Customer Reviews

Death Valley National Park, CA - Trails Illustrated Map #221

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The fact that this map is done through National Geographic says it all. All of the Trails Illustrated Maps are the golden standard. Sure you can get the USGS topographic maps, but you'd need dozens for an area the size of Death Valley and beyond that, they won't give you 'the big picture.' This map is especially designed for outdoor recreation. You get a road map at the visitor center but this is for hikers and off-roaders. The outdoors can be a rough place and Death Valley can be especially difficult. This map is built to survive America's hottest and driest weather. It is waterproof and tear resistant. For years, the 1996 edition has accompanied me on countless backpacking trips and 4x4 adventures. While it's now dirty as heck, it's as intact and functional as ever. This 2006 edition is a snazzy upgrade. For starters, it's significantly easier to read. Not just a bare-bones topographical map, mountain ranges are shaded under the contour lines. Additionally, roads are much easier to see. Paved roads and significant backroads are shaded in a way that makes them much easier to visually follow. I had to write all over my 1996 version to make sense of the roads and trails. Such customizing is mostly unnecessary with this new version. Since the 1990s, personal GPS units have become all the rage. In response, this new edition has a full UTM grid. The Park is split between the front and back of the map. Because of this, the scale is 1:165,000, so it's pretty easy to read. As with its predecessor, it gives good jurisdictional boundaries and icons show which services are available at particular locations. It also gives names and descriptions of backcountry roads, general rules, an annual temperature chart and list of important phone numbers. The 49ers found out that getting lost in this place could be deadly. If they had this map, they wouldn't have been lost and the area probably would have been given a different name. Don't repeat their tragedy. Bring the Trails Illustrated map with you into the Death Valley backcountry.

Planning a trip to Death Valley from Italy in not simple. Is not obvious search all point of interest and to plan the right way to see them. This Map is the best map and guide I found about it. Is easy to read and very detailed and you can found all information you need on it. A very good purchase.

Not only does this map provide adequate information for hiking and 4-wheeling, it lists many of the best trails and roads to spend you time on. It also provides park regulations and travel tips.

The map is printed on plastic rather than paper so it is waterproof and tear-resistant. This came in very handy on our President's Day trip as an inordinant amount of rain and snow fell while we were in Death Valley. At least we didn't have to worry about destroying the map while we were locating ourselves in the whiteout conditions.

The scale of this map is 1:165,000; if anyone can direct me towards a UTM roamer, slot or grid tool for that scale, I'll be unbelievably greatful, because I couldn't find one. The UTM grid and "GPS compatibility" are the selling points of the map, but in the absense of actual UTM tools they are but useless. The UTM grid lines are 5 kilometers apart, so I can put a position obtained from my GPS unit on the map only very approximately, say, within a half-kilometer circle, which may put me on the wrong side of a narrow canyon.
Other that that, the map is beautiful. Shading is nice, roads are well marked and road condition warnings are put at many points.

The fact that this map is done through National Geographic says it all. All of the Trails Illustrated Maps are the golden standard. Sure you can get the USGS topographic maps, but you'd need dozens for an area the size of Death Valley and beyond that, they won't give you 'the big picture.' This map is especially designed for outdoor recreation. You get a road map at the visitor center but this is for hikers and off-roaders. The outdoors can be a rough place and Death Valley can be especially difficult. This map is built to survive America's hottest and driest weather. It is waterproof and tear resistant. For years, the 1996 edition has accompanied me on countless backpacking trips and 4x4 adventures. While it's now dirty as heck, it's as intact and functional as ever. This 2006 edition is a snazzy upgrade. For starters, it's significantly easier to read. Not just a bare-bones topographical map, mountain ranges are shaded under the contour lines. Additionally, roads are much easier to see. Paved roads and significant backroads are shaded in a way that makes them much easier to visually follow. I had to write all over my 1996 version to make sense of the roads and trails. Such customizing is mostly unnecessary with this new version. Since the 1990s, personal GPS units have become all the rage. In response, this new edition has a full UTM grid. The Park is split between the front and back of the map. Because of this, the scale is 1:165,000, so it's pretty easy to read. As with its predecessor, it gives good jurisdictional boundaries and icons show which services are available at particular locations. It also gives names and descriptions of backcountry roads, general rules, an annual temperature chart and list of important phone numbers. The 49ers found out that getting lost in this place could be deadly. If they had this map, they wouldn't have been lost and the area probably would have been given a different name. Don't repeat their tragedy. Bring the Trails Illustrated map with you into the Death Valley backcountry.

If there are three things you take with you to Death Valley, it should be this map, a container for water, and a compass! This is the best quality map I had ever purchased. I plan to buy this series of maps for future trips. I have it filed away with other information on Death Valley to use when I am one day fortunate enough to return. If you are headed there, you are in for a treat. It is one of the most peaceful places I have visited. I went In January and it was amazing!

I have used the Trails Illustrated maps on multiple hikes and they are awesome. Water and tear proof, they are easy to use and built to go in and out of the pack all day long.

I recently put this map to use. It is a must have if you are heading to Death Valley. Having a GPS also helped but without this map we wouldn't have known where to go. It has some notes on popular areas, hiking and off road spots too. Really helped make our trip even better. I also suggest Steve Greene's book on Death Valley. The park is so big it cannot be done in one trip.

I've got several other maps for Death Valley, but this is the best overall. It covers more area than some maps and it's easy to pick out roads or trails. Nice wilderness boundary depiction.