Get your Google Maps list into CalTopo

Convert to GPX or KML here, then import straight into CalTopo as markers — no manual geocoding.

Sample Exports

Free up to 25 waypoints per list. No account needed.

CalTopo is built for people planning routes and marking points off the beaten path — hunters, search-and-rescue volunteers, backcountry skiers — and it needs those points as real coordinates, not addresses. Google Takeout's saved-places export gives you a CSV of names and street addresses, with no coordinates attached, so CalTopo has nothing to actually plot.

MapsLinkQuest pulls the coordinates directly from the Google Maps list's own data, so there's no geocoding step to skip. Paste the share link, download either GPX or KML, and import it straight into CalTopo.

CalTopo brings each point in as an individual Marker, keeping the name attached, so they show up on the map exactly like markers you'd place by hand — editable, groupable into folders, and available for printing onto a custom map or exporting again to a handheld GPS unit.

On caltopo.com: open your map, click Import in the toolbar, and choose the GPX or KML file you downloaded. CalTopo brings in each point as a Marker automatically.

On mobile: the CalTopo app doesn't support file import directly — import the file on caltopo.com first, then your synced map (and its markers) will be available in the app the next time it syncs.

Common questions

Should I use GPX or KML for CalTopo?

Either works — CalTopo imports both as markers. GPX is the more universal choice if you'll also use the file on a handheld GPS unit; KML is fine if CalTopo is the only place you're importing it.

Will the imported points sync to the CalTopo mobile app?

Yes. Import the file on caltopo.com, and it'll appear in the app the next time your account syncs — there's no import option inside the app itself.

Do I need a CalTopo subscription to import markers?

No, importing GPX or KML files is available on CalTopo's free plan. Paid plans add extra map layers and printing features, not the import itself.

Can I import a list someone else shared with me, not one I created?

Yes — any public Google Maps list share link works, no matter who made it.

What happens to notes or descriptions in the original list?

Place names carry over as marker labels. Google Maps list notes aren't part of the list's underlying data, so they won't be included — only names and coordinates transfer.

Questions? Comments? Love this?

Bugs, use-cases, feature requests, whatever's on your mind, I read every one.