You have learned that a contour are lines of equal elevation. Contours make it possible to tell where mountains and valleys are located. They help us recognize the shape of the land. If the contours are close together, the land rises quickly and the area is steep. If the contours are far apart then the area is a gentle slope.

If you practice reading a contour map, you can learn to visualize the topography in a glance. A hill or mountain for example, is marked by high contours surrounded by lower contours (figure A). A ridge has the higher contours inside the lower contours (figure B). A valley or canyon has lower contours inside the higher contours (figure C).

Complete the following lab sheet to learn more about reading topographic maps with the maps provided by your teacher.