners and their supporters want to see? As the race takes place over hilly terrain, you will first design the terrain backdrop of the map, and then add overlay data such as route paths, water stops, and general base data. Finally, you'll put it all together in a layout with an elevation profile for the 10K route and map marginalia.

This lab, which you will submit at the end of Lesson 6, will be reviewed/critiqued by one of your classmates in Lesson 7 (critique #4).

Lab Objectives

• Create a trail map for the Paradise Valley Trail Run in southern San Francisco, California.
• Symbolize routes and route points of interest (e.g., water stations) using category and hierarchy.
• Use the supplied DEM to generate additional terrain layers; design and layer them into an aesthetically-pleasing base layer using transparency and symbology options in ArcGIS.
• Create an inset map that works with the primary map to provide locational context to the map reader.
• Build the map into a layout with an elevation profile for the 10k route, an inset map, and appropriate marginal elements (scale bar; titles; legend).

Overall Lab Requirements

For Lab 6, you will be creating only one map layout, though it will contain several different elements: the primary map, an inset map, an elevation profile, and marginal elements (scale bars, north arrows, text, and legend).

Map Requirements

Map One: Primary Map

• Use the provided DEM to generate contours, hillshade, and curvature terrain layers: design and layer terrain data into an aesthetically-pleasing base layer using transparency and symbology options in ArcGIS.
• Symbolize and label all routes and points of interest (water stations; endpoints; mile markers) related to the trail run using category and hierarchy.
• Symbolize and label additional base layer data from The National Map (transportation; hydrography; boundaries) as appropriate for additional map base context.
• Orient the map in a way that works for displaying routes – do not orient this map directly North-up.
• Use the feature editor to edit layers if desired; create arrows to show the direction of both routes.

Map Two: Inset Map

• Label prominent map features as appropriate at this scale.
• The intent of this map is to provide locational context for people unfamiliar with the location—design features and labels accordingly.
• Include an extent indicator to show the location of the primary map.

Layout requirements

• Add an elevation profile chart showing the terrain of the 10K route.
• Include your two map frames at appropriate scales (main map and locator/inset map).
• Create and include appropriate marginal elements:
  • two north arrows (one for each map);
  • as many scale bars as you deem necessary; use clean design and sensible labels;
  • a legend: design its style, placement, and descriptive text;
  • a hierarchy of marginal text (e.g., title, subtitle, data source, your name, legend text, legend title) – not necessarily in this order.
• Create a balanced page layout (either portrait or landscape). Attend to negative space.

Lab Instructions

1. Download the Lab 6 zipped file (227.3 MB). It contains:
   • a project (.aprx) file to be opened in ArcGIS Pro;
   • a database that includes the spatial data needed to start this lab.
     • Data source: Base data and DEM from The National Map.
     • Additional data was created by the course developer. Lengths of routes and locations of mile markers are approximate.
2. Extract the zipped folder, and double-click the blue (.aprx) file to open ArcGIS Pro.
   • All data you will need to complete this lab has already been downloaded to the included geodatabase.

Grading Criteria

A rubric is posted for your review.

Note: While Paradise Valley is a real place in California, data related to the Paradise Valley Trail Run in this lab was invented and built by the course author. Any existence of a real event with this name or in this location is coincidental. The Resources menu links to important supporting materials, while the Lessons menu links to the course lessons that provide the primary instructional materials for the course.

Need Guidance?

Please refer to Lesson 6 Lab Visual Guide.