Open by default
Every dataset starts with an open license. Restrictions are the exception, never the default. If public data went into building it, public access comes out the other side.
No dark data
Geospatial data about public land, public infrastructure, and public recreation belongs to the public. We don't sit on it, we don't restrict it to subscribers, and we don't make you ask permission to use it.
Built to last
We use durable open formats — GeoPackage over Shapefile, GeoTIFF over proprietary rasters, standard projections — so the data works in any tool and stays usable as software evolves.

Available datasets

All datasets are downloadable directly below. GeoPackage files open in QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, and any OGR-compatible tool. KMZ files open in Google Earth Pro. All coordinate reference system information is embedded in each file.

Bear Creek Trail System — Robbins, NC Live · March 2026
GPKG
Bear Creek Trail System — Vector Layers
Four attributed vector layers: trails (name, surface, permitted use, length in miles), amenity points (kiosks, restrooms, parking, disc golf baskets), reservoir water body polygon, and system boundary. All layers in EPSG:32119 NC State Plane NAD83.
EPSG:32119 4 layers trails amenities hydrology OGC GeoPackage CC BY 4.0
Download GPKG · ~2 MB
KMZ
Bear Creek Trail System — KMZ Superoverlay
329-tile georeferenced image pyramid spanning zoom levels 13–17. Opens in Google Earth Pro and drapes the full trail map directly onto 3D terrain. The map aligns to real ground positions at zoom 17 — individual trail segments and disc golf baskets resolve against the Sandhills landscape.
KMZ / KML Zoom 13–17 329 tiles Google Earth terrain-draped 35.4334°N 79.6050°W
Download KMZ · 5.4 MB
PDF
Bear Creek Trail System — Print-Ready Map
24"×36" cartographic layout at 300 DPI. Full legend, north arrow, scale bar, disc golf inset, data source credits, and title block. USGS hillshade terrain base, NC OneMap imagery, OSM trail geometry. Suitable for professional print production, kiosk installation, or digital distribution.
PDF 300 DPI 24"×36" print-ready USGS hillshade CC BY 4.0
Download PDF · 300 DPI
HTML
Bear Creek Trail System — Interactive Schematic
Standalone SVG reference diagram embedded in a single HTML file. Color-coded trail routes, disc golf hole positions, waterways, and MTB use designations — all labeled. No internet connection required once downloaded. Opens in any browser.
HTML / SVG standalone offline-capable reference diagram no install
Open HTML · ~80 KB
In Development Coming 2026
GPKG
Hurricane Helene SAR Damage Assessment — Lake Lure / Chimney Rock
Pre/post flood change detection dataset derived from Sentinel-1 SAR imagery covering the Hurricane Helene impact zone (fall 2024) in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock corridor. Will include mass movement polygons, channel avulsion lines, and debris deposition extents in EPSG:32119.
SAR · Sentinel-1 change detection Helene recovery Rutherford County GPKG + GeoTIFF
In development Est. mid-2026
GPKG
Moore County Energy Infrastructure — Spatial Dataset
Publicly mapped energy infrastructure for Moore County: utility corridors, substation locations, grid vulnerability zones, and renewable energy siting potential. Intended to support community resilience planning, emergency preparedness, and public education.
energy infrastructure grid mapping solar siting Moore County community resilience
Planned Est. late 2026
GPKG
Robbins Community Trail Network — Extended Dataset
Expansion of the Bear Creek dataset to cover the full Robbins community trail network including connector routes, proposed future trails, and integration with regional greenway planning. Will include updated GeoPackage, PDF, and KMZ.
trail network Robbins, NC greenway community planning
Planned TBD

What we use and why

Consistent standards mean the data works in any tool, now and in the future. Here's what we use across all Moore Energy & Mapping datasets.

CRS EPSG:32119 — NC State Plane NAD83 All vector data authored in NC State Plane. Meters-based, accurate for NC linear measurements. WGS84 / EPSG:4326 used for KML/KMZ files per OGC standard.
Vector format GeoPackage (.gpkg) OGC-standard single-file container. Replaces Shapefile for all new production. Supports multiple layers, long field names, UTF-8, and spatial indexes natively.
Raster format GeoTIFF (.tif) Open, georeferenced raster standard for imagery and DEM products. Cloud-optimized GeoTIFF (COG) used for larger datasets where applicable.
3D / terrain KMZ / KML OGC-standard for georeferenced image overlays, terrain-draped maps, and point/line features in Google Earth and compatible viewers.
GIS software QGIS (primary) · open-source, all platforms All products are tested and verified in QGIS. ArcGIS Pro and GDAL/OGR compatibility confirmed. No proprietary format lock-in.
Elevation data USGS National Map — 1m QL1 LiDAR-derived DEM Highest-resolution publicly available terrain data for the Sandhills. Used for hillshade generation, contour derivation, and slope analysis.
Base data NC OneMap · OpenStreetMap (ODbL) · USGS All source data is publicly licensed. Derived products are released under licenses compatible with source data terms.

How to open these files

QGIS — GeoPackage & GeoTIFF Drag and drop the .gpkg file into QGIS, or use Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer. All four Bear Creek layers load simultaneously. Free, open-source, all platforms. qgis.org →
Google Earth Pro — KMZ Superoverlay Download the .kmz file and double-click it. Google Earth opens, flies to Moore County, and loads the map draped on 3D terrain automatically. Hold Shift + drag to tilt the view. Free. Google Earth Pro →
ArcGIS Pro — GeoPackage & GeoTIFF Add the .gpkg as a database connection or drag directly into the map. All four vector layers are accessible. The KMZ can also be imported into ArcGIS using the KML To Layer tool.
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Python / GDAL — programmatic access GeoPackage files are fully compatible with geopandas, fiona, and GDAL. geopandas.read_file("Bear_Creek_Trails.gpkg", layer="trails")

Open licenses, clearly stated

We use established open licenses that are clear about what you can do with the data. The short version: use it, share it, build on it — just credit us and keep the same openness downstream.

CC BY 4.0

Used for: map products (PDF, PNG, print layouts), cartographic data, and documentation. You can use and adapt with attribution.

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 →
ODbL 1.0

Used for: datasets that incorporate OpenStreetMap geometry, consistent with OSM's license. Share-alike requirement applies to derived databases.

opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl →
Public Domain

Used for: datasets derived entirely from USGS and federal government sources (elevation data, hydrography). No restrictions of any kind.

CC0 / Public domain →
Attribution

All CC BY and ODbL datasets require attribution: "Moore Energy & Mapping / Moore County Mapping and Energy Alliance (mooreenergymaps.org)"

Request data or contribute to the catalog

DON'T PANIC our position on privacy & personal data ▼

A brief, honest statement. No fine print. No asterisks.

We don't collect your data. This site is static HTML with no analytics, no cookies, and no backend. When you leave, no record of your visit exists. We genuinely do not know who you are, and we'd like to keep it that way — for your benefit, not ours.

We work with North Carolina's public GIS and tax datasets, which contain personal information about real people — names, addresses, property records. That's public record, and in appropriate contexts it serves legitimate purposes. We use it for technical and spatial reference. We do not republish the personal details inside it, because the fact that something is technically available does not make redistributing it a good idea.

We will not distribute or redistribute datasets containing individual people's personally identifiable information. US corporations are technically people under the law. We are not lawyers. We will leave that particular puzzle where we found it.

Questions? info@mooreenergymaps.org

So it goes.

Request a dataset

If you're a Moore County resident, nonprofit, local government, or community organization with a specific mapping or data need — reach out. We can't guarantee a timeline or scope for every request, but we give priority to requests that serve a broad public benefit and align with our mission.

Good candidates: trail or park mapping, land use questions, community infrastructure inventory, environmental baseline data, local energy analysis.

Submit a data request

Contribute data or corrections

If you have ground-truth information, field corrections, or local knowledge that would improve our datasets — especially for the Bear Creek trail system — we want to hear it. We validate and integrate community corrections before publishing updated versions.

If you're a GIS professional or data producer interested in contributing datasets under a compatible open license, reach out about the catalog submission process.

Get in touch