Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails [Paperback]

Charles A. Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

This edition is now out of print. A new, completely redone second edition is now available. To find the second edition, type the following number in the search box: 096649766X, or click on author's name, Charles A. Wells to see all his books.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This first edition is now out of print. A new, completely redone second edition is now available. To find the second edition, type the following number in the search box: 096649766X, or click on author's name, Charles A. Wells, to see all his books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Funtreks Inc; 1st edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966497600
• ISBN-13: 978-0966497601
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charles A. Wells graduated from Ohio State University in 1969 with a degree in graphic design. After practicing design in Ohio, he moved to Colorado Springs in 1980 and worked 18 years in the printing business. Over the years, he and his family enjoyed a wide array of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, rafting and skiing. He bought an SUV in 1994 and immediately got addicted to exploring the backcountry. He later joined a four-wheel-drive club and learned more about hardcore four-wheeling.
Dissatisfied with the four-wheel-drive guidebooks on the market, he decided to write his own. His first book on Colorado sold well enough for him to leave his regular job to write full time. He presently has six SUV/Jeeping books on the market-two on Colorado, one on Moab, one on Arizona and two on California, visit www.funtreks.com. He also started down a new path with a brand new ATV book on Moab. More SUV and ATV books are planned.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent ATV Trail Reference, November 28, 2000

By 

"coloradoclimber" (Chillicothe, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails (Paperback)

I bought this book before travelling from Ohio with ATVs. The book was extremely helpful in finding good trails to ride and to know what to expect. It is actually written for Jeeps and SUVs but since I could not find anything on ATV's this was the next best thing. If you are going to use ATV's or motorcycles you can adjust the difficulty levels accordingly. ie. Difficult for an SUV is Moderate for an ATV and so on. I am planning another trip out next summer and will probably buy Vol. 2.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy It, December 21, 1999

By 

Michael J. Phillips (Grand Junction, Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails (Paperback)

Over the years, I think I've read most of the books on Colorado four-wheel drive roads, and probably have driven something like 25% of the roads described in this book. All things considered, Wells's book is the best of the bunch by a considerable margin. Errors are inevitable in books like these, but Wells seems to me to have made very few. In addition, the introductory how-to material was useful for tourist clods like myself.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide to the places most travelers do not see., October 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails (Paperback)

If you are one of the many Americans who have purchased a Sport Utility Vehicle, and are planning a trip to Colorado, then you probably want to buy this book. The author begins with short chapters that cover equipment needs, basic driving techniques, and safety considerations (including warnings about Colorado's unpredictable weather). He then moves on to the heart of the book, the trails.

The trails are organized by their location in the state. The author classifies them as easy, moderate, or difficult. His classifications can keep you from getting on to a trail which is beyond your capabilities and which might result in damage to you vehicle, or worse. He provides directions on how to find the trail, a description of the terrain, a brief history of how the trail came to be, and other activities, besides four wheeling, that can be done in the area.

I found this book to be highly useful as I toured the state this summer, and the wear and tear on my copy is a tribute to its value.