Fodor's National Parks of the West, 2nd Edition (Special-Interest Titles) (Paperback)

by Fodor's (Author) "Nature's most imposing creations dominate the national parks of the Pacific Northwest- towering trees and surging rivers, glaciers draping massive volcanic peaks, mist-shrouded shores pounded..." (more)
Key Phrases: Grand Canyon, Labor Day, Bryce Canyon (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Family Travel Times calls this guidebook "exhaustively researched and thorough," in which "you'll find everything you need to know." Fodor's has collected the essentials for touring 33 of the most popular national parks and monuments in the U.S., including Jasper, Yellowstone, Zion, Banff, Mt. Rainier, and Redwood. Each tour includes a map, driving directions, reviews of lodging, the best nature trails, "best-in-one-day" itineraries, as well as tips on what to see and do in each area. The nitty-gritty includes useful information on geology, plants and animals, weather, historic sites, and local festivals. With this easy-to-read, informative book, there's no excuse for having nothing to do. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
This brand new edition of the official visitor guide to the National Parks of the West is fully updated and covers the Pacific Northwest, California,The Rocky Mountains, Dakota Badlands and the canyons and deserts of the South West. We offer detailed information on how and where to find the best hiking, boating, bird watching, horse riding and cycling, and listings for restaurants, hotels, and campsites. Handy alphabetical and regional organisation help you locate the right information instantly.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; 2 edition (April 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400013291
• ISBN-13: 978-1400013296
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,831 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great All-Around Guide!, December 21, 1999

By	Douglas S Heimlich (Bethesda, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Parks of the West: A Complete Vacation in Every Chapter (Fodor's National Parks of the West) (Paperback)

This manual may not suit the requirements of the most ardent of backpackers and thrill seekers, but for an average Joe Camper like myself, it really came in handy through Washington State, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and on up into Banff and Jasper. A most resourceful guide that lists National Park Service information, directions to the Parks, campsites, hiking trails, info on backwoods camping...even tells you where you can shower after the fourth day! My only criticism is that my copy is as beat up as my hiking boots. A great resource to have, whether you're only there for a day, a drive-in camper, day hiker, or backpacker. I highly recommend it. Great job, Fodors!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible!, April 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: National Parks of the West: A Complete Vacation in Every Chapter (Fodor's National Parks of the West) (Paperback)

This book totally rocks! This is my National Parks bible. I use the National Geographic book for maps and pictures and this one for the trails, lodging and other details. The hike recommendations are the best of any national park book I've seen.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Provides solid information and facts, September 13, 2001

By	D. Reis (New Haven, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Parks of the West: A Complete Vacation in Every Chapter (Fodor's National Parks of the West) (Paperback)

Fodor's has put together a solid collection of facts and information for visiting the National Parks in the West, but the avid hiker and outdoorsperson would do well to add other pieces of literature to their collection before setting out. This book provides essential information such as phone numbers, addresses, and directions to the parks. It details options for camping in and out of the parks, as well as lodging in cities. However, I found a number of the prices they listed to be out of date, and some of the phone numbers were inaccurate. These were minor inconveniences, however, and did not overshadow the overall effectiveness of the guide.

As far as activities, the book offers some brief guidelines for hikes and drives around the parks. I found these descriptions to be very impersonal and vague. For example, it lists trails as being "moderately difficult" without explaining what types of difficulties one might encounter. For a hiker, there is a big difference between a steep climb and precipitous footing, but this book does little to detail what one might expect on a given trail. I found the "America's National Parks for Dummies" guide to be much more informative as far as specific trail conditions and wildlife concerns (e.g. grizzly and black bear areas, mountain lions, etc.) Fodor's guide does not address these issues, which are also of utmost concern for most backcountry hikers. Additionally, the editors seem to abide by a policy of "Just the Facts" - they offer little to nothing in the way of ratings or opinions regarding which campsites and facilities may be better maintained within the parks. Most avid campers I know value a firsthand opinion when trying to decide where to pitch their tents - and reading that a campsite is quiet and primarily tents, versus noisy and popular with RVs is extremely helpful information to have in hand.

We used both the Fodor's and Dummies guides on a six-week cross-country trip and found them to be nice complements to one another. The Dummies guide covers fewer parks but in greater detail, and offers candid opinions; the Fodor's guide gives you all the essentials you need for planning a visit to the park. If you don't plan on doing much hiking, this book could be all you need, but I recommend supplementing it with a more descriptive guide.