Customer Reviews

Arkansas: A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure (Guides to Backcountry Travel & Adventure,)

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Arkansas A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure, by Bryan Hendricks, is in my opinion, the best source for information about outdoor activities in Arkansas currently available. I have read several titles that have promised useful information on this subject, but Mr. Hendricks' book has got the most complete listings of places to go and things to do in the most reader-friendly format of any of my previous purchases. I have 3 young children, and accurate information is vital to me when it comes to planning a trip. This book lets me know exactly what to expect when I'm considering a weekend jaunt with my family. Nothing can ruin an otherwise nice outing for me more than getting to a place and finding it totally different than it has been described to me. I have already been to several of the recreation areas mentioned in this book, and have found the author's assessments to be right on track. Therefore, I feel like I can trust Mr. Hendricks' observations when I am planning future excursions with my family. Arkansas A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure, published by Out There Press, covers every region of the state in an easy-to-use layout, complete with locations, maps, activities permitted, contact information, ranger station locations, and also gives you names of businesses in the immediate area which may be of use while on an outing. Everything is easy to understand, with emphasis placed on hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and my personal favorite, mountain biking. It is so hard to get accurate information on what is permitted, and when and where, that the contacts included with the book will make it a valuable refernce for years to come. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to find outdoor activities in Arkansas, as I feel there is not a single wasted page between its covers.

I recently read the book "Arkansas, A Guide to Backcountry Travel and Adventure", written by Bryan Hendricks in anticipation of a combined canoe and back-country exploration of the Buffalo River Area in North west Arkansas. I was pleasantly surprised to find all the information I needed for both the canoe trip and back country hiking trip contained in the same book! Usually, my trips require purchase of at least two different books: one for the whitewater and one for the back-country; but not in this case. This is the first time I've planned a combined journey with the luxury of finding all the needed information, map references, portages, and trail heads in one comprehensive volume. Great work, Bryan!

I was also fascinated upon further reading by the anecdotal information in the book which made for an interesting and "not-so-dry" read. The story of the "Legend of Boggy Creek" was particularly enjoyable and should provide a good discussion point for any family camping trip.

Thanks again for the excellent book and perhaps I'll see Mr. Hendricks on the Buffalo River this April.

If you are looking for an expert, detailed guide to a backcountry adventure or just a highly readable armchair simulation, read this book. It offers detailed suggestions not only to surviving the wilds but thriving in them. ARKANSAS appeals to hiker, naturalist, and layman alike with each district and area offering a general overview for trip selection. Following each of these are detailed maps with topographical descriptions, seasonal guides to vegetation and animals, climate expectations, clothing needs, and equipment recommendations. Also, there are comprehensive activitity guides to camping, canoeing, fishing, biking, and hiking. The book traverses the state like its rivers: from the high-plateau Ozark Mountains of the Northwest, down the Arkansas River Valley, through the piney woods of the Ouachita Mountains, across the fertile cotton, rice, and soybean fields of the Delta to the blackwater swamps of the Southeast. The author's expertise is impressive, but more than this, the book reflects a deep appreciation, respect, and love of backcountry Arkansas.

When it comes to backcountry travel in Arkansas, I consider myself an expert, but Arkansas, A Guide to backcountry Travel & Adventure, took me to places where even I've never been! The ultimate test of a book like this is accuracy, and the author earned my trust immediately when I looked up a couple of places I know very well. His descriptions are dead-on, and his lively writing style is a lot spicier than what one normally sees in this type of book. I mean, if you didn't want to visit the Sulphur River Wildlife Management Area on the merits of its recreational opportunities alone, how could you resist after reading Hendricks' passage about the legendary Fouke Monster, which supposedly inhabits the area? This book is just full of juicy little tidbits like that to complement its impressive array of how-to, where-to information. I haven't had my copy very long, but it's already well worn from my travels around the state. I consider it as necessary as a backpack and canoe paddle, and when it's no longer serviceable, I won't hesitate to replace it.

Arkansas, A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure, is the most comprehensive resource for adventure travel in Arkansas ever written. In fact, it sets a new standard for all books of this genre. Unlike many guide books, which are informative but very dry, Arkansas ... is fast-paced and very entertaining. It covers about 120 different areas across the state and details the opportunities each offers in terms of camping, hiking, fishing, mountain biking, canoeing/kayaking and rock climbing. It lists locations of individual trailheads and river/lake access points. It also explains directions to each area to within 1/10 of a mile. In the "camping" sections, it describes each campground and lists total number of campsites, whether running water and showers are present and describes campsite amenities, such as picnic tables, lantern posts, fire rings, etc. The introductions to each area really make this book shine. They contain colorful snippets of local lore and history, and Hendricks' descriptions make you feel as if you're really there. If I found a fault with this book, it's that the introductions weren't longer. Although the chapters concerning the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains were excellent and remarkably complete, I really enjoyed the sections dealing with the Mississippi River Delta and the Gulf Coastal Plain. As Hendricks explained in the introduction, "Before its inclusion in this book, the Delta was uncharted territory for backcountry travelers." If you want information on these areas, this book is the only place you'll find it. Because it covers so much territory, Arkansas ... is more of an access guide, so it doesn't give step-by-step descriptions of individual trails or waterways. Hendricks provides just enough information to make you hungry for more. Otherwise, the entries for the individual activities are packed with information. They tell you exactly how to find these places and what you can do once you get there. This book makes me want to go to Arkansas!

This is a terrific book, even for people who only occasionally venture into the woods on a hike. The author has obviously visited every one of the Arkansas parks and hiked the trails he describes. He tells the reader important details like, the location of the closest pay telephone, where the nearest supply store is and even if the people are friendly. There's information about camping, lodging, hiking trails and advice about scenic stops. This is a great gift for anyone who ever has or ever intends to visit an Arkansas park.

Arkansas: A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure, written by Bryan Hendricks, is in my opinion, by far the best book currently available for the outdoor enthusiast in Arkansas. After having purchased and/or read several titles of this genre, Mr. Hendricks' book provides the most complete and objective overviews of outdoor activities in every region of Arkansas. The maps are accurate and easy to read, as are the descriptions of services available and activities permitted by state and local laws. As a father of three young children, it is important that when we travel, I have the most accurate and up to date information about our destination as is possible. I trust Mr. Hendricks' evaluations as listed in his book, as I have already visited several of the featured areas and have found his appraisals honest and observant. I am an avid mountain bicyclist, and I have found it difficult to find reliable information about sanctioned places outside my immediate locality in which I can ride. Most others books on the market woefully ignore mountain biking as a legitimate sport, while Mr. Hendricks gives it equal billing with more conventional pastimes such as camping, hiking, boating, and fishing (which I also enjoy immensely). I have noticed a trend in which authors write books about their "favorite" or "the best" place(s) to go in Arkansas. This is fine, but I've found that my family's taste differs from the offerings in these books, and we are often disappointed in the end. "Arkansas: A Backcountry Guide to Travel & Adventure" has more information on more natural habitats in Arkansas than the previously mentioned types of books, and also offers subjective commentary about each of these locations. Each area is described in detail, including contact information, directions to get there, the topography of the area, allowed activities, and the particular "do and do not's" of the site. I will conclude this by saying that as a native Arkansawyer myself, this book has really opened up my options for outdoor recreation, and I'm sure that anyone purchasing this title will not be disappointed.

Arkansas: A Guide to Backcountry Travel & Adventure, written by Bryan Hendricks, is in my opinion, by far the best book currently available for the outdoor enthusiast in Arkansas. After having purchased and/or read several titles of this genre, Mr. Hendricks' book provides the most complete and objective overviews of outdoor activities in every region of Arkansas. The maps are accurate and easy to read, as are the descriptions of services available and activities permitted by state and local laws. As a father of three young children, it is important that when we travel, I have the most accurate and up to date information about our destination as is possible. I trust Mr. Hendricks' evaluations as listed in his book, as I have already visited several of the featured areas and have found his appraisals honest and observant. I am an avid mountain bicyclist, and I have found it difficult to find reliable information about sanctioned places outside my immediate locality in which I can ride. Most others books on the market woefully ignore mountain biking as a legitimate sport, while Mr. Hendricks gives it equal billing with more conventional pastimes such as camping, hiking, boating, and fishing (which I also enjoy immensely). I have noticed a trend in which authors write books about their "favorite" or "the best" place(s) to go in Arkansas. This is fine, but I've found that my family's taste differs from the offerings in these books, and we are often disappointed in the end. "Arkansas: A Backcountry Guide to Travel & Adventure" has more information on more natural habitats in Arkansas than the previously mentioned types of books, and also offers subjective commentary about each of these locations. Each area is described in detail, including contact information, directions to get there, the topography of the area, allowed activities, and the particular "do and do not's" of the site. I will conclude this by saying that as a native Arkansawyer myself, this book has really opened up my options for outdoor recreation, and I'm sure that anyone purchasing this title will not be disappointed.

GREAT BOOK! Very comprehensive, easy to follow, and gives you all the information you would need to select a location for the type of recreation you are seeking. I've read other publications by Bryan Hendricks and he has a wonderful talent for making you see and feel the scene he is describing. Very talented writer. I highly recommend the book!