The NPMap Symbol Library is the National Park Service’s web map icon set. We integrate these icons into our other mapping tools, including Park Tiles and NPMap.js/NPMap Builder.
The latest version is 2.5.0. It was released on April 26, 2018.
Adapted for the web
We considered the following factors when adapting print map symbols for use on our web maps:
- Web map symbols need a slim profile to reduce bulk at multiple zoom levels, render well within placemarkers, and not interfere with other classes of information. As a result, we've eliminated the bounding box for our symbols.
- Supporting black and white versions of each assures we can render them clearly on top of a wide range of base maps and placemarkers.
- Two sizes have been designed for each symbol for greater cartographic flexibility: 14 and 22px.
Every pixel counts
When optimizing artwork at 14 and 22px, every pixel counts. We create our artwork to be as "pixel-perfect" as possible. In other words, we respect the pixel grid to make sure our symbols do not appear "fuzzy" on standard-resolution displays.
All our symbols are developed as resolution-independent scalable vector graphics (SVGs). Small SVGs that are not aligned to the pixel grid and/or optimized for their pixel dimensions fall apart, as their details are smaller than the pixels available to render them on screen:
Our modified sailing symbol provides an example of artwork that remains legible at the scale of pixels.
Screen capture of enlarged vector artwork:
Enlarged vector artwork in Pixel Preview mode:
Artwork at actual size:
GitHub repository
Development on new symbols has been temporarily suspended, but we do maintain a repository where you can access all source SVG artwork for download.