Frommer's National Parks of the American West (Park Guides) - Softcover

Laine, Don; Laine, Barbara

4

58 ratings by Goodreads

9780470537671: Frommer's National Parks of the American West (Park Guides)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470537671 ISBN 13: 9780470537671

Publisher: *Frommers, 2010

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With full coverage of Western national parks: Arches, Badlands, Big Bend, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Black Hills (including Mount Rushmore), Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Carlsbad Caverns, Channel Islands, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Devils Tower, Glacier National/Waterton Lakes, the Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Guadalupe Mountains, Joshua Tree, Lassen Volcanic Park, Mesa Verde and the Four Corners, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Point Reyes, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Saguaro, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.
According to the National Park Service, as of June 2009, 127.7 million visits were made to national parks in the first six months of the year, an increase of about 4.5 million over the same period in 2008.
More than 900,000 people visited Yellowstone National Park in July, 2009, an all-time record for monthly visits and a jump of 94,000 visits over 2008. The First Family visited Yellowstone in August, 2009.

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Review:

A park lover's must-have, the information provided in this behemoth of a book is almost as impressive as the redwoods that grace its cover. With a focus on helping visitors avoid the crowds, National Parks of the American West provides painstakingly researched details on more than 40 national parks, monuments, seashores, and preserves.

Frommer's explains their intent in the introduction: "Our authors have talked to the rangers, hiked the trails, and taken the tours, all the while asking, 'How can our readers avoid the crowds?' In each of following chapters you'll find a section giving you straightforward, practical advice on just how to do this.... We've searched for secluded trails that can be hiked by the average person, scenic drives where you won't get caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and points where, with only a minimum of effort, you'll be afforded spectacular views without feeling as if you're packed into Times Square on New Year's Eve."

There is probably not a question you have that this book doesn't answer: each park listing includes tips from park rangers, ideas especially for kids, excellent maps, entrance fee information, the best driving and walking tours, campground overviews, food and other lodging, contacts for activities and recreation, and interesting sidebars. --Kathryn True

From the Publisher:

More than 65 million people visit the national parks annually--and overcrowding has become a serious problem. So We sent our authors out to hit the trails and campsites to figure out how to beat the crowds and enjoy an unspoiled experience of nature.

Our authors take readers to the most spectacular landscapes in the western U.S. and provide advice for every kind of park visitor, from the day-tripper who wants to see the highlights quickly to the back-country camper to families traveling with kids. This incredibly detailed, complete guide covers every kind of activity available in each park, from hiking to bird watching, with a range of sport for visitors of all ages and skill levels.

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