5 comments about Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Glen Canyon Region.

1. On trying to follow the guide to one of the hikes, the Yellow Rock/Box of Paria River, we were fortunate to meet a BLM ranger as we were about to set out. It became clear that we weren't where we thought we were, and had we continued on, would have entered a confusing and unmarked maze of canyons instead of the entrance to the Box. This is the fault of this book - the maps are poorly labeled and confusing, and the directions (which usually start out by referring you back to some other hike, a poor strategy for a guide book) were, in this instance, just plain wrong, giving incorrect mileage to the point where we should have been. The two locator maps at the front of the book are especially bad, the first oriented perpendicular to the other covering the east part of the region, the second one showing the western part. They should be combined into one map across both pages, show the monument and park boundaries and have some kind of legend, along with better labels.
   What we ended up using as a reference for the rest of the trip, on which we did four hikes, was, in fact, a place mat from a breakfast place in Escalante, which turned out to be much better organized, concise and accurate. On the front is an easy-to-understand map, clearly labeled, and on the back are brief descriptions of the principal backroads and the hikes along each one. This handy little sheet is actually easily found in most businesses in the area, for free.
   Of course, a restaurant placemat doesn't give the level of detail contained in Mr. Adkison's book, which has several useful features, including good categorical summaries for each hike such as elevation gain and loss (including a line graph depicting this), difficulty ratings, hiking time, etc. It was inaccurate in one of those categories for the Yellow Rock hike, stating that no permit was required; the ranger corrected us on this count as well.
   If this book were reorganized in the same manner as the place mat, with the good map of the back roads - there are several key ones: The Burr Trail, Hell's Backbone, and Cottonwood Canyon - and then listed the hikes attainable from each one, then it would be a lot more useful.



2. We used Hiking Grand Staircase-Escalante and the Glen Canyon Region for several hikes this summer and, despite some shortcomings, I would recommend it.
   The trail descriptions are pretty realistic and give a good idea of what to expect on the hike. Based on these descriptions we picked our hikes and were never disappointed. The book describes the general character of the terrain, what you can expect to see, how difficult the hike is likely to be, etc., followed by a decent trail description.
   Where the book needs improvement are the maps. The maps are OK to get a general idea, but NOT A SUBSTITUTE for proper planning of your trip. First they are a bit simplified (which is OK), second they are sometimes wrong (which can get you into trouble). The map for the Boulder Mail Trail, for example, has an incorrect scale bar which makes the hike appear much shorter than it really is (the text gives the correct information).
   However, using this book as the sole information for your hike is not the smartest thing to begin with. In combination with the deLorme (or Benchmark) Utah Atlas and Gazetteer and a series of large scale topographic maps (USGS, Trails Illustrated) we never had any issues finding the trailhead or loosing the trail. So, consider this and similar books as a source of ideas, but do your homework, get the right maps etc. and you'll be fine.



3. The Falcon Guides are the best source of reading material that I have found for hiking into unfamiliar areas. Their discription, maps and milage/elevation gain graphs are wonderful. There books contain a great deal of information.



4. The book contains many good hiking routes, but lacks the kind of detail and descriptive writing about the amazing landscapes (waterfalls, canyons, rivers, prehistoric ruins, cliffs, and other landmarks in general) that you would expect from such an incredible area. I don't know if this is the author's fault or the publisher, but I'm inclined to avoid books from either in the future. Also, like other reviewers have said, the maps are cheesy, and not very useful. DO NOT go on a trip to the area with only this book - you need either a book with much better maps, or even better, a detailed topographical map. If you're looking for a guidebook on this "new" area, I suggest finding another book.



5. We were very dissappointed in this book. The writing was very disorganized and poorly written. You had a to read a section several times to figure out what it was trying to say. All kinds of interpretive information was included in the basic description. Also, the information was very outdated. We expect a fair amount of that in guide books. We know things change fast. But this was much worse than usual. The maps were horrible. Spread out on all different pages (and not consecutive pages!). And missing important details. And finally, it didn't include some of the more major trailheads that are being used for one of the hikes. It wasn't anywhere in the written description or on the maps!! We learned that this trailhead was the most common (and best) one that people have been using for years! Our friends had two other guides that were much much much better.

5 comments about ATV Trails Guide Moab, UT.

1. We had plans to haul our ATVs to Moab and ride the area. This book was incredibly beneficial in helping us pick the trails to ride. It contained great detail on the trails themselves and easy to follow directions to the trailheads. Without this book we would have been guessing where to go and always asking directions. It truly enhanced our great experience. The rules, general information and tips in the beginning were helpful also. I would definitely recommend purchasing this book if you're intending to ride the Moab, Utah area.



2. Excellent book, the color maps and pictures are EXCELLENT a wise choice by the author to go to a color format much better that the older black/white books.



3. This book was a great help finding our way around to the trail heads and on the trails as well. We took it with us where ever we went. I think that in order to be safe the difficulty ratings are a little conservative but still give a relative comparison from one trail to the next. The trails that the book mentions as impassible and for jeeps only really are unless you are willing to spend time to rig and winch your way over them. The photos in the book are right on and help to identify location at times when you may have some doubt.



4. If you plan to ride ATVs in Moab, get this book and use it to pre-plan your trip. It will save you a ton of time and will probably make your trip at least a little safer. Highly recommended! Nice work Charles!



5. I just returned from four days of riding my ATV on trails described in this book. The decriptions and maps were accurate. It is still a good idea to purchase a geographic map at the visitors center in Moab to provide some finer detail of the various trails since there are many more secondary trails than the maps in the book reflect which can lead to confusion. All in all it was a great peice of gear and was put to good use.

5 comments about Journey to the High Southwest, 8th: A Traveler's Guide to Santa Fe and the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

1. I bought this book to get some ideas for our family's summer vacation to the "4-Corners" area. The book has alot of information, little of it very helpful for trip planning. Most of the book is about the history, geology and nature found in each park. Details of the actual parks are written in the narrative form as the author drove and hiked in the areas. If you are willing to read through all this you might find a couple helpful gems and tips on your journey.



2. I was previously a ranger at Mesa Verde. This is without a doubt the best guide to the High Southwest that I've encountered. For years I've recommended this to friends, and each time I've been thanked for giving them an outstanding, wide, yet in-depth, and well written source of critical information about one of the most fascinating areas of our country. From where to go, what to see, and how to understand it -- from history, to geology, to ethnography, and much more -- this is an excellent introduction to the high country of our Southwest.



3. I travel in the region covered by this book a lot; over the years I have bought lots of guidebooks and other books about the area. Journey to the High Southwest remains my absolute favorite.
   I do not understand the comment of an earlier reviewer that it does not include helpful "tips" for "trip planning." You might consider supplementing it with a more standard guidebook of the Frommer/Froder variety, but I have used Journey to the High Southwest since our very first trip to the area (early 1990s) and have found it a trove of "useful tips." On that first trip, using this book, I was able, for instance, to plan travel through the Hopi Reservation, where to stay, how to find out about when and where there would be dances, etc. The recommendations of where to stay/where to eat are terrific. (We would never have found our favorite hole-in-the-corner diner in Espanola without this book!) In addition to all the good travel suggestions, it's beautifully written, a mine of information, and a joy to read. I am so happy to find that there is an 8th edition!



4. Robert L. Casey's superb guidebook is generally recognized as the best guide to the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. We've used various editions for several years on our driving and hiking trips. Casey describes his own trips by car, raft and on foot, and his essays give insights into geology, history and culture.
   
   We found him excellent on the ground for Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Santa Fe, Taos, Arches, and Canyon de Chelly. His descriptions of Capitol Reef, Sunset Crater, Wupatki, Dead Horse Point, Durango, Silverton, and Telluride are compelling armchair reading. His book is particularly strong on the history and culture of native cultures.
   
   Tony Hillerman, one of my favorite authors on the area, is a powerful advocate for Casey's work: "I've been prowling around, living in, and writing about the Four Corners states for more than 40 years, and I still find myself learning from Journey to the High Southwest. It's the best guide to this part of the world I've ever seen - and that includes ones I've written myself."
   
   Casey provides specific travel information, including Bed & Breakfasts, Crafts shops, Campgrounds, Galleries, Bicycle Rentals, Hotels, Museums, Indian Festivals, Canyon Tours, Hot-Air Balloon Rides, Restaurants, Horseback Riding, Youth Hostels, Concerts, and Rafting Expeditions. This guide is updated every two years or so, but it is always worthwhile to check on the accuracy of current information.
   
   This is a wonderful guide book whether reading at home or visiting the Four Corners.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



5. I reluctantly returned a well-worn 6th edition to a friend recently, and have purchased the 8th. What makes this guide special is the background history it gives. It is for the "worldly traveler," or one seeking to understand in-depth where she travels. It enabled me to have a conversation with a Dine about his spirituality that I would not have been able to do without this book. Keep sharing Robert Casey! S. Hancock

3 comments about Best Easy Day Hikes Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks (Best Easy Day Hikes Series).

1. The entire series of Falcon Guides: THE BEST EASY DAY HIKES xxxxx are a delight to read and then follow. For those with a minimal amount of time to see vistas, canyons, and other scenery in parks and other areas of the country you can really experience a good variety of the locale by taking any of the hikes in these books.
   
   I have about a dozen of these books, mostly of the western US and have referenced all of them in my hiking plannings. They are pocket size which makes them easy to carry with you and easy to read an understand.



2. The actual national park guides are really as good, but it is a decent second source to read about the hike. I did use it. But not a must.



3. Zion National Park was the first park where I was truly captivated by the scenery. I was 9 and had just completed my first ascent of Angel's landing and realized hiking was the best sport in the world. Now, of course, I have a job and my time for visiting Zion, or indeed any park, is severely limited. I want to spend a few days, see the highlights, and then return to work so I can pay for my next excursion. At this stage in my life, books like this one from the Best Easy Day Hikes Series are a joy. They provide a sampling of short to intermediate hikes that I can use to plan my day. Molvar and Martin's contribution to the series, however, is better than most.
   
   Despite having Zion and Bryce in the title, this book actually provides a selection of walks and hikes for much of southern Utah. It does offer 10 hikes in Zion, including Angel's Landing and the East Rim (neither of which should be considered "easy) and 6 more in Bryce. But it also covers Cedar Breaks and a variety of hikes in forests and state parks throughout Utah's "Dixie" lands. I would have added a few walks in Snow Canyon, the colorful low elevation rival to Zion, but this is still a fine selection of hikes. So if you are planning a short visit to southern Utah to explore parts of canyon country, this book is a good choice. It includes the classic hikes in the region, and more than a few hidden gems you would not know about otherwise.

5 comments about Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau: Non-Technical.

1. While missing an index is a somewhat minor fault in a "non-technical" book such as this, it is hard to forgive the publisher/author for using such small type. This book is difficult to read in the best of situations. It also uses a paper of high grade glossiness, which looks really great, but makes the book about 2x heavier than it should be for a guide. Essentially, as long as you don't take this book with you on your hikes, it has everything you will need for hiking the canyons.



2. What hikes have been left out? Nothing worth doing. Michael Kelsey is the absolute authority of high adventure on the colorado plateau. Yes make no mistake there are others who make at best a weak imitation of a guide book and claim superiority because they are more of a environtmental "green nutjob". Other authors need to have mostly naked young turks do all the technical aspects of their canyon hiking and criticize Kelsey for being practical. Every Mexican I have ever talked to loves all of Kelsey's books. Think about it.



3. It's perplexing to see so many poor reviews written towards Kelsey and his wonderful books. After some research I have come to the conclusion that most were written by elitist, selfish, environmental extremist hypocrites that seem to hate him because he opened up their personal playground to everyday people like the majority of us.
   
   His books are not perfect...but only an idiot would expect them to be. This book is a basic guide designed to point you in the right direction with some items of interest along the way. Just take his data subjectively and no big deal. So what if he spells some words different, I had no trouble understanding anything. I will admit, the metric system is a pain, but I simply convert all info before I go. I guess he does brag a little, big deal, if he wants to toot his own horn go for it. If I could do what he's done, I'd toot mine too.
   
   This book has an immense amount of information about a lifetime of hikes for the average person. Although this particular book doesn't include a lot of historical info, it looks like there just weren't enough pages (or smaller type). That's ok though, because I've read his other books that have it all. I do like the way he alerts the reader to the best trailheads and informs us whether or not we need to drive the Jeep or not.
   
   Like I said before, if you use his data subjectivly, hope for the best--prepare for the worst, know your limitations and let basic common sense be your guide; the average hiker will have an excellent time and can't wait to tell all their friends. As for the self absorbed fringe extremists (you know who you are)--sorry for the intrusion on "your land" and hope to see you out on the trail.
   
   Buy the book, the majority won't be dissapointed.
   
   Thank you Michael Kelsey and keep up the excellent work!



4. For anyone who is serious about hiking the Plateau, this book is an absolute must. Despite the environmental hacks and the elitist "new" generation hiking authors, Kelsey is the original and the best. Kelsey's maps have guided me through some of the most remote and scenic canyons on earth. If you have ability to route find, read a map and a sense of adventure, Kelsey's books are invaluable. If you are going with Boy Scouts, better take a more watered down guide book with "how to" pictures and rosy Harvard prose. Simply put, Kelsey is the best in the biz and runs circles around others - literally, he has hiked more places on the Plateau than anyone else and no one will ever get close.



5. This book has the most thorough coverage of the canyon country available. It's allowed us to find several sites that we couldn't find in any other guidebook. That's the good news. The bad news is that what Kelsey considers non-technical often requires a harness and rope. He's obviously a climber, and on several occasions we've had to backtrack because we came to an impassable pour-off or cliff. So just be advised that hikers will often find the non-technical to be more technical than they'd expect from the descriptions.

5 comments about Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails 2nd edition.

1. I used this book to navigate around the back trails near Moab (Arches & Canyonlands National Parks). It was the perfect, unimpeachable companion to driving the 4wd paths.
   
   I'll make it short: if you plan to do some recreational offroading in the Moab area of Utah, this is your one and only guide.



2. Excellent resource for anyone wheeling in Moab! Do yourself a favor, if you buy direct from the author's website, you can pay $5 more to get the spiral bound edition. I wish I had known this!



3. Excellent book, well written easy to understand with wonderful photos of the areas it covers. I have several of these for Colorado, Arizona and now Utah! My father-in-law also has Colorado and now after looking through mine had me order one for him!



4. I have had the first edition of this book for 4 years and have loved it. I was with another jeep earlier this year and saw that they had an updated version. This version is very nice with the color pictures and updated directions for the trails. I know several of the trails have changed since the 1st edition and this new edition made it so much easier to navigate and having the gps waypoints on the same page as the trail was very useful. These really are great books and the new trails in the book are a very nice addition.



5. This book ROCKS!!!! Literally haha. I want to do every trail in this book. I've heard of so many trails, and didn't know any info or how to get to them. This book solves it all.

5 comments about 50 Best Short Hikes in Utah's National Parks.

1. There is so much information you'll need for day hiking in Utah's National Parks.It tells you what the best seasons are for the hikes,distances,elevation gains,difficulty ratings and average hiking times.It's a fun,well organized,easy to read book with lots of nice pictures and maps.It's a great book and for a great price!!!One of the best!!!



2. I purchased this book prior to a trip to Zion and Bryce National Parks. I've read a number of hiking guides before and found this one particularly helpful. The author gives excellent details both on the difficulty of the hike and what you can expect to see. After hiking most of the trails in both parks, I can vouch for the accuracy of the guide and found the information very useful.
   
   The sole drawback is the lack of color photos which would add far more impact to these descriptions. This is a common failing of this type of book but it a shortcoming even so.



3. I bought this book because I was looking for short hikes for our family with elementary-aged children in all the titled Utah Nat'l parks. It does do a good job of describing the hikes in very great detail, how to get to the trail head, etc. Each hike is rated according to it's difficulty and child-friendliness and length of time to complete. This is all very good and helpful. However, I discovered after the fact that most of this same information is available on the National Park Service website and the brochure available for free at the visitor center, including some that aren't in the book.



4. I bought several hiking guides and general guide books and this was the one I found the most useful. There are so many great hikes in Utah it is hard to decide which ones to try. This book provides enough detail on enough hikes to be very useful. And they have already narrowed down the choices by limiting it to 50 hikes, so they are already wonderful. The information proved very useful in my opinion. [...]



5. This book is loaded with useful information. It allows a person who is unfamiliar with this area to make good choices about which trails are a must see. I highly recommend it.

4 comments about Benchmark Utah Road & Recreation Atlas - 4th edition.

1. I first tried the Utah Atlas and Gazetteer- it has POOR detail...!,
   The Gazetter did NOT show many of the back roads (unimproved...), and is not very topographic (mountains...). VERY CONFUSING to try and follow!
   
   I "HIGHLY" recommend the!-
   Benchmark Utah... Road & Recreation Atlas (any state!) Excellent detail/topographic, and most of the unimproved roads/trails...!



2. I used this atlas on a recent trip to Utah in my truck camper. I visited National Parks and back country areas in southern UT. It's excellent for showing the public lands, landscape, and locations of camp grounds.



3. I ordered both the Utah and Colorado Road & Recreation Atlases by Benchmark. I am very pleased. These atlases show where the railroads are also. Very good details.



4. very good detail for upcoming antelope hunting trip, just what i needed to find my way around in utah

3 comments about Best Easy Day Hikes Canyonlands and Arches, 2nd (Best Easy Day Hikes Series).

1. Excellent guide to hikes in and near the two National Parks. If your going to go to the Moab area, have never been there before and enjoy hiking, this is the guide for you. Take it with you and enjoy.



2. If you plan on hiking any of the two parks this guide covers, this compact but thorough guide will be a real asset. Meant for the day hiker, it offers all the info you need to know. I particularly liked the fact that the author went out of his way to include info he might just as easily left out, such as where the shady spots are, which hikes have tough stretches, and which ones are appropriate for kids. Very well done and worth every penny.



3. Great for families who want to get out of the car and off the road to see the park. All of the advice was current and we enjoyed each of the hikes we chose.

5 comments about Utah Atlas & Gazetteer (6th Edition).

1. Quick delivery, good price, excellent travel guide for the state of Utah where you want to see terrain, not just highways.



2. These DeLorme maps are great. I plan on visiting the state of Utah next spring and do some hiking while I am there and these look great. The details of the roads and all campsites are awesome. I plan to purchase more of these of other states. They even have details about fishing being available.



3. As already stated by the other reviewers, the DeLorme atlas & gazetteer is fantastic. I love the many points-of-interest features which other map products lack.
   
   But if you're going to buy one, don't get this 2005 edition, go find the 2008 edition (such as on DeLorme's website). In addition to the road updates, the new one has GPS coordinates and more topographical info. I'm a little disappointed that Amazon doesn't have it available yet, when it's been out since early this year.



4. The Gazetteer is the only way to travel. These maps have been in the back of my truck for years and are exceptional. If you have never used a Gazetteer map, you have not been seeing all of the world you need to see. If I had to take 2 things on a road trip, I would take a car and a Gazetteer.



5. I recently went to buy several new Delorme Atlases (for a few different states) because my old ones are getting a bit long in the tooth. Well, I left the store without them. I'm glad I didn't order them here because they would have been sent right back. The newest versions are simply zoomed-in highway/road maps. I can get the same info at the gas station for a dollar and have 70 less pages of nothing to carry around. There are no elevation contours, half the details are gone, and the format is generally 'dumbed down.' These maps used to show all sorts of interesting things for those who ventured off the main roads. The new ones show major roads, pretty colors, and generally which Interstate takes you to the national forests. If you're cruising the Interstates and are looking for the triple latte of highway maps, you're set. Otherwise... worthless.
   
   Sorry, but Delorme REALLY blew it. They need to rehire the cartographers and fire the graphic artists.