The names of the eight adjacent topo maps are specified on the four sides and four corners of a topo map. Data for several coordinate systems, including latitude/longitude and UTM, are contained on the map border. Latitude and longitude values, listed as degrees-minutes-seconds, are adjacent to black tick marks on the border. UTM values, listed as meters, are adjacent to blue tick marks on the border. To get information on intermediate values between the tick marks of the coordinate system of interest, the user interpolates between two values at adjacent tick marks for the same coordinate system. USGS 7 1/2 minute series topo maps that have been created or updated since 1982 have the UTM grid superimposed on them. The UTM zone (to be discussed later), map datum, and projection information are given in the lower left corner of the map.

The map name and quadrangle reference are given in the upper right and lower right corners. A diagram at the bottom of the map indicates true north, magnetic north, and grid north relative to the map orientation. Magnetic declination is the difference between magnetic north, indicated by an arrow terminating with the letters MN, and true north, indicated by a line terminating with a star. In the Central California area, neglecting to take into account the magnetic declination will result in an error of 1/4 mile for each mile of travel. Grid north, indicated by the line terminating in the letters GN in the same diagram with magnetic north and true north, indicates the orientation of the UTM grid on the topo map compared to true north. The scale, contour interval, and important symbols contained on the map are described in the legend at the bottom of the topo map.