Directions to Lat/Long coordinates?

[Midwest Michael]

I need to provide directions for a large group of people to a fairly remote location. I can't get any online map program to accept an address for this place, but I do know the Latitude and Longitude.

Does anyone know of any online software other than Google that allows you to get directions to a point using Lat/Long Coordinates?

Google will do it, but I'm not a fan of their map displays - they simply highlight a path through blank space unless you are zoomed in very close.

Mapquest will plot a point using Lat/Long, and it shows the road I need at a medium distance, but it doesn't appear they will let you get directions to that spot.

Rand McNally and MSN won't even accept Lat/Long for anything.

So, any suggestions? Is there some other online software I've forgotten about? Should I just suck it up and buy Streets and Trips (and if so, does that software accept them)? Or do I just give my guest the coordinates and let them figure it out on their own?

[AZBuck]

For such purposes, I like the Tiger Map Server from, of all people, the US Census Bureau. It will not give directions, but then I am not a fan of computer generated directions in any event, but it will let you map to precise lat/lon co-ordinates at any scale and with any overlays that you wish. Unfortunately, I do not at the moment have access to my full panoply of mapping links and software, so I can't tell you what S&T has to offer in this regards, but will check later today.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

I need to provide directions for a large group of people to a fairly remote location. I can't get any online map program to accept an address for this place, but I do know the Latitude and Longitude.

TrekNow has an inventory of off-highway guides that might also be a good service.

Sounds intriguing -- is this related to your job?

Mark

[PNW Judy]

MS Streets & Trips works with lattitude/longitude. Under "Tools" click on "Location Sensor".

Hope one of the freebies works for you. However, to me, this is a good excuse to get S&T. I'm a fan.

[W. Larrison]

In the past, I've gotten lat/ long from www.topozone.com You can move the cursor and read off the location in decimal lattitude and longitude.

Another good tool I have at home is TOPO! from the national Geographic society. This provided me with 7.5' USGS topographic maps of California for about $50 (on sale) and of the entire US at 15' sections for another $50 (also on sale). Routes and Waypoints located on these maps can be downloaded to my GPS and vice versa.

The old MSN maps site (which I liked A LOT more than the current site) reads out the position in the URL as decimal lattitude and longitude. You can still get to the old site at http://maps.msn.com/(jzetah55qcsh3re...redirect=false

If you want to put in a location and then generate directions to it, there are a couple of ways..

a) modifty the URL in the old MSN maps site to the location you want, and it should put a pushpin at that point. Then you can have the program calculate directions to that point. However, if if there are no roads shown to that point, it won't generate a full set of direcitons.

b) use one of the internet mapping engines to generate directions to a nearby point and then modify the directions to go the (hopefully short) remaining distance to the final destination.

[Mark Sedenquist]

The old MSN maps site (which I liked A LOT more than the current site) reads out the position in the URL as decimal lattitude and longitude

Actually I liked the even older generation version of this application. It was developed by MapBlast! and acquired by MSN -- but I agree that the version you found is still easier to use than the current one touted by MSN!

Thanks for the link!

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

Thanks for all the ideas, I did try playing with all of them.

Unfortuantly none of those sites really did what I was looking for in this particular case. The location I'm trying to direct people to is on a decommissioned state (currently county) highway, that despite being a gravel road, still shows up on most paper maps. I was hoping just to do some one stop shopping and be able to use a site to print out directions and a good map all in one spot.

Its looking like I'll probably use coordinates to generate a map on mapquest, and then build my own set of directions to accompany it.

Actually I liked the even older generation version of this application. It was developed by MapBlast! and acquired by MSN

I too was a huge fan of mapblast. I was very disappointed when Microsoft bought them out, and I still haven't found a site I like as well as I liked that one.

Sounds intriguing -- is this related to your job?

Nope. I'm just planning a large party at a small country church and need to help people find a way there.