GIS APPLICATIONS IN GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION PART II: EXAMPLES FROM GRAND CANYON HIKING TRAIL MAPS DEVELOPED FOR THE WEBSITE, INTHEPLAYGROUNDOFGIANTS.COM

The geologically-themed website, In the Playground of Giants (www.intheplaygroundofgiants.com) provides an online teaching tool for professionals, natural history enthusiasts, outdoor recreationists and the like by offering a wealth of basic geological information, and specific details on regionally themed, geological “learning laboratories.” It primarily serves to summarize the available information on specific areas of outstanding geological significance and provides multiple “field trips” that offer accurate, descriptive road route and hiking trail logs in those themed areas. Static hiking trail maps to accompany these field trips were developed as a collaborative effort between Dr. Bevis and his students using ArcGIS. In this poster, maps of optional hiking trails associated with field trip road routes are presented from the Grand Canyon region. Trailhead locations for each optional hiking trail can be found using the website’s smaller scale auto-touring route maps (see Part I; Bevis, Cox, and Kumler). In general, each “map” is two-sided and contains detailed information on a specific hiking trail that is summarized in the form of a larger scale static hiking trail map (on the “front” side) and a descriptive log of the hiking trail route (on the “reverse” side). Each hiking trail map is a composite of several layers generated in ArcGIS. The basal layer is a color geologic map generated from USGS 30x60 minute geologic map data, overlain by layers displaying elevation contours and water courses generated from USGS Topo Map Vector Data. Two additional layers generated by “heads-up” digitizing from USGS 7.5-minute topographic map raster data include the hiking trail’s route and mile marker locations cross-referenced with specific stops described in the hiking trail’s log on the reverse side of the map. The intention is to produce readily transportable interpretive maps that are versatile enough to be used during pre-hike planning and that can be folded and carried in the field for reference during the hike. In the future, these static maps will be available as PDF downloads from the In The Playground Of Giants website.