No comments about Wasatch Front North, Utah Trail Map.

No comments about Dinosaur: Four Seasons on the Green and Yampa Rivers (Desert Places).

No comments about Bryce Canyon National Park (True Book).

No comments about Hiking, Climbing & Exploring Western Utah's Jack Watson's Ibex Country : The Life Stories of Jack Watson & Bob Stinson, History of Ibex, West Desert Sheepmen, ... Mountain Climbing and Fossil Hunting..

3 comments about Utah Camping: The Complete Guide to more than 400 Campgrounds (Foghorn Outdoors).

1. The Foghorn series of campground guides is not without flaws. Even so, we know of no directories which do a better job of addressing campground aesthetics than these wonderful guides. In our experience, the look and feel of a campground is often the single greatest factor influencing the quality of a camping experience . . . and the factor totally ignored by nearly all other campground guides.
   
   There are a number of directories which rate facilities, provide directions, tell you how to make reservations and give you an idea of the cost for a night's stay in a specific campground. This series gives similar basic information and then goes beyond that. The Foghorn guides actually give you a feel of what it is like to stay in a specific campground - a bit of a narrative description and a "scenic beauty rating" for each campground plus information about nearby recreation opportunities. We like that a lot.
   
   Have we found instances where we liked a campground more or less than the book's author? Of course. Tastes differ and things change over time. Even so, we would rather have an admittedly subjective rating of a campground's intangibles than to have nothing to go on but a recitation of facts and figures.
   
   Are the Foghorn Outdoors guides the only ones we use? No. But they are ALWAYS the first place we turn when selecting a destination campground.



2. I BOUGHT A PRIOR EDITION OF THIS BOOK AND FOUND THAT IT DOES NOT LIST ALL THE C.G'S. MAYBE IT'S ME BUT, I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING ON NAVAJO NAT'L MONUMENT! AGAIN, THE SAME CAMP GROUND HAS BEEN LEFT OUT. MAYBE IT'S A WELL KEPT SECRET. A WELL MADE EFFORT TO DUPLICATE "TOM STIENSTRA". NOW I SEE WHY TOM STIENSTRA GETS AWARDED "OUTDOOR WRITER OF THE YEAR"!!!! COM'ON GUYS, GET OFF THE ARM CHAIR AND DO SOME EXPLORING. GET OUT THERE!!! LEAD ME TO SOMEPLACE THAT I'VE NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE. SOMEPLACE WHERE I CAN SAY, WOW! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!



3. We used this book extensively for a Utah car camping trip last month. While it does offer a lot of useful information, we found that we could not rely on the ratings given the campgrounds in deciding where to camp.
   
   In the other foghorn guides, a 9 or 10 rating is relatively rare and usually well deserved. In this guide, however, they are dished out quite often in campgrounds other than private ones.
   
   For example, if you look at the campgrounds along the Colorado outside of Moab, almost all are 9s. Yet these are located right by the road, have little shade, and very little privacy. Yes, the view in front of you is very nice but the road noise is very disturbing.
   
   Also, in Capitol Reef, they awarded the Fruita campground a 10. This might be a 7 or even 8 but it's not a 10.
   
   As far as not including Navajo National Monument as another reviewer complained, I believe NNM is located in Arizona and not Utah.
   
   Other than the generous ratings, it's a fairly informative guide.

5 comments about Race Against Time.

1. I really enjoyed this book. The writing was crisp and hard edged. It is definitely a book for guys, though I am sure women would enjoy it too. I enjoyed the touch of history as well as learning more about the police force and that refinery I pass all the time on my way to Salt Lake (I'll never look at it the same again). Gardner has proven again that a good, entertaining, thought provoking story can be written without all of the filth. Thank you Gardner and KEEP WRITING!!



2. This book was great. An excelent story which would entertain nearly anyone. Incredibly fast-paced, exciting and gripping. I read it everywhere i went. Definately my favorite book of all times.



3. The only poory written part of Race Against Time is the back cover, which gives away too much of the plot and thereby obviates certain sections of the book. But that is a complaint against the publisher, not the author. This is a good first novel that left only a few questions unanswered. More development of the 1830s period is warranted. A good "religious" book that somewhow manages to avoid becoming too preachy.



4. I have been looking for some action adventures for my young teenage boy that didn't have swearing and sex in. "Race Against Time" is a book you can count on. It is absolutely clean but full of adventure and action. I read it in the evenings to my 13 year old boy and he wouldn't let me stop. He loved it. This summer I bought the CD and my teenagers and I spent many hours listening to it as we weeded the garden and worked in the yard. We must have listened to it 5 times - enjoying the story each time and picking up more and more of its delightful humor. I recommend this book for tenagers, boy or girl, and adults as well. It is well written and an exceptionally fun book to read.



5. Gardner is a breath of fresh air in LDS fiction. Race Against Time takes us into the life of a Salt Lake City S.W.A.T. team member who finds himself suddenly back in the 1830s very close to where the Hauns Mill Massacre took place. This is a brilliantly written book with tension, action, and excellent story telling. Good for all ages, both boys and girls, men and women. You're going to want to keep an eye on everything Gardner publishes. He's going straight to the top, no question. And hey folks . . . no swearing, no sex . . . just good honest entertainment that'll keep you breathlessly turning every page.

3 comments about High In Utah.

1. This book is excellent. It is loaded with information on 30 Utah mountains. The description for each mountain includes hiking time (a range for both fast and slow hikers), distance, difficulty, starting elevation, elevation gain, USGS map, trialhead, Camping, tips and precautions, the hike, background, and where to find more information. The book also includes various pictures for each mountain and two maps including the mountian and how to get to the trialhead. The book is not only helpful as a guide but fun to read and enjoy the pictures. I have found it to be the best all-round guide to Utah mountains on the market.



2. If your goal is to 'bag' the highest peak in each of the counties listed, then this is THE book to use. While not as thorough as Kelsey's (and the authors admit that, because the goal is to make it simple) the information provided is more than sufficient. The photos don't really show the routes (like Roach's Colorado books) but do give the 'atmosphere' of the climb. I've done a few out of the book, and plan on doing the rest as time allows. I think it's a nifty idea, and would recommend it to anyone with any experience level at all in the mountains (and especially anyone who wishes to drive to the top and sit on the roof of the car to gain more altitude ;).



3. This book is an excellent guide for anyone who wants to complete the highpoints of Utah's 29 counties. For "true" county highpointers, the goal is to get to the highest point in each county. Sometimes this is along a boundary line with an adjacent county (a so-called liner). These liners are distinct from the highest summit in some counties. Wiebel and Miller provide both the highest points and the highest summits. The book is complete with descriptions of approaches and hikes to the highpoints. Although a map and compass (and the knowledge to use them) is always needed, the book is complete on its own. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Guide to Rock Art of the Utah Region: Sites With Public Access.

1. This is the best and most responsible guide to the rock art of Utah I have seen. It is well written and researched, the maps are excellent and so are the directions. It's a winner.



2. This is the best and most responsible guide to the rock art of Utah I have seen. It is well written and researched, the maps are excellent and so are the directions. It's a winner.



3. Filled with black-and-white photographs and a brief insert section of color plates, Guide To Rock Art Of The Utah Region: Sites With Public Access is a singularly comprehensive, illustrated, informative, and descriptive introduction to Native American rock art, as well as a thoroughly "user friendly" travel guide to the viewing of rock art found in Utah that has endured since before written history. Chapters cover not only the artwork found throughout Utah, but the accessibility of sites and proper etiquette and conservation that traveling viewers should observe. Highly recommended for students of Native American studies, rock art history, armchair travelers, and people with a simple zest to visit Utah and see these amazing drawings for themselves.



4. I'm not easily satisified with guides, but this one appears to be an exception. It fits the need of those of us who enjoy and appreciate indigenous art and the wilderness that typically accompanies it. There are numerous maps, excellent directions, a section of color pictures, and good insights.



5. Usually when I buy a book, I feel I get my money's worth as long as I can get something out of it. It is very rare when the entire book becomes an invaluable resource. This is such a book. This book contains excellent maps and directions and includes numerous B&W pictures and illustrations. There is also a color panel in the middle. When I say detailed directions I mean DETAILED. The author tells you what landmarks to look for, what exit to get off, how the road winds and breaks the distances down to a tenth of a mile. It is also written in a very easy to follow and understand text. The highlight of the book for me is the detailed breakdown of Nine Mile Canyon. I was not intending on doing nine mile canyon due to a shortage of time and thinking I would need a guide to find many of the sites. The book describes the trip in such detail you feel like you are on a tour. Besides Utah, the author also writes about some sites in Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. Before I purchased this book, I thought I would only get to see a few rock art panels at the more popoular destinations. After reading this book, I now know that there are many more sites I can visit. Hopefully, those who are intersted in this book will also heed the authors plea to be respectful of the sites. His book speaks about way to many instances of idiots vandalizing these treasures and destroying them for the future generations. Bottom line is that this is a must have for anyone serious about seeing rock art in Utah.

3 comments about National Geographic, Trails Illustrated, Canyonlands National Park - Maze District, NE Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Utah, USA (Trails Illustrated - Topo Maps USA) (Map).

1. This map is part of the Trails Illustrated series covering many national parks. These are all sturdy and convenient.
   
   Your map choices are essentially this one, the National Park Service map, and USGS topos. The NPS map is fine if you're staying at Rock Harbor Lodge and doing light day activities from that base.
   
   If you're backpacking, or doing long day hikes, the Trails Illustrated map is absolutely essential because the USGS topographic maps are outdated. For example, the topo shows a no-longer-existent East Feldtmann trail on the southwest part of the island.
   
   The topo also shows inaccurately the trail that goes over White Oak Ridge in the same area. The Trails Illustrated map shows the trails correctly.
   
   This map also shows (1) group and individual campsites and (2) distances between trail junctions that accord with the NPS signage. Both features make it useful for planning your trip.



2. The map is beautiful and (reasonably) accurate, but its small scale limits its use for hiking. Many of the contours are so closely spaced, faint, or interrupted by text that they are nearly useless. The publishers tried to squeeze the entire national monument onto one map sheet, which makes for a good overview and planning map, but a poor hiking map.
   Unfortunately, you have rather limited options, at least when it comes to paper maps: The USGS 7.5 minute topo sheets are great, but they don't show the trails, local hiking maps are hit and miss (some can be great). State-wide mapping software that lets you print customized hiking maps might be the way to go, but I haven't tried them yet.



3. These are great reference maps for generalized recreational activities. Not as detailed as a topo map, but still packed full of outstanding information. I have one for every state and I don't leave home with out them. An improvement over simple highway maps.

No comments about Travel Smart: Utah.