No comments about San Rafael Swell, Utah Trail Map.

No comments about Salt Lake City, Park City, Provo & Utah's High Country Resorts: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide (Great Destinations).

1 comments about Fun with the Family Utah, 4th (Fun with the Family Series).

1. I found this book to be very disappointing. He should have called it, "Fun with the Mormon Family." Utah residents will no doubt find that they already know about most of the attractions Rutter mentions. Non-Mormons from in and out of state will be either puzzled or annoyed by Rutters heavy bias towards Mormon culture.

   For example, in his Top Ten Picks for Southwestern Utah, the St. George Temple comes in second between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. The Shakespeare Festival was number seven. If you think I'm being unreasonable, do a search for each of these on the Web and tell me which one you'd rather make the five-hour drive from Salt Lake City for.

   And speaking of what's worth your drive, Rutter provides very little detail as to the quality of each of the attractions. For example, if you came from out of state to see the Martin Harris Pageant, you'd almost certainly go home weeping bitterly over the lame local acting, singing and the two hours of your life that you'll never get back.

   I understand that the Mormon history is a large part of Utah's past. I fully expect to see Temple Square and similar attractions mentioned. However, I think this book indirectly emphasizes what frustrates a lot of people here: there are other people here besides the Mormons. Hopefully Rutter will consider that in his next revision.

No comments about The Untold History of Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National (Canyon Country Series, 53).

No comments about Southeastern Utah Map.

2 comments about True Secrets of Salt Lake City and The Great Salt Lake Revealed!.

1. I bought a copy of this book primarily as a challenge. I've lived in Utah all my life and thought there's nothing a guidebook can teach me. Boy was I wrong! I learned something and I had fun reading it.
   Something I think that's nice too is they put pictures of a lot of things they talk about. This is a really cool book.



2. I'm originally from Salt Lake and half the things in this book I didn't know about. After reading it, I made plans to visit some of them (like the sculpture in the middle of the dessert and the Joseph Smith Sphynx). I brought my family along and we all had a blast playing "tourist" seeing all these cool things right near home.
   
   If you're planning a trip to Salt Lake City, get this book along with a traditional "where should I stay and eat" travel guide. You'll use that to book the mundane stuff and this to discover what to explore.
   
   Just like the other True Secrets of books they have a great map on their website ([...]) with all the addresses of things found in the book.

3 comments about Frommer's Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks (Park Guides).

1. This guide proved to be an excellent resource during our recent trip to the Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Highlights of this book include how comprehensive it was despite its relative brevity, the easy-to-read writing style, and its off-the-beaten-path recommendations.

   The authors discussed all the subjects I was looking for in a travel book. They covered the usual "where to stay" and "where to eat" topics very well, including reviews of the campgrounds in the parks. We were very satisfied staying and eating at the places recommended by the authors.

   A particular strength of the book was its overview of the numerous hiking trails of the two parks. The trails were organized by length, and the authors gave good recommendations about which trails to do. One hike that they recommended as a "find" was a beautiful, short stroll to an icy cave, but because of its location off the main park road, we were completely by ourselves. The authors even discussed some of the backcountry hiking, if you are inclined to strap on your pack and head off into the wilderness.

   The chapter on the natural history of the parks was also excellent. There was a description of the geological events that formed the parks, the flora and fauna, and the diverse ecosystems. The geological discussion in particular was especially helpful for understanding how the layers of rock were laid down over millions of years.

   The authors gave good sample itineraries for experiencing the park in a day or two. Recommendations on seeing the sunrise across the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon and on visiting some of the less traveled sections of Zion were very worthwhile.

   Nice bonuses in the book included information for kids, RVers, and people with disabilities. The book also had information on practical things like where to get gas, buy supplies, do your laundry, etc. There is even a section on places to visit near the national parks such as some of the Utah state parks and nearby national monuments.

   Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone heading to Zion and Bryce Canyon. It definitely enriched our experience and made planning a whole lot easier.




2. I bought a few books on Bryce Canyon and Zion while planning our family vacation and this book was the most useful and helpful. We just returned from the trip and were very happy with this guidebook.
   
   The book provides all the information needed to plan your trip to the parks, including when to go, what to take, and any permits needed. There is also information on where to stay and camp, and also where to eat - though we ended up bringing most of our food with us and cooking on a camp stove.
   
   The book has great guides on best day hikes. This was particularly useful since we have two young boys - 4 and 6. We did a lot of day hikes. Our favorite hike was the Queens Garden Trail. We did that one twice - it is only about 2 miles round trip with great views!
   
   Overall, this is an incredibly useful book that easily fits in your backpack!



3. This book was very helpful in seeing as much as possible in a short visit. Lots of information - worth the price to have on your vacation.

No comments about Fine Stock of Cars. Motor Tales Volume 3: Utah's History Behind the Wheel.

4 comments about Hiking Great Basin National Park.

1. Looks like interesting and informative book about Great Basin National Park. I will have to travel there when I'm finished with college and have vacation time



2. Falcon hiking guides are usually fairly straightforward affairs. You get a route description and directions to the trailhead, and not a lot else. This compilation by Bruce Grubbs is a major exception. Full of natural history and geography this book will add to your appreciation of the region. It is also quite comprehensive, including every trail in this spectacular area and many more in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness north of the park.
   
   Hikes in the book include the classics of the park, most notably the guided tour of Lehman Caves and the climb to the summit of Wheeler Peak, Nevada's highest at 13,061 feet. But using this guide will get you to many other nice destinations as well. Ancient Bristlecone Pines nearly 5000 years old can be found within the park as can several nice lake basins and archeological sites. My wife and I took several walks from this guide and are now planning another trip to Great Basin National Park. It is truly the best outdoor experience in Nevada and this is a good book to plan a vacation around.



3. I'm planning a backpacking trip to the park this year, and have been reading the pertinent guidebooks. This one is a good intro for the average National Park visitor looking to do some of the good day hikes or short backpacking trips.
   
   This guide contains a basic introductory section on the area: Human and natural history, and some very basic and generalized backcountry hiking and camping tips. The hikes described here can be considered a 'best of' for day hikers and one night backpacking trips, and are relatively accessible from the main park entrance areas.
   My main complaint is that there is no detailed overview map of the park, very poorly detailed maps of the hikes (which is an issue I have with most Falcon guides), and no coverage of the remote southern and western portions of the park.
   
   Great Basin National Park is essentially a wilderness park, there are a few great hiking trails (such as those in this book) but the real wilderness opportunities are off-trail, cross country type hikes. For those interested in travelling the remote backcountry and alpine areas of the park, the out-of-print Kelsey guide is like gold. The USGS topo maps are essential for cross-country travel (the Earthwalk Press map being suitable for day hikes but annoyingly difficult to view topographic details due to the scale and coloration). Impeccable compass and land navigation skills are a must, as are Leave No Trace ethics and substantial wilderness experience. Water is often hard to find, rescue is days away, and even many of the designated trails are poorly marked and faint. Have fun!!



4. This is a good guide book to hiking trails and other information regarding Great Basin National Park. I have some of Bruce Grubbs' other books and he does a good job of preparing you for the trails. While I think it is admirable that the book is printed on recycled paper, it might also be the reason I find it difficult to read. I don't know if different ink can be used when printing on recycled paper, but my 50 year-old eyes require more contrast between the printing and the paper.

No comments about Logan / Brigham City / Cache Valley / Northern Utah Street Map.