Lines · Draw or tap out a line
Measure distance on a map of Oregon
Measure distance on a map of Oregon by tapping out a line, corner by corner, over aerial imagery. The length appears instantly, in feet or miles.
It is the plan distance. On steep ground the fence you buy is longer; draw the same line with Elevation Profile to get the climb.
Free to run · pay to download
Free to run, and free to save as a PNG image of the map. This tool has no file export of its own. For the terrain as a file, Download Data exports contours, a GeoTIFF or a 3D mesh with a pass: US$29 for 24 hours, US$99 for 30 days or US$399 for 12 months.
Who uses this
- Farmers, ranchers and owners. Price a fence, a hedge or a pipe run before pacing it out.
When to use it
- A quick length for a fence line, a pipe run, a hedge or a boundary before you pace it out.
- Checking how far apart two places are without the terrain getting in the way.
Tools for your job
Measure is one step in a bigger question. These are the jobs it helps with, and the tools that go with it.
For the job: Hikes, runs and rides
How much climbing, and how far?
- 1.Elevation Profile — Distance, total climb and descent, and the steep sections.
- 2.Elevate a File — Replaces the noisy altitude in a GPX from a watch or phone with lidar ground elevation.
- 3.Measure (this tool) — A quick flat distance between points.
How to use it
- Open Measure and tap out the line, corner by corner. Undo removes the last point.
- Choose Done. The panel shows the total length and how many points the line has.
- Draw new line to start again.
Step by step: Mount Hood
We measure the same line from the lodge up the mountain.
1.Open Measure, tap out the line and choose Done.
2.The panel shows the map length of the line and the number of points. The line climbs steeply, so the walk is a little longer; Elevation Profile shows the climb.
What it showed
- Measure gives flat distance only. For climb and grade, draw the same line in Elevation Profile.
How it works
The length is computed on the earth’s surface between each pair of corners and added up. No elevation is read, which is why the result is instant and works anywhere on the map.
Reading the results
This is the plan distance, as a map or a site plan would show it. On steep ground the distance you walk, or the fence you buy, is longer: about 6% more on a 20-degree slope and about 15% more on 30 degrees.
For the climb along the same line, and the grade of each section, draw it with Elevation Profile instead.
Limits and caveats
- Flat distance only. It does not follow the rise and fall of the ground.
- Accurate to where you tap. Zoom in for corners that matter.
Data and attribution
Results come from the USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) bare-earth elevation model: lidar at 3.3 ft per pixel where it has been flown, and the 1/3 arc-second model, about 33 ft per pixel, elsewhere, with elevations above NAVD 88. The tools with a surface option (Sunlight, Viewshed, Sightline, Object Heights) read DOGAMI’s statewide digital surface model of trees and buildings.
USGS 3DEP elevation data and USGS maps are U.S. Government works in the public domain: you may use the results, including commercially. A credit to the USGS 3D Elevation Program is appreciated, and every file you download carries it. DOGAMI lidar products are published by the State of Oregon; credit "DOGAMI / Oregon Lidar Consortium". County taxlot boundaries are the assessor's GIS data, not surveys, and each county publishes its own disclaimer, shown with the parcel. The aerial basemap is from Esri and follows Esri's terms; it is not included in downloads.
Questions
Does it allow for slope?
No. It is flat map distance. On a 20° slope the ground distance is about 6% longer, on 30° about 15%.
Ready to try it?
Open Measure on the map →Free to use, no account. The analysis runs in your browser on public-domain USGS 3DEP data. Downloading the results needs a pass: see pricing.