This is a minimalist topographical relief map of the United States, created by The Unique Maps Co. and refined with our trademarked Unique 3D process. There are no labels, no roads, and no towns — just landforms. With raking light that sharpens ridgelines and lets lowlands fall gently into shadow, the country’s structure comes alive: peaks stand crisp, valleys pool with depth, and the great sweeps of plains and plateaus read at a glance.

Along the western edge, the Sierra Nevada rises abruptly out of the long trough of California’s Central Valley — the Sacramento and San Joaquin — while the Coast Ranges form a lower, wavering rim along the Pacific. Northward, the Cascade Range climbs in a serrated arc; if you look closely you can pick out the volcanic sentinels of Shasta, Hood, and Rainier standing proud in high relief. The Olympic Mountains and the Puget lowlands appear as a tangle of uplift and sheltered basins. Inland, the Columbia Plateau and the broad curve of the Snake River Plain sweep in smooth terraces, their surfaces subtly stepped by ancient lava flows and river work.

Across the Intermountain West, the Basin and Range unfolds like corrugated metal under angled light: parallel ridges casting narrow shadows over fault-block valleys that sink into darker tones. The Great Salt Lake and the remnants of ancient Lake Bonneville settle as a shallow depression at the foot of the Wasatch, which itself forms a dramatic, cliff-like wall above the plains. Farther south, the Colorado Plateau stretches out in a vast, high tableland; you can trace the ledges of the Mogollon Rim and the incision of the Colorado River canyon country — the Grand Canyon reads as a slender, intricately shaded gash through the plateau. To the southwest, the Mojave and Sonoran deserts show as broad, stony basins; Death Valley drops decisively below surrounding ranges, while the Salton Trough and Imperial Valley lie as a linear low below the coastal mountains.

The Rocky Mountains stand as the continental spine, their long chains and isolated massifs rendered as a lattice of light and shade. From Montana’s Absaroka and Beartooth ranges through the Tetons and the Yellowstone Plateau, then south across Wyoming’s Wind Rivers to Colorado’s Front Range, Sawatch, and San Juans, the relief is intensely textured — you can almost feel the height in the crisp highlights of the higher summits. New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo and the Jemez round out the southern reaches, where the mountains taper into high basins and rift valleys along the Rio Grande.

East of the Rockies, the Great Plains spill away in a broad, gentle tilt that the lighting makes unmistakable — a long, even fall toward the Mississippi. The High Plains step down in subtle terraces; the Llano Estacado and the Caprock Escarpment form quiet edges in the light, while Nebraska’s Sandhills appear as a soft, dimpled expanse. Islands of uplift break the sweep: the Black Hills in South Dakota rise in a compact dome, and the Ozark Plateau and the Ouachita Mountains lift the terrain in the central United States with a knotted texture of ridges and hollows. Threading through it all, the Missouri and Mississippi carve expansive, darkened corridors with broad floodplains where the shadow pools deepest.

The Great Lakes present as vast, smooth basins, with Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario cradled by scoured lowlands and morainal rims. To the east, the Adirondacks stand apart as a rounded massif, the Catskills as a dissected plateau, and New England’s uplands rise in a tight cluster: the Greens, the Berkshires, and the Whites with their high, wind-sheared summits. Southward, the Appalachian system reveals its age and complexity in layered bands: the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains yield steep, light-struck crests; the Ridge-and-Valley province shows as a beautifully ordered series of parallel folds and troughs, with elongated valleys like the Shenandoah easy to trace; and the Cumberland and Allegheny plateaus break off in bold escarpments.

Finally, the land eases toward the sea. The Piedmont’s rolling backcountry softens into the Atlantic Coastal Plain, a wide, low belt where rivers widen and meander across broad, shadowed floodplains. Around the Gulf, the coastal plain broadens further, culminating in the sprawling lobes and subtle levees of the Mississippi Delta and Atchafalaya Basin. The Florida Peninsula sits low and smooth, with the Everglades registering as a near-level sheet where the light skims the surface. In the southwest, the Chihuahuan Desert and the Big Bend region form a patchwork of basins and blocky ranges, with the Rio Grande’s rifted course reading as a long, shaded furrow.

Whether you call one ridge home, crossed a continent by road, or cherish a single valley from a favorite journey, this relief map lets you see the United States the way the land itself feels — through the play of light and shadow on mountains, plateaus, rivers, and plains. It’s a quiet, striking portrait of the country’s form that rewards both a sweeping glance and a long, lingering study.

Please note that our Unique 3D maps look remarkably 3D, particularly when framed, but they are 2D prints on paper (or canvas).

About our Unique 3D Topographic Relief Maps

These aren’t just maps — they’re landscapes, sculpted with light and shadow.

Our shaded relief prints use ultra high resolution topographic data and a secret 3D rendering process to create the illusion of raised terrain — like the mountains are about to lift right off the page. No labels, no borders, no distractions. Just the raw shape of the land, brought to life in a clean, modern style.

They’re designed to feel timeless. Bold enough to be a centrepiece, subtle enough to blend in. A perfect gift for map lovers, mountain wanderers, or anyone who finds beauty in the shape of the Earth.

Learn more about our Unique 3D process.

And of course, like any of our other maps, you can personalise this topographical map as well. Why not mark your favourite peaks, or the routes of your favourite hikes and cycle rides?

More Product Info

If you're not sure what size to order, or you're looking for a custom order of some kind – a different size, a different colour, a special frame – then please contact me. I usually respond within a few minutes.

You can see an example of my map personalisation service in the fifth image. Zoom in and take a look. My personalised maps are always very well received. Take a look at more examples of personalisation.

You can also choose to age your map to make it look older. This is popular amongst my customers who want their artwork to look like an older, antique print. You can see an example of ageing in the sixth product image, or go ahead and check out lots of examples of other aged artwork.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

I can print and frame this beautiful topographical 3D map at sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). If you are looking for a size or framing option that isn't available online, please get in touch.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. My standard frames come in six colours (black, dark brown, dark grey, antique gold, oak and white), and custom framing is available for an additional charge. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.