Topographic maps became a signature product of the USGS because the public found them - then and now - to be a critical and versatile tool for viewing the nation's vast landscape. Get Topo Maps Current US Topos and historical topographic maps are available as digital files or printed to order. Learn More Create an OnDemand Topo Topographic maps represent the locations of geographical features, such as hills and valleys. Topographic maps use contour lines to show different elevations on a map. A contour line is a type of isoline; in this case, a line of equal elevation. If you walk along a contour line you will not go uphill or downhill. A topographic map is a detailed and accurate illustration of man-made and natural features on the ground such as roads, railways, power transmission lines, contours, elevations, rivers, lakes and geographical names. The topographic map is a two-dimensional representation of the Earth’s three-dimensional landscape. lLfInc.