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Working at a print shop I used to print my own maps. I'd just grab a bunch of online displayed topo squares and then put all of them together, lining them up later in a graphic program then print on the plotter- very cheap, very time consuming. This began to be a long winded task, especially with my home's map room wall decor needs.
![map room]("http://www.higherground4x4.com/forums/uploaded/Products/map_room.jpg"){kind=link}
I'd been using MyTopo's online maps for a while because their search feature for areas like mines, tanks, springs, etc was great for scanning areas ahead of time.
*mmmm Arizona sounds like a delightful place to live
I decided to suck it up and try out some printed maps offered online. Most maps available for purchase are limited to area or quads, meaning you may need 2 - 6 different ones to cover the area you're exploring or visiting. I found that MyTopo.com included a custom user interface that allowed each user to select any area they wanted to be on their maps with simple click and drag ease.
In addition to the information listed on their online maps, the printed updated topos also add the road/trail numbers.
There's plenty of time to move, set scale, and tweak before committing to your custom map and at $15 for a waterproof 2x3 you really can't go wrong. You can also add shading to them for aid elevation recognition.
Low res Preview seen with mining claims outlined - Imogene Pass
In conclusion, due to my love of maps and customization, I've really enjoyed MyTopo for my printed map needs. My last 5 wall maps have been printed by them and have helped with all my trip planning, hiking/offroad/caving prospects, bear sightings, and camp spots. The 3'x4' topo made for this year's Higher Ground CO trip covers over 15 different quads and is all map pinned up in anticipation of the real thing.
*interestingly enough, this year's Manmping trip will begin right next to the map POI at the top of this page