Enjoying Big Bend National Park: A Friendly Guide to Adventures for Everyone (W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series) [Paperback]

Gary Clark (Author), Kathy Adams Clark (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series | Publication Date: March 6, 2009

This book will help turn every trip to Big Bend National Park into a memorable adventure.

 

Veteran naturalist Gary Clark and photographer Kathy Adams Clark help you choose the best hike or drive in Big Bend National Park, based on the season in which you visit; the number of days you have in the park; and your activity, age, and fitness levels. The Clarks provide valuable practical information, along with a descriptive list of items essential for being outdoors in desert and mountain environments and an overview of park rules.

 

They describe more than thirty activities available in the park: two-hour or half- and full-day adventures; adventures for the physically fit or physically challenged; and adventures with children, for nature lovers, or in vehicles. The Clarks also point out scenic highlights and animals and plants that might be seen along the way.

Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . a handy guide for first-time and repeat visitors to Big Bend National Park."--Liz Carmack, author of Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler''s Guide

(Liz Carmack )

"Through their thoughtful text and eye-catching photographs, Gary and Kathy Clark transport readers to one of our nation''s last frontiers, Big Bend State Park. . . . "  --John and Gloria Tveten, authors of  Our Life with Birds, Adventures Afar, and Nature at Your Doorstep, published by Texas A&M University Press

(John and Gloria Tveten )

About the Author

GARY CLARK, an active Texas birder, is dean of business, social, and behavioral sciences at Lone Star College in Houston. The author of Texas Wildlife Portfolio and Texas Gulf Coast Impressions, he writes a weekly nature column in the Houston Chronicle. His articles on birds, nature, and travel have appeared in many magazines, including AAA Journeys, Birder's World, Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, and Texas Highways.

Nature photographer KATHY ADAMS CLARK, owner of the photo agency KAC Productions, has served as president of the North American Nature Photography Association. Her photographs have appeared on the covers of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, Texas Highways, as well as in numerous books, magazines, and calendars. Her photos illustrate Gary's weekly newspaper column in the Houston Chronicle. They reside in The Woodlands, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press (March 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1603441018
• ISBN-13: 978-1603441018
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Texas

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Misleading title and confusing organization, December 22, 2010

By 

L. Wilson (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Enjoying Big Bend National Park: A Friendly Guide to Adventures for Everyone (W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series) (Paperback)

I chose the book over others because I thought it would touch on all kinds of adventures in the park, not just hiking. I was really surprised (disappointed) that there was no mention of rafting at all. By all accounts, rafting or paddling the Rio Grande is a must-do while visiting Big Bend. Even the front cover is of Santa Elena Canyon, which is one of the most common areas for guided river trips!

My second "dislike" is with the organization of the book. Here are the chapter titles:
*Two Hour Adventures
*Half Day Adventures
*A Full day Adventure
*Adventures with families and small children
*Adventures for the physically fit
*Adventures at an easy pace
*Adventures for people with limited mobility
*Adventures in a vehicle
*Adventures for nature lovers

So, if you are a physically fit nature lover looking for an all day hike, you've got to sort through at least 3 chapters to find what you're looking for. There are "driving adventures" included in most of the chapters, not just the vehicle chapter.

The photography is nice and it does give you a good idea of the hiking and driving options available in the park, I just wish it were laid out in a more logical fashion and maybe the author can include river trips in a future edition or change the name to "hiking and driving adventures for everyone"

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Title - Very Enjoyable Read, April 7, 2009

By 

Patti A. Edens - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Enjoying Big Bend National Park: A Friendly Guide to Adventures for Everyone (W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series) (Paperback)

Good Title - Very Enjoyable Read

This is an especially great book for someone who has never been to Big Bend National Park, but even a seasoned traveler (6 times for me) to the Park will enjoy reading this book. I always like to see what someone else thinks of my favorite places and trails, so reading Gary Clark's impressions of Big Bend was interesting and about as close to being there as I can imagine.

I loved reading about the difference in hiking styles, Gary's former "beeline race to the finish" vs. his wife's leisurely, "butterfly hiking", meandering down the trail. I had my husband read that section twice just to make sure he got the message!

The mix of geology, nature, practical advice for safety, beautiful prose, humor and more made this a wonderful read and a very useful reference. I highly recommend this book for planning your trip and it is just the right size to tuck in your suitcase and carry with you throughout the park.

The photos go from breathtakingly beautiful vistas to darn cute little critters that I hope to get a glimpse of on my next visit. And reading this book makes me want to plan that next visit right now.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Big Bend, January 11, 2012

By 

Jason Renfroe - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Enjoying Big Bend National Park: A Friendly Guide to Adventures for Everyone (W L Moody, Jr, Natural History Series) (Paperback)

Very informative and a good way to prepare for your trip to Big Bend. Not a great guide for the off-road trails but does a good job of other areas of the park.