Choosing size and height
Most of what makes a good terrain model comes down to four settings. The defaults work well, so start with them and change one at a time.
Model size
This is the width of the finished model. The 200 mm default suits a printer bed of about 220 mm or more. If you have a smaller printer, reduce it before you download. Do not scale the files in your slicer.
Height scale
This makes hills taller, so that they show on a small model. At 1×, each 1000 m of height is 1 cm tall on the model. It starts at the model size divided by 100, so a 200 mm model starts at 2×.
This is not the same as true proportions. Real landscapes look surprisingly flat at small sizes, so models are usually taller than life. "Model details" shows how much taller yours is. Flat routes need a higher height scale, while big mountains need less.
Base thickness
This is the solid layer under the lowest ground. Thicker is stronger but uses more filament. Keyholes for wall mounting need a thicker base, and TrekForge changes it for you if so.
Terrain detail
This is the size of each small square of terrain. Smaller is sharper, but slower to build and a bigger file. Beyond a point, you will not see any difference, because the terrain data and your printer both have limits.
Extra map around the route
This sets how much land appears beyond your route. More gives the route some context, but makes it look smaller. A long route on a small model can look thin, so try a larger model or a wider route.
Last checked 1 November 2026.