The contour lines and elevation markings in Google Maps can be hard to understand. If you're trying to get a sense of how steep the incline of a trail is before hiking it, the 3D view can help.

Toggle on "View topography and elevation." Stefan Ionescu 4. Zoom into the area on the map where you want to see the elevation by clicking the "+" sign in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

QUICK ANSWER. To see elevation in Google Maps: Select Layers and choose Terrain from the pop-up menu.; Zoom in to see contour lines, and you'll see markings with elevation beside them. KEY SECTIONS ...