Benchmark Maps
Benchmark Maps is a privately held cartographic publishing company, founded in 1995 and operating as a division of East View, producing field-checked recreation atlases, folded maps, and wall maps for outdoor enthusiasts across the American West and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Benchmark Maps does
Benchmark Maps is a privately held cartographic publishing company founded in 1995 and operated as a division or subsidiary of East View, a company specializing in maps and geospatial information. The company produces field-checked recreation atlases, folded maps, and wall maps, with an 18+ title flagship Road & Recreation Atlas series covering the American West and extending into the northeastern United States (New England, Southern Appalachians) and international markets (British Columbia, Baja California). Its product portfolio also includes 60+ folded recreation maps, 28+ wall maps (state, local, and national park formats), discounted map bundles, downloadable digital maps distributed via the Avenza Maps app on iOS and Android, and bespoke custom cartographic services for businesses and organizations.
The company's core technology combines traditional field-verified cartography with proprietary presentation features such as its trademarked Landscape Maps™, multi-scale mapping (Recreation Maps, Landscape Maps, and Metro Maps), BLM/State land overlays, US Forest Service in-holding boundaries, and hypsometric elevation tinting. Data is compiled through direct research from public land management agencies and US Forest Service Motor-Vehicle Use datasets, supplemented by on-the-ground road-checking. This methodology underpins award recognition including the 2022 ICA-IMIA Recognition of Excellence in Cartography for the Alaska Wall Map and the 2023 1st Place Reference Map and ICA-IMIA Recognition of Excellence for the British Columbia Road & Recreation Atlas at the Esri User Conference.
Benchmark Maps monetizes primarily through one-time purchases of physical products at price points ranging from $7.95 (folded maps) to $379.95 (full atlas bundle), plus digital downloads and bespoke cartographic services. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce at benchmarkmaps.com with broad retail placement across REI, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, Barnes & Noble, Murdochs, Amazon, and Avenza Maps. The company serves outdoor recreation enthusiasts, road-trip travelers, hunters, anglers, 4x4/OHV users, and geographic/map collectors, with an employee base of 1-10 and headquarters in Oregon.
Benchmark Maps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Benchmark Maps
- Legal name
- Benchmark Maps
- Website
- https://benchmarkmaps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Benchmark Maps is a privately held cartographic publishing company, founded in 1995 and operating as a division of East View, producing field-checked recreation atlases, folded maps, and wall maps for outdoor enthusiasts across the American West and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Benchmark Maps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recreation Cartography and Maps
- NAICS
- Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Navigation, Lighting & Outdoor Electronics Retail (CRAMAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Local & City Guide Content Aggregators (MPACAKAJ), Tours/Activities/Attractions Content Aggregators & APIs (THALAJAH)
Keywords
Where Benchmark Maps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Benchmark Maps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Physical Atlases and Maps: One-time purchase revenue from physical products including Road & Recreation Atlases ($24.95-$34.95 individually), folded recreation maps ($7.95-$9.95), wall maps ($199.95+), and bundled products ($31.95-$379.95).
- Digital Map Downloads: Digital versions of maps available through Avenza Maps app for iOS and Android mobile devices. One-time purchase downloads.
- Custom Cartographic Services: Custom map creation services for companies, organizations, or individuals wanting high-quality cartographic content. Customers fill out inquiry form to begin custom map projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Road & Recreation Atlases |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Atlas Bundles |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Folded Recreation Maps |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wall Maps |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels6 records
Benchmark Maps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Benchmark Maps publishes and sells field-checked Road & Recreation Atlases, Folded Recreation Maps, Wall Maps, Map Bundles, and Digital Maps for outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the American West and additional regions. The company also offers custom cartographic services for businesses, organizations, and individuals requiring high-quality bespoke map content. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, through major outdoor retailers, online marketplaces, and digital distribution partners.
Product overview
Benchmark Maps is a cartographic publishing company specializing in recreation atlases and maps of the American West and beyond. The product portfolio consists of four main product lines: Road & Recreation Atlases (large-format books with detailed Landscape Maps and Recreation Guides for specific states and regions), Folded Recreation Maps (portable single-sheet maps derived from atlas Recreation Guides), Wall Maps (large-format state, local, and special interest maps for display), and Map Bundles (discounted combinations of multiple products). The company also offers Digital Maps as downloadable content through the Avenza Maps app and Custom Maps/Cartographic Services for bespoke cartographic projects. All physical products feature field-checked accuracy, public land boundaries, categorized recreation listings, and multiple map scales including Recreation Maps, Landscape Maps, and Metro Maps. The flagship Road & Recreation Atlas series includes titles for 18 states/regions, with editions ranging from the original New Mexico atlas (first published in 1995) to new titles like the 2024 British Columbia atlas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Southern Appalachians Road & Recreation Atlas Comprehensive atlas covering the Southern Appalachian region spanning parts of 10 states, featuring Blue Ridge Parkway elevation profiles, guides for Great Smoky Mountain and Shenandoah National Parks, and 144 pages of Landscape Maps. 2nd Edition, 2026.
- Nevada Road & Recreation Atlas First atlas to comprehensively cover Nevada's public lands and outdoor recreation potential, featuring recreation maps showing public land ownership and hunting units, categorized guide of parks, forests, historic sites, and Las Vegas/Reno metro maps. 96 pages. 9th Edition, 2026.
- California Road & Recreation Atlas Comprehensive atlas for California featuring 48 more pages than previous editions, durable spiral-binding, detailed Landscape Maps, Recreation Guide, and Metro Maps for Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, and San Diego. 13th Edition, 2026.
- Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks Road & Recreation Atlas Most detailed maps in Benchmark's lineup in compact 8.5" x 11" format featuring redesigned Recreation section with five entirely new maps, field-checked Landscape Maps with backcountry campsites, and dedicated winter recreation maps. 80 pages. 2nd Edition, 2026.
- New England Road & Recreation Atlas Atlas covering Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island with 38-page Recreation Guide and 122 pages of Landscape Maps. Features ferry routes, long-distance trails, 4,000 footer guides, and dedicated Acadia National Park and Boston guides. 192 pages. 1st Edition, 2025.
- Texas Road & Recreation Atlas Large-format atlas for Texas featuring field-checked Landscape Maps revealing back-roads and land-forms, Recreation Guide with regional maps and categorized listings. 200 pages, spiral-bound. 3rd Edition, 2025.
- British Columbia Road & Recreation Atlas Atlas covering British Columbia featuring 118 pages of Landscape Maps with detailed roads and points of interest, Recreation Guide with categorized listings, and dedicated pages for mountain recreation and Okanagan Valley Wine Region. 176 pages. 1st Edition, 2024.
- Baja California Road & Recreation Atlas Atlas covering the Baja California Peninsula featuring state maps for Baja California and Baja California Sur, Regional maps, Recreation Guides, and detailed Landscape Maps. Includes guides for La Paz, Los Cabos Corridor, and Valle de Guadalupe wineries. 2nd Edition, 2024.
- Montana Road & Recreation Atlas Atlas for Montana featuring field-checked Landscape Maps with new hunting units, State/BLM map detail, USFS private inholdings, and comprehensive recreation guide. 128 pages. 6th Edition, 2024.
- Arizona Road & Recreation Atlas Comprehensive road and recreation atlas for Arizona featuring Landscape Maps, Recreation Guide with public lands, parks, campgrounds, and hunting information. 13th edition, 2024.
- Oregon Road & Recreation Atlas Atlas for Oregon (Benchmark's home state) featuring dramatically improved Landscape Maps with better terrain clarity and detail, field-checked road detail, and detailed Portland Metro Map. 112 pages. 11th Edition, 2024.
- Alaska, The Last Frontier Wall Map Oversized wall map measuring 9 ft wide x 5 ft tall featuring diverse coastlines and rugged interior of Alaska. Winner of ICA-IMIA Recognition of Excellence in Cartography at 2022 Esri User Conference. Hypsometric tinting highlights elevation range.
- Folded Recreation Maps Folded state and regional recreation maps built from the Recreation Guides within atlases. One side provides full state map with public land ownership, highways, recreation attractions, campgrounds, and hunting units. Reverse side includes categorized recreation listings. Priced $7.95-$9.95 individually.
- State Wall Maps Large-format wall maps for states featuring road networks, recreation opportunities, public lands, parks, monuments, boating & fishing access, campgrounds, historic sites, and hunting unit boundaries. Includes 28+ wall maps covering various states and regions.
- Local Wall Maps Large-format wall maps for specific local areas including national parks (Grand Canyon, Glacier, Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains), cities (Seattle, Anchorage), regions (Lake Tahoe, San Juan Mountains), and special interest areas.
- Map Bundles Bundled packages combining multiple atlases and/or maps at discounted prices. Includes regional bundles (Pacific Northwest, Southwest US, Rocky Mountains), state-specific bundles (California, Texas, Colorado), and comprehensive bundles (All Road & Recreation Atlases, One of Everything). Priced $31.95-$379.95.
- Digital Maps Digital map products available as downloads through the Avenza Maps app for mobile devices. Users can purchase and download recreation maps for offline use on iOS and Android devices.
- Custom Maps / Cartographic Services Custom cartographic services for businesses, organizations, or individuals requiring high-quality map content tailored to specific needs. Interested parties can fill out an inquiry form to begin the custom map process.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple cartography awards including 1st Place Reference Map at Esri UC 2023 and ICA-IMIA Recognition of Excellence
Companies that use Benchmark Maps
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Benchmark Maps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Benchmark Maps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Benchmark Maps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Geographic Maps: National Geographic produces recreation-oriented maps, atlases, and Trails Illustrated national park map products sold through outdoor retail. Most directly comparable competitor to Benchmark's Road & Recreation Atlas line, serving the same outdoor enthusiast customer with similar physical map/atlas formats.
- Tom Harrison Maps: Tom Harrison Maps produces recreation and trail maps primarily for California and the U.S. West, sold through outdoor retailers. Closely comparable on product format (folded paper maps), coverage geography, and target customer (backcountry recreationists).
- DeLorme (Garmin): DeLorme historically produced paper atlases (Atlas & Gazetteer series) directly comparable to Benchmark's state atlases; DeLorme is now part of Garmin, which has pivoted to digital navigation. They remain a category peer given shared heritage and overlapping outdoor navigation use cases.
- Raven Maps: Raven Maps produces decorative and reference wall maps of U.S. states and the world, directly overlapping Benchmark's State Wall Map and Local Wall Map lines on both product type and retail positioning.
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated: Trails Illustrated is National Geographic's line of topographic recreation maps for national parks and wilderness areas. Closely matches Benchmark's Yellowstone & Grand Teton atlas and other national park titles on product format and use case.
- Muir Way: Muir Way produces decorative and topographic wall maps and art prints for U.S. states, national parks, and outdoor themes, overlapping with Benchmark's wall map portfolio and outdoor gift/recreation customer base.
Emerging players
- Gaia GPS: Gaia GPS is a leading digital outdoor navigation app for hiking, hunting, and backcountry use. Represents the digital-native competitor to Benchmark's physical atlases and folded maps for the same outdoor recreation customer.
- AllTrails: AllTrails is a widely-used trail discovery and navigation platform. Addresses the same outdoor recreation trip-planning use case as Benchmark, but via a digital/app-first model rather than print atlases.
- onX Hunt: onX Hunt provides digital hunting and public land maps, directly competing with the hunting-unit information that Benchmark's Recreation Guides deliver. Strong overlap on the hunter persona customer.
Others
- Avenza Systems: Avenza operates the Avenza Maps app — Benchmark's digital distribution partner. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant whose platform enables Benchmark's digital downloads; comparable as a mapping technology provider adjacent to the same market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Benchmark Maps social profiles
Digital presenceBenchmark Maps compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Benchmark Maps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Benchmark Maps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Benchmark Maps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Benchmark Maps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Benchmark Maps
What does Benchmark Maps do?
Benchmark Maps publishes and sells field-checked Road & Recreation Atlases, Folded Recreation Maps, Wall Maps, Map Bundles, and Digital Maps for outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the American West and additional regions. The company also offers custom cartographic services for businesses, organizations, and individuals requiring high-quality bespoke map content. Products are sold direct-to-consumer, through major outdoor retailers, online marketplaces, and digital distribution partners.
Is Benchmark Maps a public or private company?
Benchmark Maps is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Benchmark Maps founded?
Benchmark Maps was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Benchmark Maps based?
Benchmark Maps is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does Benchmark Maps make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Physical Atlases and Maps are the primary driver. The others are digital Map Downloads and custom Cartographic Services.
Who are Benchmark Maps's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Geographic Maps, Tom Harrison Maps, DeLorme (Garmin), Raven Maps, National Geographic Trails Illustrated and Muir Way. Emerging players are Gaia GPS, AllTrails and onX Hunt. Avenza Systems is listed as an others.
Does Benchmark Maps have an API?
No public API is recorded for Benchmark Maps.
What industry is Benchmark Maps in?
Benchmark Maps's product category is Recreation Cartography and Maps. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAMAF, Navigation, Lighting & Outdoor Electronics Retail, with a secondary code of MPACAKAJ, Local & City Guide Content Aggregators. Its NAICS code is 541370 and its SIC code is 7330.