The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park (Travel and Local Interest) (Paperback)

by T. Scott Bryan (Author), Betty Tucker-Bryan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park is the first complete guide to cover the entire park region, from the habitats and lifestyles of wildlife in the area to backpacking trips, short day walks and full-length hikes. From warnings of dangers to local attractions, this covers much ground. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
In the fall of 1994, Death Valley National Park became the fifty-third park to be added to the U.S. park system. Spanning more than three million acres, Death Valley is the largest park in the contiguous United States and features a stunningly diverse array of natural attractions.

The Explorer’s Guide to Death Valley National Park is the first complete guidebook available for this spectacular area. It covers the park’s geologic history and also reviews the human history of the valley, form the Indians and first western explorers to the prospectors, miners, and present-day visitors.

Shrubs, trees, and wildflowers are described along with where and when they can be found. The habitats and lifestyles of the wildlife, from the rangy coyote to the tiny springsnail, are shared with the reader.

The Explorer’s Guide contains short walks, day hikes, backpacking trips, and numerous descriptive road logs that lead explorers into the wilderness backcountry of mines, ghost towns, cactus gardens, incredible scenic vistas, and desert mysteries.

Written by two acknowledged desert naturalists, explorers, and conservationists, The Explorer’s Guide is the only book you’ll need for an all-encompassing experience in Death Valley National Park.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Colorado; illustrated edition edition (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870814095
• ISBN-13: 978-0870814099
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #624,517 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the top three books a visitor to d.v. should have!, January 19, 1999

By	[e-mail] Chahwalla (salinas, ca) - See all my reviews

This is the best book, to date, for a Death Valley visitors/explorers while in their vehicle. The authors cover a tremendous amount territory. It would probably take you a few years of solid exploration of Death Valley to complete all that is listed within these pages. I cannot say enough about the authors, both of whom have been associated professionally and recreationally to Death Valley for years.

The book is a beautiful guide for those of us who want to learn more, or find certain locations. The Bryans help us find, sometimes, locations that are unknown by the general public. After 30 years of exploring and enjoining Death Valley, I still appreciate their book. No book is perfectly correct, but doggone it, it really is a fantastic book. I recommend, that after getting the book, covering the book with acetate. It will be used very frequent and often.

Along with this book I recommend, Death Valley and the Amargosa, and Hiking guide to Death Valley.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Going to Death Valley? Buy it!, October 11, 2000

By A Customer

This is an excellent book with a few, minor flaws. The book tells you at what mileage markers you can find specific landmarks, so you shouldn't have any difficulties finding old mines, ghost towns, etc., whether on a paved or 4X4 backcountry road. The author includes a brief history of each mine and ghost town, though they sometimes leave me with more questions than they answer. However, in a book that attempts to cover as much as this one does, such shortcomings are inevitable. Indeed, one gets the impression that the author wanted to include more anecdotes, but the publisher wouldn't allow it. People interested in botany and geology should find this book especially useful, while those interested in wildlife will find this book to contain only basic information.

There are a few minor inaccuracies...for example, an abandoned camp along Butte Valley Road is listed as being abandoned since the early 80's, but a marker at the site says it was abandoned in 1988. Also, though the book covers most roads in the park, it hardly mentions a few, including the (difficult!) road from Eureka Valley to Saline via Steele Pass. This omission won't be a problem for most readers, since the vast majority will stick to the paved roads. And the author writes about the paved roads with the same detail and enthusiasm as the unpaved ones.

Some remarks are downright mysterious and leave the reader hungry for more. For example, when describing the features of a particular road, the author says "a few maps show a 'Marble Bath' but no one can agree on where or what it is." Well...?!? Has the author seen this landmark? Can he tell us what SOME people think it is? Give us a hint!

While the book is very good at telling you exactly where to find major landmarks, there are no maps. Even though the book describes in words where to turn, what route to take, etc., a map would be most helpful. This omission can be rectified by visiting your AAA travel center.

But don't let these flaws stop you from buying the book. If you're going to Death Valley, and especially if you're taking an unpaved, backcountry road, this book is an invaluable resource.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars gas OK, oil OK, water OK - let's go!, January 18, 2000

By	[e-mail] (san francisco) - See all my reviews

An excellent one volume guide to the park which has detailed trip logs, mileages, and points of interest assembled in an easy-to-read day trip format. Good historical perspective especially the ghost town and mining infomation. The author was suprintendent of the park in the 1980s when it was still classed as a National Monument and has a wide knowledge of the park and its many attractions. I recommend this book to all travellers by car (virtually 100%), but check carefully to see if the route is recommended for all cars or just 4WD rigs; the road conditions change frequently in the desert and the storms of 1998 and 1999 did considerable damage to once well-maintained routes so a call to a DVNP ranger station before adventuring would be advised.