Outstanding maps of extraordinary places for people who love the outdoors.
MISSION & APPROACH
Creating extraordinary outdoor recreation maps for outdoor enthusiasts is our passion, our mission and our reason for being.
OUR INTENSIVE PROCESS BLENDS THE BEST ASPECTS OF OLD WORLD MAP MAKING WITH ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF HIGH TECH DATA AND LEADING EDGE DIGITAL DESIGN.
Every area we map is truly special - so we are committed to ensuring that our maps capture the beauty of these landscapes by making the most detailed, accurate and beautifully designed outdoor recreation maps available.
THE PURPLE LIZARD KEY TO EXCEPTIONAL OUTDOOR RECREATION MAPS
IMMERSION
While making Lizard Maps we immerse ourselves in the real world landscapes and communities, gathering local knowledge, learning about the cool lizard spots and getting lost when necessary so our customers are less likely to get lost - unless that is their plan!
CURATION
To bring our loyal customers the best map available, we gather information from all sources and carefully sort out what's true and what's not, selecting the information that our users, outdoor recreation enthusiasts of all types, are seeking. We focus on all types of outdoor recreation, not just one, so our maps show all the options in an area that are open for public access - by foot, bike, horse, motor, air or water.
After well over a thousand hours of careful research, design and selection, each Purple Lizard map is especially curated to the outdoor adventurer.
QUALITY
WHY REAL WORLD MAPS?
Beginners in the outdoor recreation community often ask us why we make paper maps? Real maps are the key to outstanding outdoor experience.
The reasons are too many to count, but here are just a few:
THE BIG PICTURE
Planning outstanding outdoor recreation means understanding the whole picture of an area and seeing all your options - this requires a real map beyond the scope of a screen carefully curated for the outdoor user.
ACCURACY
Online sources and maps not focused on the outdoor user often include loads of information that you don't need or want at the expense of omitting information you do need.
DETAIL
Each Lizard Map is designed to give you the big picture of all the outdoor recreation opportunities in the area. Our 2ft by 3ft maps include hydrography (stream, river and other water data), and detailed topography (including elevation models), so you can sit down, spread out, and make a real world plan that works. And folded up in your backpack, or back pocket, while you are out there you can easily make plan B, plan C, plan D too!
UNPLUGGED EXPERIENCE
A paper map gives you the increasingly rare opportunity to unplug and be fully present in the experience when exploring outdoors.
We are proud to map lots of places where cell coverage (and battery recharging) isn't available which of course makes a paper map absolutely essential part of your outdoor adventure gear, but as any outdoor adventurer knows, even if online or digital resources are available over-reliance on screen based maps ties us to the world of devices and distraction that many of us are trying to escape. Like many things in life, showing up fully makes the experience all that more beautiful.
CONNECTION AND RESPECT FOR PLACE
Because we make real maps and need all the ground-truthing and the unique level of detail and local knowledge that an exceptional map requires, our customers get an opportunity to really explore the forest and communities we map in a way that creates the opportunity to form a deeper connection to the place.
We care about the communities and the landscapes and and that care comes through in the maps and how we do our work, the details we provide, what is included, and the people involved in the process.