No comments about Fun with the Family Oregon, 5th: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids (Fun with the Family Series).

2 comments about Mountain Biking Bend Oregon.

1. has majority of trails in the area; gives detailed instructions



2. A tad dated (hint for a revisied edition!), this is the most authoratative description of Bend's mountain biking trail system. After four years of living and mountain biking in the Bend area, I still have a couple trails that Scott has written about that I haven't completed. This book along with the Bend area Adventure map (available at any local bike shop) are indispensible when enjoying the amazing and endless mountain bike trails of central Oregon.

1 comments about Camping Oregon, 2nd (Regional Camping Series).

1. This is a great camping guide. It has all the campgrounds listed. It could have had another rating like beauty of the campground, but I loved it. From the description I could tell if we would like the campground or not and if it turned out not to be the nicest one, we could look up all other campgrounds in the area. The maps were helpful, directions easy and descriptions mostly fit. It's amazing how many nice campgrounds there are in Oregon! Also it is very well organized and you can find your way through the book very quick.

2 comments about Oregon (America Series).

1. Whether you're a long-time resident or a wistful armchair traveler, this new coffee table style book about Oregon will take you on a stunning photographic journey through the state. Many believe the history of Oregon begins with the pioneers or they think of the arrival of Lewis and Clark at the mouth of the Columbia River.

   In reality, the state's dominating characteristic - dynamic shores and rugged mountains - where formed by volcanoes and glaciers thousands of years ago. With over 70 full color photographs from the ocean shores to the rugged landscape of eastern Oregon, the book "Oregon" will capture your attention. The book takes readers on a journey to discover the amazing diversity of the state.

   Also available in the same series are books on Arizona, Washington and New Mexico.

   According to the publisher, the pages are graced with images that "epitomize the state" - crashing surf at Cannon Beach, waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge and the ice-blue water of Crater Lake. You'll also explore remote parkland, from Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, where pristine natural beauty has been preserved.

   Reader can also retrace the historic Oregon Trail, wind surf on the Columbia Gorge, enjoy wine-tasting tours, explore sand dunes, float in a hot-air balloon, or cruise along the magnificent 400-mile-long coastal highway.




2. As someone who used to live in Oregon, I can appreciate the natural beauty of this state. But even I was impressed by the vistas photographed in this book. Being a perfect coffee-table book, this pictorial trapse thru the state of Oregon reveals beauties of mountains, lakes, streams, forests, beaches, and yes, cities and farm towns too; with pictures from all four seasons. A great book to look thru.

3 comments about The Two-Lane Gourmet: Fine Wine Trails, Superb Inns, and Exceptional Dining Through California, Oregon, and Washington.

1. 
   I am disappointed by this book. In my past purchases at Amazon, I felt that the reviews I read accurately described the book. This time, I was let down.
   
   To begin with, there are no maps in the book, not even rudimentary stick drawings of the locations. So what? you might ask. You can simply go on the web and get a map.
   
   Yes indeed, I can. I can also simply go on the web and do a 10-minute search of the wineries in the area -- and would end up with more information.
   
   Ah, but here you have a journalist with no attachments to the wineries. And here, Tom Snyder appears to be similar me. He likes most everything he eats and drinks. Every place has something to recommend it. So, according to this book, you can go to any winery and be ok. If that is true, why do I need this book?
   
   He seldom writes more than a paragraph on any stop. On the longer reviews, he writes of chats with the owners, about their dedication to the art of vintage and fine food. No surprises there. We never get to hear about how junior failed as a small-appliance salesman, was bailed out by his rich parents and now charges outrageous amounts to gullible travelers while feeding them a line of bull.
   
   This book appears to be simply a justification to the IRS that Mr. Snyder's vacations were indeed tax-deductible.
   
   Furthermore, Mr. Snyder tells us in his book that we should go on the web to find more information. I say skip the book and go directly to the web.



2. "The Two-Lane Gourmet:," detailing back-road wine trails, unique inns, and surprising restaurants is another fine work from author Tom Snyder. One reviewer called it an ambitious project, and it is! Reaching from Southern California, through Oregon and Washington, it samples extraordinary properties out of the thousands that exist. The idea is for readers to set up a base camp in any of the areas mentioned, follow a suggestion or two and then head out on their own, with enough information to ensure a lovely experience. For novices, (like me), Snyder introduces popular wines, local dishes (I loved the description of a brazed fiddlehead fern on his plan in Oregon) with his own brand of warmth and wit. The author has also thoughtfully provided Web addresses and phone numbers to help you stay in tough on unfamiliar roads. In short, this book is a grand tour, with wonderful places and memorable people not to be missed!



3. This is a very good book to have when traveling the wine country. I loved the Route 66 and the Pacific Highway guides and this book does not disappoint! With that being said, don't expect this book to be an atlas - a series of maps that can be had for $1.98 at any local gas station. While the book gives you phone numbers, addresses and websites (where available), the traveler is left up to their devices in determining the route chosen (as it should be). It's very apparent to me that the author put in a great deal of time and effort in researching the local wineries and dining establishments so, as a traveler, I won't have to waste my time on less than top-notch locations. Definitely a must have!

1 comments about Oregon State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide (Oregon State Parks).

1. This book was purchased to support a planned photography trip to Oregon. The descriptions of the parks along with the maps provided great background for my trip which included visits to some of Oregons state parks.

2 comments about The Thomas Guide 2006 Portland, Oregon: Street Guide (Thomas Guide Portland Oregon (Bk & CD)).

1. I have purchased the Thomas Guides for Portland for the last several years and have found them to be an absolutely indespensible navigational aid. Every street in the metro area and surrounding suburbs is detailed within this guide. Its comprehensive detail and ease of use make it a real help. If you have to drive in Portland even occassionally I cannot recommend strongly enough that you buy this guide.



2. I have absolutely zero natural sense of direction so this guide is perfect in its level of detail. It seems to cover every inch of Portland, including a full street index in the back that makes it easy to locate an address.

1 comments about Mountain Biking Oregon: Northwest and Central Oregon: A Guide to Northwest and Central Oregon's Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides.

1. The book does a nice job of describing various rides. The descriptions contain enough information for you to make an informed decision when trying to decide between various trails.

No comments about Rand McNally Easy to Read Oregon.

5 comments about Foghorn Outdoors Pacific Northwest Hiking: The Complete Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Hikes in Washington and Oregon, Fifth Edition.

1. Trails are misnamed, mislocated and just plain missing. Some of the best routes are left out completely and some of those that are included are no longer in existence (and haven't been for nearly 15 years). Do yourself a favor and buy the previous version of this book (the one written by Ron Judd and his partner). It maybe a little outdated, but at least they are hikers and are NW natives so they know what they are talking about! Or better yet, buy the more specific hiking guides from Falcon or Mountaineers books.



2. After reading the other reviews on this page, I had to write my own. My family and me have used this book many times (mostly in Oregon) and have found it to be accurate and helpful. I have not had any difficulty locating a trail; and the trail descriptions are spot-on. I also own the previous addition (written by Judd & Nelson) of the book. In that edition, they listed several trails that did not even exist - for example, spend a day trying to find Bobsled trail near Pendelton. You can't and you won't. Too me, it is obvious that McMorris and Scott are actual hikers, and have probably been to the trails they describe.



3. Though the directions are not always clear and the trail maps themselves are nonexistant, I honestly do find this book helpful for a couple of reasons. As some readers said about the last edition, this book is a great index for Oregon and Washington hikes. Whatever it is, there is a good chance it's in here. It's a good book to peruse through to get a few ideas for what to do on your next day off, but I always, always, always compare what other books or websites have to say about any trail before I go looking for it.
   
   One of the good things about this book is it does include contact information for all of the trails and also permit information which is helpful for people who don't think about paying for parking. It is useful for little things like that, but I would strongly recommend always having one or two other more detailed books nearby. There is a gentleman, last name Sullivan, who has written several regional books, at least for Oregon, and they have fantastic details, maps, directions and pictures. They include 100 trails for each region and so far seem to be quite accurate. I strongly advise checking them out.
   
   Happy hiking!



4. I grabbed a copy at my local outdoors store, best $$ I've spent in the past year. This guide is not meant as 'the book to be taken on the trail and guide you out and back'. It is much more useful in helping you decide which trail to attempt next - be it a day trip, a few day getaway, in the midst of out-of-state hiking tourists, or way off in the wilderness. There are plenty of trails of all types in the book.
   
   The trails are organized by region, shown on small locator maps to help you pick which place to visit. There are also a few lists in the beginning - 'best waterfall hikes', 'best hikes with kids', etc. This setup has been very helpful for my planning of day trips.
   
   Each trail has a description of the sights you will see, specific map numbers for detailed topographic maps from other sources (no trail maps are within this book), typical months for hiking access, parking costs to expect (a bit outdated now that WA state parks do NOT charge a fee!), and fairly accurate directions to the trailhead. I wish the book included more information regarding road conditions - I drive a Honda Civic and some of the trailheads are accessible only by way of an off-road vehicle because the roads are so bad.
   
   I have bought a number of topographic maps from other sources and this book lists maybe half of the trails on the maps.



5. This was a gift for a hiker I know. When I got the book I looked through it and all the information you need to know if the your going on a hike to fit your personal needs is there. It includes distance of hike, legth of time it takes an average hiker to complete the hike and even scenery types and sights to look for. Very informative and helpful guide!!!!