This is a list of various websites I find useful for planning trips and adventures.
Wildnerness.net
This website has an amazing map utility that is very handy for planning outdoor excursions. The site uses a Google Maps interface which shows the boundary outlines of wilderness areas managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. The map not only shows satellite and terrain mode, but also a topo mode.
ACME Mapper
This is just a map with different viewing options. I think the TOPO feature is kind of handy when you don’t want to bust out your topographic map files.
Wikimapia.org
This site is a great collection of information about what locations are. You can use the map to look at areas and then see markers and descriptions of what a certain location or area is. Quite useful for the “hey, I’ve always wondered what was over there” questions.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS)
The Unites States Geological Survey site has great topo map utility that allows you to locate and then download topographical maps for almost the entire United States. This is very useful if you want to print out your own topo maps rather than buying them.
National Parks Service
Sometimes the easiest and best way to get information about the outdoors is to just check out the National Parks Service website. Navigate to the National Park you plan on going to and check out the information they have. The online maps can be particularly useful.