Customer Reviews

Hiking Northern Arizona, 3rd: A Guide to Northern Arizona's Greatest Hiking Adventures (Regional Hiking Series)

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

 

 

while all the trails in this book exist and their descriptions relatively accurate, be wary of the detailed directions and distances or you'll find yourself on a leisurely 4 mile hike only to find out that it's really 14 miles!

you'll also want to keep a close eye on driving direction distances as the hiker/writer's vehicle obviously had a bad odometer.

in the end you'll get where you're going (most of the time) you'll just have to make a few uturns or switchbacks.

carry extra water.

I found Bruce Grubbs' descriptions of the hikes included in this book articulate, and so far as I was fortunate enough to undertake them myself, accurate in their details. If only I were familiar enough with the northern parts of this extraordinary state to judge whether the hikes he describes are really the best you can take!
I would make two minor criticisms, and I expect they reflect on editors and publisher, rather than the author:
1) the maps are not copies or reductions of topographic maps, but simple, somewhat schematic sketches. Keep in mind that you need to refer to his texts, which are pretty detailed, when in doubt, and that you may want to supplement the book with topographic or other maps of a given area.
2) this book covers northern Arizona EXCEPT for the trails in the Grand Canyon system. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact I think it was a good idea, as there is a lot of documentation on trails and routes in the Grand Canyon National Park and associated areas elsewhere. But why wasn't this made clear in a subtitle?
Of the several works I've seen on this subject, this seemed the most compact and up-to-date. But looking through the others will be worth your time, so put your local library to the test. See if you can get them to "interlibrary loan" all the stuff out there (maybe if you're lucky enough to live in AZ, they'll have it anyway). Don't let those people get away with buying pop fiction, running homeless citizens out, and fretting & re-fretting about color schemes. Make them help you decide which books you're going to spend your money on. Hey, and what are you going to do about those books that are "out of print". Make them find a library that hasn't "weeded" those books yet.

I was amazed at how many good hiking trails there are in northern Arizona. Grubbs gives excellent descriptions of what to expect on them, the elevation change, and most importantly to get the trailheads. If you are new to hiking or simply want to try new and different trails, this is a great book for you.

Northern Arizona has among the best scenery in the world, even if one excludes the magnificent Grand Canyon. The San Francisco peaks and the areas around Flagstaff offer some fabulous hikes. Even without the magnificent hikes in and around the Grand Canyon, there are plenty of other trails to explore and enjoy. This book does it all! This is a well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. even without many accompanying photos. Every hike also has a little descriptive map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive.

Equally pleasing is that the author takes the time to describe each hike in detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. I have not gotten lost yet, though I believe the mileages for some hikes are wrong by as much as half a mile. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 70 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete guide to this region. I enthusiastically recommend it!

Lots of good information, but I wish it had more backpacking hikes. In any event, the info is good and I'll undoubtedly do a lot of the day hikes. Good trail descriptions.

I bought this book because we were taking a driving trip through Arizona, including Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. The guide was a great help because there are so many trails to hike that it would be difficult to choose one without some direction. It is especially helpful in describing the trails, what you will see on the hike, and how long and/or difficult the trail is. It gives exact directions to the trails and explains when to hike, as the weather can get very hot or very cold depending on the time of year. I would have liked more information on the flora and fauna in each area, but I guess that is an entirely different book. As a hiking guide it does not disappoint.