TopoQuest is a free web mapping service built on open source software that provides internet-based topographic map for most of the United States.
The site is one of three internet services used by Wikipedia for providing topographic maps.
It arose to prominence in May 2008 after TopoZone through its new trails.com owners required payment for access to its maps.
Niemi first experimented with a mapping program in July 2001 as a Linux, PHP and MySQL alternative to Microsoft's TerraServer-USA topographic mapviewer.
After Topozone started the for pay business model on April 8, 2008, Niemi made updates to get the website to match the Topozone URL methodology for viewing 1:24K USGS Digital raster graphic maps available from the Libre Map Project and Internet Archive and was operating by May 2008.