5 comments about Arizona New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Regional Guide).

1. My friend Sophie ordered two of the same Lonely Planet travel books I did to review, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO & THE GRAND CANYON and THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. We talk a lot on the phone and we began talking about how we could review these books and over the course of a week or so, we started talking about taking a trip. Not an easy thing for us as Sophie lives in Houston and I was in Portland. Plus, I've got hubby Dub, a big baby who doesn't like to be alone and she's got her loving husband, plus two twin girls. These are all pretty big roadblocks in the way of two girls who want to hit the road for a month or so. But things started coming together. Dub wanted to spend sometime on the boat alone (we spend a good part of every year in the Caribbean living on our sailboat) and do the kind of repairs and things that I just hate. Besides, when he's doing that kind of stuff, he always complains that I'm in the way. And Sophie's husband graciously said that he'd hold down the home front as long as we called every day.
   
   With that out of the way, where to start? Sophie is Canadian, of the east coast variety. She'd never been to Vancouver and I'd always wanted to see the San Juan Islands, so we agreed to meet in Vancouver. We met at the airport, my flight got in a couple hours before hers. We spent two days in Vancouver, then took a four and a half hour trip via Greyhound to Seattle, where we rented a one way rental, a Hyundai for a little over a thousand dollars. A big expense to be sure, but worth it.
   
   Coming down Interstate 5 we turned off on toward Anacortes at Burlington and caught the ferry to Friday Harbor. We stayed at the Orcas Hotel mentioned on Page 152 in the Pacific Northwest book and we let the book be our guide while we were there. Of course we got a lot of help from the locals. We had a great three days there, then it was back onto the ferry and back on the road. Sophie was reading ahead and wanted to go to Powells in Portland, just about the best bookstore on the planet and a favorite haunt of mine. So we did that. Then after I showed her the city, we headed down to the south Oregon City of Grants Pass, then it was off the 5 and onto a gorgeous ride to the California coast where we picked up 101 and headed south along the water, lazing our days away and using the California book (although it had the trip planned out from south to north) to help us along the way, especially following it's advice and visiting the redwoods. Well before San Francisco we turned off of 101, because we wanted to see Clear Lake, apparently not a big tourist spot, because it's not in the book. We stayed in a lakeside cabin for two days, drinking chardonnay and relaxing, then we continued on, caught the 5 again and took it south till we turned off and headed for Napa Valley and two days of heavenly bliss, drinking fine wines and even though there are only eight pages in the California book devoted to Napa, they came in quite handy.
   
   We left Napa on a beautiful day and made it all the way to L.A. and beyond to Long Beach where we spent a couple days, then it was off to Vegas and a new book. The Arizona, New Mexico book covers Vegas very well. We stayed at the Circus Circus for only one night, then it was onto Arizona and the Grand Canyon, which as you can imagine is covered quite nicely. From there we went on to Flagstaff, then Phoenix, blowing through both the cities without stopping, coming to rest in Tucson. I'd been several years ago and it was sad for me to see what the economy has done to this wonderful city. Still we were tired and spent a couple days there. From Tuscon we headed east on Interstate 10, destination Roswell, home of the crash. We didn't see any aliens, but we did, at the book's suggestion, take in the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Fascinating. And from Roswell we drove off the books and into Texas, or as Sophie likes to call it, Tejas. We spent a couple weeks getting from there to New Orleans, but then that's a subject for another review.
   
   So, after all that what's my impression of these Lonely Planet books? I like them, they're pretty darned handy if you're on a road trip. Especially if you're not in a hurry to get anywhere. Could we have done the trip without them, sure, but they were the reason we first started talking about it and why we eventually did it. We, Sophie and Me, and Lonely Planet, we all had a blast together.
   
   Reviewed by Captain Katie Osborne



2. I live in Nevada and I've been to both Arizona and New Mexico a lot, been to the Grand Canyon too. Several times. But I've never taken the train from Williams mentioned in this book. I plan on it.
   
   Going through the book I see dozens and dozens of interesting places and things to see that I've missed and I thought I knew the area covered by this guide pretty well. The next time I go on the road in the Southwest I'll be taking this book with me, maybe checking out Bandera's Ice Cave or the Hovenweep National Monument or several of the places I've missed, but should see.
   
   The book reads well, not boring a bit like many travel books are and that's a great big plus. If you're going to Arizona or New Mexico, this would be a good book to take along.



3. Lonely Planet's `Arizona, New Mexico &the Grand Canyon Trips' offers 56 themed itineraries and 1,005 local places to see. And, if New Mexico and Arizona aren't enough, side trips to Utah, Colorado, and Las Vegas are also offered.
   
   The guide seems to attempt to offer a new, edgier approach to travel advice, and I would assume that the target audience is the 20-35 age range. It's most effective if viewed as a weekend/short trip guide; it's not detailed enough to serve as the sole guide for out of state visitors. But it can be a good starting place for planning a brief visit to the area. And it's refreshing to see a new approach to travel guides.
   
   Thematic trips - iconic trips, route oriented trips, food and wine lovers trips, outdoor trips, history and culture based trips, offbeat activities, trips for urbanites, - are provided. This was, for me, an effective method of organization, and the strong point of the guide.
   
   Small maps outlining individual trips are included in the chapters, but these are at best a general guide and wouldn't be adequate for a traveler new to the area. Driving times and directions are often included.
   
   When I carefully read the suggestions for the areas I'm familiar with, they weren't bad. The ideas here are good, but definitely not all inclusive. They verge on superficial. But [and it's hard not to type this in all caps], this is not a travel guide meant to stand alone for the traveler unfamiliar with the area. By all means read this one and get some good starting points, then buy a good thorough travel guide, and a good map, and have a great trip.
   
   If you like the other guides in the series, you'll probably like this one.



4. I took a vacation to the southwest United States in September of this year and took this fine companion with me. I spent a couple days in northern Arizona seeing the painted desert, petrified forest, and Grand Canyon. I've never been big on travel guides but this little book was great for alerting me to places to eat, places to stay, and attractions I would have otherwise missed. A fine little book that is a great companion for anyone traveling to the Grand Canyon area for the first time.



5. I bought this guide not knowing the Sedona and Grand Canyon areas I was going to visit. I did not find it useful to plan ahead because it was too elusive. After visiting the places, I find it's also too superficial and not so well researched. This guide only can work if you know enough of the places and are only looking for an itinerary. So in fact you need too guides, this one and a second one that explains to you what to do and what you are looking at once you get there. How many guides does it take to travel? This one is one too many.

5 comments about Guide to Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails.

1. I have traveled countless miles of Southwestern trails, and I think these are the best trailbooks available for Arizona and Moab. Wells has selected the most scenic and interesting trails, with concise and simple directions. Some people may find the non-topo maps confusing at first, but combined with the written directions, GPS coordinates, and basic common sense anyone should find their way through without incident.
   
   The book is thorough, with relative charts for difficulty and overall enjoyability of a trail, as well as driving tips and preparation guidelines.
   
   As with any printed book, some of the info gets outdated rather quickly, but he does try to post updates on his website. No matter how good a trailbook is, always use an additional navigation source: topo maps, atlas, land management maps (BLM or USFS) and always check with local 4x4 shops, clubs or land management agencies for current conditions.



2. This is a great book to get off-road with. I haven't tried too many, but what I've seen is very accurate.



3. This is a worthwhile book if you are looking for quad, jeep or hiking trails. It isn't as complete as I would have liked but it is worth the price.



4. I bought this guide mainly for places to ride our quads. Even though the book is geared towards 4WD vehicles, it still gives you enough information to decide if this is a place that you would also like to ride your ATVs.



5. These books are great references to get the process started. But, the information is very limited as well as the maps. Follow up with detailed topographical maps to ensure a safe trip. But, I love just sitting and reading the books and dreaming about the next adventure.

5 comments about 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Phoenix: Including Tempe, Scottsdale, and Glendale.

1. I have used this book over and over. It is a great book for dayhikes, with detailed maps and directions.



2. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!! I just started hiking 3 months ago and have already done 7 of the hikes. The book has all the info you need and more. I have look at other books wanting to expand my AZ hiking books....but none have even come close! I just wish there were more books out there like it!



3. We have a group of friends that hike almost every weekend all year and we've been referring to this book for almost two years for new hikes. We've done more than 30 so far plus some of the variations given in the book and every one have been well worth doing at least once. Most of them we have done multiple times or plan to do again.
   We've done almost all of the longer hikes 4-12+ miles and the book has provided very accurate and helpful information. For instance finding the trailhead for the Vineyard Trail by Roosevelt Lake--if it wasn't for the book's instruction we would have never found the trailhead and it was one of our favorite hikes!!
   The only complaint that I would have is that the book calls Tempe Town Lake and four similar paths "hikes" -- they shouldn't be in there at all -- if you're on a sidewalk you're really NOT hiking!
   The book is very very good. If you want to explore new areas around Phoenix, this book is a great way to introduce you to them!



4. This is one book i go back to over and over for hikes in and around Phoenix. The author did a great job with selecting trails to include from the East Valley although I would have liked to see more included from the West Valley.
   
   The directions and maps provided are useful and I would highly reccomend this guide to anyone hiking in the area!



5. I bought this book after being so disappointed with "Best Short Hikes in Arizona" by Laine and Letham. "Best Short Hikes" covers all of Arizona, so it only offers about 10 hikes near Phoenix. If you are looking for good hikes near Phoenix, buy "60 Hikes" (and yes, some are at the 60-mile periphery of Phoenix).

5 comments about Sedona's Top 10 Hikes.

1. You can really assess what you will see along the way so you can choose your hikes most appealing to your specific criteria. Yes, it's impractical to carry and read along the way, but use this to get to the correct trailheads and select the hikes by photos and descriptions of the trail features. I didn't look in this book and got a local's directions to Cathedral Rock and ended up way over my abilities in a vertical scramble versus the non-expert level approach from the other side. Also, I might have passed up West Fork Trail if not for reading the description and it is a MUST DO! Have fun. Sedona hiking is gorgeous and has trails for every ability, even physically challenged. Enjoy!



2. If you have only a few days to spend in Sedona and you want to make the most of your hiking time, this book is a must. The directions are good, the photos are great, and the trail descriptions are good also. A very useful guide.



3. I can't wait to go back to Sedona and hike all these amazing hikes! We hiked the Doe Mesa trail and loved it!



4. Very useful for us on our trip to Sedona! Great directions to the hike and interesting facts to read with a little history thrown in.
   We actually carried the little book with with us on the hikes to help watch for trail markers and read about the vistas described in the book. A fabulous book to have along for sure.



5. Fantastic book, quality color photographs, trail lengths, trail descriptions, trail maps, useful information. Trails are graded from easy, moderate to strenuous. Very useful book.

5 comments about Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon.

1. It's hard to imagine there being another book that can squeeze more information into 350+ pages than Over The Edge. An incredible book that examines nearly all notable incidents at one of America's most prized and at times eerie locations; the Grand Canyon. I would recommend reading this book for all those who have been, or plan to go to the Canyon, which in my opinion is one of the most incredible sights on earth. You really appreciate the power or nature, and the insignificance of human life once you read this book. One of the best books I've ever read, it dispels some myths as well as peaks new interests all while exposing the reality of the danger that exists in the Canyon. Some may interpret this book as exploitation of the dead, I disagree, its central theme is "respect nature." The Grand Canyon is millions of years old, it's not going anywhere, YOU on the other hand don't quite measure up in the "grand" scheme of things..... Also recommended is Into Thin Air, John Krakauer's account of the 1996 disaster on Everest, amazing work.



2. Comprehensive and fascinating reading, the book covers every possible way people have died in Grand Canyon over the last 100+ years. While this focus on death may seem macabre, it challenges Grand Canyon visitors to take extreme care in utilizing this beautiful and treacherous national park. The book answers, in detail, the question most people ask on their first visit: "How many people fall here?" Chapters include falls from the rim and within the canyon, deaths from environmental extremes, drowning in the "Killer Colorado" River, freak errors and accidents, suicide and murder. The authors note that nearly all the deaths in the canyon occur because of "serious lack of judgement of the victim himself or herself." A must-read for anyone planning to visit Grand Canyon.



3. Interesting to read after I had hiked the Canyon. Most deaths seem to occur when people don't know what they are getting into, don't eat or drink enough fluids and lack the proper respect for the potentially severe conditions there. Hiking the Canyon is strenuous and it is a land that hikers need to understand before entering. It is like no other place on earth ... but also can be unforgiving of poorly prepared hikers. My outfitters required a written okay from the physician of all hikers over the age of 50 and this book would indicate that that is a good idea.



4. I loved this book. Ghiglieri does a great service in writing this book, which not only offers the most comprehensive and well researched documentation on everyone who has perished in the canyon since exploring began, but he does it with a direct, macabre, and witty style. You will have a new found respect for this natural wonder of the world. It is amazing more people don't die in the Canyon! The altitude, the heat, the seeming shortcuts that turn into dead ends, the ease at which people become dehydrated, or lose their balance and fall, not to mention the killer, cold, Colorado River, the monsoonal floods,the daring rescues and the failed ones: it's all in here and it is riveting.



5. I wish there were more books like this one! I couldn't put it down, it was a page turner. I highly recommend it to anyone consider a hike into the Grand Canyon, especially if they are thinking of going in June, July, August, or early September.

5 comments about Grand Canyon, The Complete Guide: Grand Canyon National Park.

1. Out of all the Grand Canyon guides I bought, this one was my favorite.
   The color photos are amazing, and the background info about the
   canyon's history, geology and wildlife is fascinating. If you're going
   to Grand Canyon I would definitely recommend buying this book.



2. The Grand Canyon is universally acclaimed as one of the great natural wonders of the world. Now in a fully updated and beautifully illustrated third edition, James Kaiser's "Grand Canyon: The Complete Guide" is the ideal guide for novice visitors and a superbly informative reference for the seasoned visitor as well. A complete and 'user friendly' travel guide and planner for visiting the Grand Canyon, this ideal reference includes the Havasu Falls, topography maps, trail descriptions for both day trips and overnight hikes, mule rides, scenic flights, Colorado river trips, public campgrounds, historic lodges, the canyon's geology, native wildlife, history, and a great deal more. Compact and easily portable, "Grand Canyon: The Complete Guide" truly lives up to its title and is an invaluable addition to personal and community library travel guide collections -- as well as the supplemental reading lists of the armchair explorer!



3. This author gives a comprehensive overview of everything to do here. The photos are fantastic and I love the snippets of history too. I only wish he wrote more guides for other places.



4. This book is more detailed than most I have found. It gave me much needed background info.



5. This guide had all the information we needed to plan our trip. Easy to follow and comprehensive.

5 comments about Arizona Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. This Delorme topographical sure beats out all the other maps I have been using. We do alot of back country riding on motorcycles and this map gives us a clear view of elevations, routes, etc.....



2. I have purchased these for Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado and Utah so far. They are great to take along on a road trip as they are very detailed and show you where so much is. Elevation, rivers, places to camp etc are just a few of the things in these books. I will continue to buy other states based in the western U.S. as I plan to continue to take road trips.



3. This atlas and gazetteer is the perfect scale - about 4 miles to the inch. It is big enough to include back roads and details, but small enough that you are not constantly flipping pages if you are on the freeway.
   
   Covering the state in 53 maps, it would measure about 5 x 8 feet if all on one page.
   
   In addition to the maps, there is an index of place names, recreation areas and facilities, fishing and hunting locations, campgrounds, wildlife viewing, family outing suggestions, and a page of the Grand Canyon.
   
   I've subsequently gotten the Oregon atlas as well. It is the same format, and has a page on Crater Lake National Park.



4. The DeLorme Arizona Atlas and Gazetteer is an excellent resource for trip planning. Arizona is a deceptively big state with lots of wide open spaces and some specially rugged terrain, including the Grand Canyon. This atlas should allow the average traveler to navigate pretty much anywhere on the road network, and to gain some appreciation for the terrain along the way. The scale of the map is 1:260,000, which is reasonably useful for the size of the state. Major roads are identified, and many minor roads are at least visible on the map. The multicolored presentation enhances the terrain relief. The map sheets are marked with latitude and longitude for GPS grids.
   
   In addition to a locational gazatteer, this Delorme Atlas provides general information on recreational opportunities. The listings include federal and state parks, game management areas for hunting, and locations suitable for fishing. There is a handy listing of campgrounds and one map devoted to the Grand Canyon, a major visitor attraction. The map scale is not suitable for off-road navigation. Those travelers planning to do off-road route finding are advised to consult more detailed products.
   
   The DeLorme Arizona Atlas and Gazetteer is very highly recommended for planning and navigating, whether for business or pleasure, around Arizona.



5. I have already made great use of this Gazeteer! I had an older version for over 15 years and it was too tattered to read anymore. This new version has more information than the old one and I find it very useful.

5 comments about Frommer's Grand Canyon National Park (Park Guides).

1. Wow this book was great! We recently used the book as our resource during our visit to the canyon. A few price listings were slightly off (by $1-$3) but this book gave us more information than anything available at the park. The information on different viewpoints (geographical points on the rim of the canyon) was wonderful and we knew more than anyone around us about what we were seeing.
   
   The restaurant information was right on the nose, and the wildlife information was so accurate that by following the books information we were able to see and photograph a bighorn sheep!
   
   This is the only guidebook you need to visit the Grand Canyon.



2. Perfect guide. Great reccomendations. I spent 6 days on both the north and south rims( I thought the north rim was so much better) and the book was helpful for both. it also contains info on places in northern Arizona. There is plenty of info, it is very detailed and descriptive. The size is small and can fit in a bag or a pocket. Great choice!!



3. This guidebook has everything: maps, hotels and categories for everything a traveler needs. Unfortunately these guides no longer have titles like "The Grand Canyon on $5 a day."



4. Save your money the Lonely Planet Guide "Grand Canyon National Parks Guide" is much better. Better written, better descriptions, more information and I found more accurate. An all around better guide. It is also available through Amazon.Lonely Planet Grand Canyon National Park (Lonely Planet National Park Guides)



5. This job does a nice job of detailing the pro's and con's of various accomodations and restaurants within the park, detailing the various ways of touring the park (by airplane, helicopter, hiking group or tour, rafting, donkeys, etc.) and suggesting hikes for those who are very fit and those of us who are less so. It deals equally well with all parts of the Grand Canyon from the North to the South Rim, and suggests nice daytrips from a variety of points within the park. It even gives good suggestions regarding the best times to visit, and how to take full advantage of the shuttle buses in the park, the best places to park ,and the best driving routes to avoid congestion. First rate!

5 comments about Grand Canyon Trail Map 3rd Edition.

1. Good map,don't use it when you're lost and need detailed directions,but it gives good overview of the Grand Canyon and the hiking routes there.



2. Great map for hiking in the grand canyon. The contour interval is 100 ft so the map isn't to cluttered. This is all you need if your doing a back packing trip in the grand canyon and you are planning to stay on trails most of the time. It also tells you the distances along trails and elevation gains. This map doesn't cover the most eastern parts of the grand canyon but then again not very many people hike there because of the lack of water. If your planning a multiday backpacking trip this is a must.



3. This Grand Canyon map covers the central area of the park (equivalent to 8 USGS quads) at 1:40,000 scale, nearly double that of its best competitor, the Trails Illustrated. While it's true there are areas in the park not covered, most backcountry campers and day hikers will be well within this map. Where the Sky Terrain maps excel is their eye-pleasing clarity and wealth of ground-level information. The T.I. maps by comparison are somewhat dark and over-shaded. You can read this one by the light from a campfire, no trouble. While I'd never discourage anyone from bringing a quad or two for their trip as a backup, this map will serve most needs and is vastly more up-to-date. GPS users familiar with UTM (you ought to be!) should be able to eyeball their position fairly easily with the grid provided.
   
   The margins include nice, concise trail descriptions and even elevation profiles for major hikes in the park. Also included are a small regional road map (useful for vehicle navigation), and a simplified geology profile for the canyon.
   
   If you're planning any casual or serious hiking or backpacking trip in GC, this should be part of your gear.
   
   P.S. The copy of this map I recently obtained is the newest 2009 edition.



4. This is a great map. I should start by saying I am not an experienced hiker, nor am I familiar with the Grand Canyon. I am preparing for my first trip out there with my college buddy from many years ago. He bought the National Geographic series map because he has always had great experiences with those maps. I decided to just get something different, and this one was rated highly on Amazon.
   
   This map has more trails and is more detailed than the National Geographic map he bought. The big thing this map has that the NG map doesn't is trail distances. These distances are marked in two colors, one indicating the total trail length and the other indicating distance between waypoints (such as a campground to the river).
   
   I will update this review after our October Grand Canyon trip and let you know how accurate it is, but all in all I am very happy with this map.



5. If you're planning a serious hike in the Grand Canyon, you really need to get this Sky Terrain map. It has an amazing 1:43,000 scale, which provides MUCH better detail than the popular National Geographic "Trails Illustrated" map at 1:63,360 scale. And although you can purchase USGS 7.5-minute quadrant maps of the canyon at 1:24,000 scale, they don't provide any of the crucial extras that this Sky Terrain map does: detailed trail information, profiles, mileage & difficulty ratings; backcountry use area boundaries & descriptions; perennial water sources; gps grid; park information, etc.; and it's waterproof & tearproof. It's clear and concise. This map contains so much information that you can pack it and leave your heavy guidebooks at home.
   
   My complaints? I personally find the contour shadings a bit confusing: I think their low-elevation grey coloring looks too similar to their high-elevation purple coloring, so on first glance it's too easy to confuse DOWN and UP. And as stated in other reviews, the coverage of this map is limited: it doesn't cover the western end past Crystal Rapids, and it doesn't cover north of Malgosa Canyon, so if you want to hike the North or South Bass Trails, or the Nankoweap Trail, for example, you're out of luck.
   
   That being said, I still feel that this map is easier to read than the "Trails Illustrated" one, with bolder print and lots of elevation markings. Another plus: this 3rd edition was revised in 2009, therefore it's very current. I highly recommend this map.

3 comments about Frommer's Arizona 2010 (Frommer's Complete).

1. We've taken quite a few trips over the years, to Europe and within the U.S. As the family's trip planner, I've always found Frommer's guides to be absolutely the most helpful, from finding and learning about the sites to the hotels and restaurants. Well-organized, expansive and packed with useful information and great tips.



2. Pretty recent info, was dissapointed by map , and the lack of " insider" info on smaller places. Book covers only the AZ tourism sites.



3. This is a very good source for planning a trip to Arizona. It contains detailed information and maps.