Tom Harrison Maps
Tom Harrison Maps, founded 1976 in California, designs and sells approximately 39 waterproof tear-resistant topographic trail maps for California hikers and backpackers via direct e-commerce, select retail partners, and the Avenza Maps app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersSan Rafael, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tom Harrison Maps does
Tom Harrison Maps is a privately held California-only print trail map publisher founded in 1976. The company designs, produces, and distributes approximately 39 waterproof, tear-resistant topographic trail maps covering California hiking destinations, with single-map pricing between $10.95 and $13.95 and bundle products (JMT Map-Pack at $21.95, High Country Bundle at $52.60). The maps are the company's primary technical product — printed on synthetic substrates rather than paper, field-validated through on-trail surveying, and periodically revised (the Bishop Pass map was updated in February 2025).
Distribution is omnichannel but lightweight: the company sells direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce store, ships from a Southern California fulfillment point, distributes to select retail partners including outdoor specialty stores, and licenses its map content as digital layers within the Avenza Maps mobile application. There is no public statement of platform architecture, no API surface, and no AI/ML capability disclosed. The business operates without outside capital, with no management team or headcount disclosed in the input.
The company serves individual California hikers, backpackers, and outdoor recreation consumers, with an explicit and long-standing decision to remain California-only. Revenue mechanics are straightforward unit sales with bundle attached products; no subscription, enterprise, or advertising layer is disclosed, and there are no named commercial customers beyond retail partners. The model is best characterized as a niche specialist publisher monetizing brand trust, cartographic specificity, and durable physical-product utility.
Tom Harrison Maps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tom Harrison Maps
- Legal name
- Tom Harrison Maps
- Website
- https://tomharrisonmaps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Tom Harrison Maps, founded 1976 in California, designs and sells approximately 39 waterproof tear-resistant topographic trail maps for California hikers and backpackers via direct e-commerce, select retail partners, and the Avenza Maps app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tom Harrison Maps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Outdoor topographic maps
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (56152)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA), Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB)
Keywords
Where Tom Harrison Maps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Rafael
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tom Harrison Maps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Physical Map Sales: Sale of waterproof topographic maps directly to consumers through e-commerce website. Individual maps priced at $10.95-$13.95, with bundle options available. One-time purchase model.
- Digital Map Sales (Avenza): Digital maps available exclusively through Avenza Maps app for mobile devices. Can only be viewed using the Avenza Maps app and cannot be printed. One-time digital purchase.
- Map Bundles: Bundled map products like the High Country Map Bundle offering 20% savings versus individual map purchases. Includes multiple related maps covering connected trail areas.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Individual Maps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | High Country Map Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Digital Maps via Avenza |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Tom Harrison Maps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tom Harrison Maps publishes and sells full-color, shaded-relief topographic maps for hiking, backpacking, and mountain biking in California parks, forests, and wilderness areas. The catalog includes approximately 39 individual map titles covering eight California regions, plus bundled map packs such as the John Muir Trail Map-Pack and the High Country Map Bundle. Maps are printed on waterproof, tear-resistant paper, and digital editions are sold exclusively through the Avenza Maps mobile app.
Product overview
Tom Harrison Maps publishes waterproof, tear-resistant, full-color, shaded-relief topographic maps for hiking, backpacking, and mountain biking in Parks, Forests, and Wilderness Areas exclusively in California. The company offers approximately 39 individual trail map products across 8 geographic regions (Bay Area, Central Sierra, Desert, Mammoth Area, Northern CA, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Southern CA, and Yosemite Area), plus a High Country Map Bundle that combines 5 maps covering the Mt Whitney to Yosemite corridor at a discounted price. Maps feature color-coded symbols, trail distances, elevation data, and are designed for outdoor use in all conditions. Digital versions are available exclusively through the Avenza Maps platform for mobile devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Maps designed so users don't need to know how to read a map or use a compass
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Tom Harrison Maps
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Tom Harrison Maps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature5 records
Tom Harrison Maps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Avenza MapscoreDigital maps are available exclusively through Avenza Maps. Maps can only be viewed using the Avenza Maps app, downloaded to mobile devices, and cannot be printed. This partnership enables the company to serve mobile-first outdoor enthusiasts.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Tom Harrison Maps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AllTrails: AllTrails is a trail discovery and navigation platform with millions of user-contributed trail reviews and GPS-guided maps. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a primary resource for California hikers choosing routes, and increasingly a substitute for pre-trip printed map planning.
- Gaia GPS: Gaia GPS is a leading mobile outdoor navigation app offering offline topographic maps, GPX tracking, and subscription-based premium content. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as the dominant digital alternative for wilderness navigation in California and beyond, particularly for hikers and backcountry users.
- FarOut (formerly Guthook Guides): FarOut provides digital trail guides and navigation app for long-distance hikers, particularly the Pacific Crest Trail. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a navigation resource for the same long-distance California trail users (PCT/JMT/High Sierra Trail) served by the John Muir Trail Map-Pack.
- National Geographic Maps: National Geographic Maps publishes topographic and trail maps (including Trails Illustrated line) covering US national parks and wilderness areas. Highly comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as both are publishers of waterproof, trail-focused maps for outdoor recreation, though National Geographic operates at national scale across multiple US regions.
- Adventure Maps (MyTopo): MyTopo/Adventure Maps creates custom and pre-printed topographic trail maps for hiking, hunting, and outdoor recreation. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a competitive map publisher offering custom-printed topographic and recreational maps using USGS data.
Emerging players
- Cairn: Cairn is a GPS tracking and safety app for outdoor enthusiasts with crowdsourced trail coverage. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a newer digital navigation option for California hikers, though more focused on backcountry safety and trip sharing than topographic detail.
Regional players
- REI Co-op: REI sells outdoor gear and maps through its retail and e-commerce channels, including curated trail maps for major US destinations. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a retail channel partner and competitor sourcing third-party map content for the same California hikers.
Broad incumbents
- USGS (United States Geological Survey): USGS publishes the official US topographic map series (US Topo and historical quad maps) covering all of California for free or low cost. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as the ultimate authoritative source of topographic data, though their maps are less trail-specialized and less user-friendly for recreational hikers.
- Avenza Maps: Avenza Maps is the mobile mapping platform that distributes Tom Harrison Maps' digital catalog and thousands of other publishers' maps. Comparable as the underlying digital infrastructure for cartographic publishing and as a competitor marketplace that hosts rival California trail maps.
- Sierra Club: Sierra Club is a major outdoor advocacy organization with historical involvement in trail mapping and wilderness guide publishing. Comparable to Tom Harrison Maps as a heritage California/wilderness mapping brand targeting the same hiking and conservation-oriented audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tom Harrison Maps social profiles
Digital presenceTom Harrison Maps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tom Harrison Maps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tom Harrison Maps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tom Harrison 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 Tom Harrison Maps
What does Tom Harrison Maps do?
Tom Harrison Maps publishes and sells full-color, shaded-relief topographic maps for hiking, backpacking, and mountain biking in California parks, forests, and wilderness areas. The catalog includes approximately 39 individual map titles covering eight California regions, plus bundled map packs such as the John Muir Trail Map-Pack and the High Country Map Bundle. Maps are printed on waterproof, tear-resistant paper, and digital editions are sold exclusively through the Avenza Maps mobile app.
Is Tom Harrison Maps a public or private company?
Tom Harrison Maps is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tom Harrison Maps founded?
Tom Harrison Maps was founded in 1976.
Where is Tom Harrison Maps based?
Tom Harrison Maps is headquartered in San Rafael, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tom Harrison Maps make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Physical Map Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Map Sales (Avenza) and map Bundles.
Who are Tom Harrison Maps's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AllTrails, Gaia GPS, FarOut (formerly Guthook Guides), National Geographic Maps and Adventure Maps (MyTopo). Cairn is listed as an emerging player. REI Co-op is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are USGS (United States Geological Survey), Avenza Maps and Sierra Club.
Does Tom Harrison Maps have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tom Harrison Maps.
What industry is Tom Harrison Maps in?
Tom Harrison Maps's product category is Outdoor topographic maps. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAH, Travel & Outdoors Magazines, with a secondary code of THAAADAA, Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators. Its NAICS code is 56152 and its SIC code is 7330.