The Secret Dataset That Makes a Map 10x Better
ANCSA 17(b) easements are public access routes through Native land. Huge value for backcountry users — and almost no one maps them.
ANCSA 17(b) easements are public access corridors established when Native land was conveyed. They guarantee passage for subsistence, recreation, and commerce through otherwise private or corporate Native land.
Why they’re gold. These routes connect communities, hunting areas, and cabins. They’re legally protected. And they’re almost never shown on consumer maps. A hunter or pilot who doesn’t know about a 17(b) might assume an area is closed — when in fact a corridor exists.
The data gap. BLM and DNR maintain 17(b) data, but it’s in agency systems. It doesn’t flow into Google, Gaia, or CalTopo. TrueTopo is pulling these datasets, normalizing them, and serving them as a first-class layer.
Impact. For anyone planning a route across Native land, 17(b) easements are the difference between "no access" and "legal corridor." We’re making that visible.