National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States [Hardcover]

Mel White (Author)

Book Description

Series: National Geographic Complete National Parks | Publication Date: February 16, 2010

Year after year, hundreds of millions of visitors spend more than a billion hours enjoying the magnificent, astonishingly diverse realm overseen by America’s National Park Service. And the National Geographic Society has been involved with this forward-looking, environmentally-minded department from the very beginning.

This extensive travel planner covers not just the 58 official National Parks but also the nearly 350 additional properties in the Park Service’s domain. The premier Parks are described in detail, but equal attention is given to the National Monuments, Memorials, Preserves, Historic Sites, Battlefields, Cemeteries, and Seashores, not to mention a network of "National Trails" and even the intriguingly referred to "Affiliated Areas." From Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, from the hallowed ground of Gettysburg National Military Park to the Pacific waters shrouding Hawaii’s U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, this catalog spans American history and territory both, with practical advice on how to reach each park, when to go, and what to do there.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mel White has written or contributed to more than 15 National Geographic books, including the two-volume Guide to Birdwatching Sites and the Guide to America’s Outdoors: Southwest, and has contributed more than 50 articles to the Society’s magazines, National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (February 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426205279
• ISBN-13: 978-1426205279
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 1.3 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Food & Lodging > Parks & Campgrounds
  • #62 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Reference

More About the Author

Mel White has written or contributed to more than 15 National Geographic books, including the two-volume Guide to Birdwatching Sites and the Guide to America's Outdoors: Southwest, and has contributed more than 50 articles to the Society's magazines, National Geographic and National Geographic Traveler.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complete but superficial, February 16, 2010

By 

Ursiform (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States (Hardcover)

While called the "Complete National Parks of the United States", it covers everything managed by the National Parks Service; the cover boasts "Featuring 400+ Parks, Monuments, Battlefields, Historic Sites, Scenic Trails, Recreation Areas, and Seashores". While it may get a "A" for completeness, at a little over 500 pages don't expect comprehensive coverage of over 400 sites.

Many of the entries are covered in half a page, often without a photo. Even the major parks and monuments only get a few pages. (Yosemite and Yellowstone get about four pages each.) While it may be useful for finding out about a site near where you live or are planning to visit, for anything but quick stops you'll want to find a more comprehensive guide. Think of this book as a compendium of abstracts of sites you might want to learn more about rather than a guide to those sites and your expectations should be met.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complete National Parks, March 5, 2010

By 

J. Lindner (Gem Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States (Hardcover)

This book lives up to its billing as it covers all properties managed by the National Park service. Of course it is time locked in that sooner or later it will be obsolete. But for now, this is as good a reference book as you will find on this subject. I agree with other reviewers that it is lacking in photographs. Since National Geographic is famous for its photos, a few more pages and a lot more photos would have been nice, but then the cost would be more. However, National Geographic isn't bashful about what it charges for other books they put out so the lack of photos is a bit confusing.

But if a picture is worth a thousand words, the lack of pictures forces good descriptive text. Here is where this book shines. The author has written just enough text to give the reader sufficient information about the site. But in most cases that is adequate to determine whether that site appears on one's travel agenda or not.

Several of the major national parks have much more coverage, and the accompanying photos that bring those entries to life. These are what makes this book worth the money. One can reader about the park and get detailed information on any driving or hiking tours the site may offer. One could really plan an itinerary from the information provided by this book.

So from the obscure (I had never heard of some of the sites listed) to the well known, this book does live up to its title. It is, at least for the time being, the "complete" national parks reference book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful pick, May 18, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States (Hardcover)

Complete National Parks of the U.S. is a 'must' for any collection catering to domestic travelers. While many competing books on the nation's parks are in print, this one differs with its inclusion of monuments, battle sites, scenic trails, and seashores with in-depth visiting details paired with color photos. Discussions of how to best view the park offer details not just on the park, but surrounding natural attractions. A powerful pick.