Planning one's own bike route using maps in unfamiliar areas

[ABG]

I frequently look on online map resources, such as Google maps, for interesting bike routes. Frequently, I will look for long roads not marked as main roads but as side streets and with few intersections, some with things like parks or lakes beside them if possible, print out maps and draw lines to connect them. I have ridden many interesting routes doing this. The only problem is, frequently map programs and even some hard-copy maps will not distinguish paved roads from dirt roads, and sometimes a road shown on a map is gated and used only as a dirt service road (thus not suitable for road bike tires). Even worse, occasionally a portion of a road does not even exist anymore! Usually this is due to housing development, road reconfiguration, or bridges being destroyed and not replaced; basically, due to old map data.

I wanted to know if anyone knew which online map programs are more accurate than others. And which, if any, will distinguish dirt surface roads from paved roads (I seem to be out of luck on this one). Thanks for any help on this matter, and yes, maybe I should invest in a $25 street atlas.

 

[Lrac6]

I've used Google Earth to find bike paths - and to plot distances of paths.

 

[ABG]

I've used Google Earth to find bike paths - and to plot distances of paths.

I hadn't heard of Google Earth before; thanks for pointing that out. The maps are more up-to-date than most online map programs, which is good, and it has a free path tool which is tedious to use but I can finally get the distance of a drawn path with it and estimate mileage. Oh, and it shows many landmarks, such as gas stations, restaurants, churches and schools, which is great. So far, I've actually found topozone.com to be the best tool for showing dirt roads as opposed to paved roads, and it also shows land contours and major trails. It also shows each and every building (at the time of publishing). However, the free map data on topozone.com is somewhat out of date, as many newer roads (and new buildings) that other maps show, such as new subdivisions, are not there.

So for now I'll have to use multiple map programs. But thanks for pointing out Google Earth, an additional tool I can use.