GPS help -- 24k, 100k, or other maps

[Tystevens]

I just purchased a Garmin Etrex 20, and am looking for the best ways to use it. I mostly want it just to track my hikes and stuff, but on some occasions, I want route guidance and mapping help. I'm noticing that it doesn't come loaded with maps that are any help at all in the mountains, and after going through a few free ones, they don't seem like a great solution. So, it appears I may need to pony up and buy some of the Garmin maps.

For guidance on trails, is there a difference between the 24k and 100k maps? I understand the differences in scale, but I am not finding much good information pertaining to trails. Of course, the 100k would be better if it will work for me, as I can get one map for the West as opposed to buying 2-3 maps on the 24k scale.

Or, has anyone found a good free trail map that they like and works as well as the Garmin stuff?

Thanks in advance from a GPS newb.

[jman]

I have a garnin 60csx and use the UT topo map set, located at http://www.miscjunk.org/mj/mp_main.html

It has pretty much everything I could ever need, as well as want, and is free.

Was this one of the ones you tried?

[Tystevens]

Thanks for the tip. I just downloaded that one, and it looks like a good topo map.

I guess ideally, I'd like to be able to click on a start point and an end point and have it suggest a trail to take, give me the distance and elevation gain and all of that. I have found some other forum posts indicating that the 24k maps have trails that are 'routeable,' which is what I take that to mean. My expectations may be unreasonable, however!

But at a minimum, I need to be able to see where the trails are; the topo you suggested doesn't seem to have trails on it. Is there another trail map I can overlay on the topo map perhaps?