How to Make an Aspect Map in QGIS in 3 Minutes

Aspect measures the compass direction that a slope faces, expressed in degrees from 0° (true north) clockwise to 360°. Information such as sun exposure, hydrological flow direction, vegetation patterns, and microclimates could be extracted from these maps. Whether you’re planning solar farm layouts, analyzing watershed drainage, or planning agricultural operations, an aspect map provides essential directional context.

Like slope, creating an aspect map in QGIS is quick, but interpreting and applying it correctly requires understanding. This guide will show you how to generate and effectively visualize aspect data for professional applications.

Aspect in QGIS

Step 1

Load DEM Data

High-Resolution DEM: You will need a high-quality Digital Elevation Model (DEM). For accurate aspect calculations, especially in developed or complex terrain, we recommend using a high resolution source. You can download LiDAR derived DEMs from public repositories or use Equator’s data menu to access curated, ready to use DEMs for your site.

 

Higgins Bay, New York DEM

2m resolution DEM of Higgins Bay, New York

Step 2

Run Aspect tool

Aspect is a built in tool in QGIS, you do not need to install any plugins or additional files.

Raster → Analysis → Aspect

Configuring the parameters:

  • Input layer – DEM
  • Aspect – set a name and location for your new aspect raster
QGIS Aspect tool example inputs

Aspect tool with example inputs

Step 3

Style and Interpret Your Aspect Map

Classifying your raster

The raster result is a single black and white but the symbology of the raster could be reclassified into different colours and custom groups of values. Keep in mind that there might be areas where there are is no data available (lakes, rivers). Double click on the layer under the Layers panel and navigate to the Symbology tab to customize the visuals of the data.

Example schema to visualize the aspect raster based on the cardinal degrees:

315 to 45 degrees: North

45 to 135 degrees: East

135 to 225 degrees: South

225 to 315 degrees: West

Reclassified aspect map

Ready to create professional aspect maps for your sites?

Access ready to use, high resolution DEMs for QGIS directly from Equator. Our data requires no prep work, so you can move straight to analysis. Download a DEM for your area of interest and try this tutorial today.

Want to analyze the magnitude of slopes? Read our companion guide: How to Make a Slope Map in QGIS