Product Description

Frommer's Puts the Parks in Your Pocket.
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The best strategies for seeing Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks--and the lowdown on equally stunning (and less crowded) natural wonders nearby
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Great places to stay: cozy park lodges, family-friendly gateway motels, and the best campgrounds
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The best hikes, from meandering garden paths to thrilling canyon trails--plus cross-country ski treks, mountain bike and horseback tours, and more
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Where to eat and stock up on supplies, both in the parks and in nearby towns
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Detailed, accurate regional, park, and trail maps

Frommer's. The best trips start here.

Experience a place the way the locals do.
Enjoy the best it has to offer.

And avoid tourist traps. At Frommer's, we use 150 outspoken travel experts around the world to help you make the right choices.

Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74691 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 182 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470185636
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Publisher
Just in time for travelers planning summer vacations, Frommers unveils a completely updated new edition of its comprehensive guide to 40 of Americas national parks and monuments, including perennial favorites such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, and more.

More than 65 million people visit the national parks annuallyand overcrowding has become a serious problem. So we sent our authors out to hit the trails and campsites to figure out how to beat the crowds and enjoy an unspoiled experience of nature.

Our authors take readers to the most spectacular landscapes in the western U.S. and provide advice for every kid of park visitor, from the day-tripper who wants to see the highlights quickly to the back-country camper to families traveling with kids. This incredibly detailed, complete guide covers every kind of activity available in each park, from hiking to bird watching, with a range of sports for visitors of all ages and skill levels.

It also includes reviews of park lodges, camping, and nearby accommodations to help readers plan all aspects of their trip. Exact prices are listed for every establishment and activity. No other guide offers such detailed, candid reviewsor such honest advice.

Complete with maps of every park (including detailed maps of hiking trails in the major parks), plus a stunning 16-page full-color photo insert!

From the Back Cover
Frommer's Puts the Parks in Your Pocket.

• The best strategies for seeing Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks—and the lowdown on equally stunning (and less crowded) natural wonders nearby

• Great places to stay: cozy park lodges, family-friendly gateway motels, and the best campgrounds

• The best hikes, from meandering garden paths to thrilling canyon trails—plus cross-country ski treks, mountain bike and horseback tours, and more

• Where to eat and stock up on supplies, both in the parks and in nearby towns

• Detailed, accurate regional, park, and trail maps

Frommer's. The best trips start here.

Experience a place the way the locals do.
Enjoy the best it has to offer.

And avoid tourist traps. At Frommer's, we use 150 outspoken travel experts around the world to help you make the right choices.

Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com

About the Author
Residents of northern New Mexico since 1970, Don and Barbara Laine have traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, spending as much time as possible in the outdoors, and especially in the region’s national parks and monuments. They have written Frommer’s guides to Utah, Colorado, and the National Parks of the American West. The Laines have also authored Little-Known Southwest, New Mexico & Arizona State Parks, and Best Short Hikes in Arizona for The Mountaineers; and The New Mexico Guide for Fulcrum Publishing.

Customer Reviews

A wonderful overview of the parks
This guide proved to be an excellent resource during our recent trip to the Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Highlights of this book include how comprehensive it was despite its relative brevity, the easy-to-read writing style, and its off-the-beaten-path recommendations.

The authors discussed all the subjects I was looking for in a travel book. They covered the usual "where to stay" and "where to eat" topics very well, including reviews of the campgrounds in the parks. We were very satisfied staying and eating at the places recommended by the authors.

A particular strength of the book was its overview of the numerous hiking trails of the two parks. The trails were organized by length, and the authors gave good recommendations about which trails to do. One hike that they recommended as a "find" was a beautiful, short stroll to an icy cave, but because of its location off the main park road, we were completely by ourselves. The authors even discussed some of the backcountry hiking, if you are inclined to strap on your pack and head off into the wilderness.

The chapter on the natural history of the parks was also excellent. There was a description of the geological events that formed the parks, the flora and fauna, and the diverse ecosystems. The geological discussion in particular was especially helpful for understanding how the layers of rock were laid down over millions of years.

The authors gave good sample itineraries for experiencing the park in a day or two. Recommendations on seeing the sunrise across the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon and on visiting some of the less traveled sections of Zion were very worthwhile.

Nice bonuses in the book included information for kids, RVers, and people with disabilities. The book also had information on practical things like where to get gas, buy supplies, do your laundry, etc. There is even a section on places to visit near the national parks such as some of the Utah state parks and nearby national monuments.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone heading to Zion and Bryce Canyon. It definitely enriched our experience and made planning a whole lot easier.

Essential Family Vacation Guide!
I bought a few books on Bryce Canyon and Zion while planning our family vacation and this book was the most useful and helpful. We just returned from the trip and were very happy with this guidebook.

The book provides all the information needed to plan your trip to the parks, including when to go, what to take, and any permits needed. There is also information on where to stay and camp, and also where to eat - though we ended up bringing most of our food with us and cooking on a camp stove.

The book has great guides on best day hikes. This was particularly useful since we have two young boys - 4 and 6. We did a lot of day hikes. Our favorite hike was the Queens Garden Trail. We did that one twice - it is only about 2 miles round trip with great views!

Overall, this is an incredibly useful book that easily fits in your backpack!

Great for planning hikes and adventures
This is more a guide for active recreation than for trip-planning. There's nothing on restaurants or hotels -- but there's lots of information, good suggested websites and maps for the various national parks in each area. It's also not too big or bulky so it's easy to take on hikes. We'll be using it for a one week trip to the area, but it's comprehensive enough that even if you lived in the area and visited frequently it would still be a good resource to have. It's not really written from a particular viewpoint or voice, but is rather an objective compilation of info about the region.